“It’s an investment – paying our team appropriately for their skills is essential, and that starts with the living wage,” said Sarah Calcutt, chief executive of London Living Wage employer City Harvest.
Feeding 130,000 people across London, City Harvest is an Acton-based food redistribution charity that has been operating for 10 years. It receives unwanted food, including fresh produce, through various channels such as retail, manufacturing, farms and hospitality chains, and delivers it to people in 30 London boroughs.
Since its launch in 2014, City Harvest has been committed to paying its staff the London Living Wage – an hourly rate of pay currently set at £13.85 and calculated based on what people need, in order to afford the basic cost of living in the capital.
‘People are secure in their jobs’
Sarah thinks paying the London Living Wage is important. She added:
“It’s very expensive to live in London, and the cost of living increases impact every household. Paying the London Living Wage is the baseline of our commitment. Our team is incredibly dedicated, and we want people to be secure in their jobs. We are here to support people and that starts with our staff.”
Get a dedicated ‘Business Buddy’ and more
Paying the London Living Wage is good for business. Employers based in the borough who sign up to become accredited by 31 March 2025 will be able to access a range of benefits from Ealing Council. This includes your own ‘Business Buddy’ – a council officer to support you with access to council services and advice who will:
- be your single point of contact for any queries
- put you in touch with the right contacts in the council
- help your business with any challenges and opportunities by advising you on free support and guidance available from service providers and the council, and
- keep you updated on council services
‘Change lives for the better’
Ealing Council leader, Peter Mason said: “Our campaign to drive up the number of accredited businesses has proven effective, with more than 70 local employers now paying the London Living Wage. The employers and their staff are benefitting from a boost in pay and productivity, and better recruitment and retention. We will continue working to ensure our residents have the means to change their lives for the better by having access to the decent living incomes that they deserve.”
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “It’s wonderful to hear the first-hand experience of local organisations, and the advantages of the London Living Wage to everyone. I’m pleased that we have over 70 accredited employers in the borough, and we’re committed to helping more pay the London Living Wage through our brilliant incentive scheme. Make sure your business becomes accredited by 31 March.”
Find out more
Speak to a member of the team by emailing invest@ealing.gov.uk, or fill in a short online form to express an interest in becoming an accredited employer.
