Unilever a new Living Wage employer


Manufacturing has so far been one of the sectors least affected by the voluntary Living Wage. However, 500 of Unilever’s 7,500 UK employees will see a direct benefit from its accreditation as a Living Wage employer. 


Tim Munden, HR director of Unilever UK said: “As a company committed to making sustainable living commonplace we believe it is right to raise the floor on wages.” 


The company said it had been committed to paying its UK employees at least a Living Wage for some time and saw gaining accreditation as the “next natural step”. It will also be taking a living wage approach across its supply chain, ensuring that “hundreds more people working with us will be paid the Living Wage by the end of next year”. Regular contractors on its sites will move to paying a Living Wage through the next 18 months. 


Sarah Vero, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said that with Unilever’s accreditation more than a quarter of FTSE 100 companies are now involved. 


The Unite union, representing over 2,000 staff, welcomed the move. It had been pressing the firm to become a Living Wage employer for over a year. It was a “win, win” decision which followed on from its work with other employers, such as Nestlé.

www.unilever.co.uk/media-centre/pressreleases/2015/unilever-signs-up-to-living-wage-foundation.aspx