The Circle has today been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at The Circle receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.00 in the UK or £10.55 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 25s, which currently stands at £8.21 per hour.
The Circle is based in Scotland, a region where nearly a fifth
of all jobs (18%) pay less than the real Living Wage – around 404,000 jobs.
Despite this, The Circle has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver
a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. The real Living Wage is the only rate
calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark
for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not
just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered
a pay rise to over 160,000 people and put over £800m extra into the pockets of
low paid workers.
The Circle Manager, Paul Hastie said, “It has always been part
of The Circle’s ethos to pay our employees fairly and we are proud to say that
we have now been officially accredited by The Living Wage Foundation for this
effort. This seems to be especially important after the recent announcement
that Dundee will become the UK’s first real Living Wage city”
The Circle’s Communications Assistant and recipient of the
Living Wage, Sekai Machache said, “I feel that being paid the living wage is
important because it makes you feel more valued by your employer. It’s their
way of showing that they want you to thrive and not just survive.”
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re
delighted that The Circle has joined the movement of over 5,000 responsible
employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the
government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household
names such as IKEA, Heathrow Airport, Barclays, Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs
and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is
the mark of a responsible employer and they, like The Circle, believe that a
hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
