Belfast Chamber is now accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Their Living Wage commitment will see all employees receive a minimum hourly wage of £12.60 in the UK, higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £12.21 per hour.
Northern Ireland is the UK region with the highest rate of low pay, where 20.6% of jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 224,000 jobs. Despite this, Belfast Chamber has committed to pay the real Living Wage and provide a decent standard of living for all their workers.
The Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage remains the only UK wage rate independently calculated based on the cost of living, rising annually based on living costs. It gives employers the confidence they are paying a wage that meets everyday needs, not just the government minimum. Over 16,000 accredited employers have secured over £3.6 billion of pay rises for low paid workers since 2011 and made a profound difference to millions of lives around the UK.
Clare Guinness, CEO of Belfast Chamber said “This is a proud day for Belfast Chamber, as we have become the first Chamber in Northern Ireland to have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. This accreditation is a cornerstone of providing “good jobs” in our economy and we would encourage businesses to look into this important initiative and improve staff retention, morale, reputation, and productivity in the process.”
Mary McManus, Living Wage NI Regional Manager said, “We are so pleased that Belfast Chamber has become the first NI Chamber of Commerce to accredit as a real Living Wage Employer. They join a growing network of local employers who understand that paying the Living Wage has immeasurable benefits both for their staff and their business as after all, a thriving workforce means a thriving business. The Belfast Chamber has shown leadership in committing to pay their staff fairly and we look forward to working with them to continue to grow the Living Wage movement in NI.”
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Belfast Chamber has joined the movement of over 16,000 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 Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Belfast Chamber, believe that everyone needs to be able to live with dignity and have a decent standard of living.”