Becoming a Real Living Wage employer

Becoming a Real Living Wage employer

Highland Experiences are proud to announce that they have become an accredited real Living Wage employer. The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by over 11,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs – like the weekly shop, or a surprise trip to the dentist. The real living wage differs from the National Living Wage as it takes into account a more realistic way of calculating how much money need to live and thrive, rather than just survive.

In Scotland, more than 14% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 330,000 jobs. Despite this, Highland Experiences 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 UK wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay.

Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 52,000 people in Scotland and put over £310 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.

In Scotland over 300,000 employees have received a pay rise as a result of the Living Wage campaign and the programme enjoy cross-party support. There are a broad range of employers accredited with the Foundation including half of the FTSE 100 and big household names including Nationwide, Google, LUSH, Everton FC and Chelsea FC. Now of course added to the list is Highland Experiences.

Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: “We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it’s only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs.”

Gail Irvine, Living Wage Scotland Manager said: “We’re delighted that Highland Experiences has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of over 2500 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive.

In reality our Highland Experiences instructor and office team were paid above the level of the real Living Wage in 2022, but this is a great benchmark to measure our wages against. The wage level is a minimum and applies to all staff, salaried and freelance. Highland Experiences will feature on the real Living Wage map https://www.livingwage.org.uk/living-wage-map which you can look at to see all the employers across Britain who have signed up to the scheme.

The real living wage team provide a forum for leading employers and service providers to publicly join the independent movement of organisations, businesses and people campaigning for a wage which is enough to live on. They coordinate Living Wage Week each November, a UK-wide celebration of the Living Wage movement.

To find out more out how Highland Experiences are working towards a better future, check out our Sustainablitiy page.