An appetite for the Living Wage

Food producer for the health and social care sector, Apetito UK, has committed to ensuring that all of its 1,100 employees receive the Living Wage or higher from early 2016.

Apetito UK, which includes the Wiltshire Farm Foods brand, serves some of the most vulnerable people in society. It has committed to the ambitious target as part of its ethical stance to make a real difference not only to its customers and consumers, but to those who work in the health and social care sectors.

The company has confirmed that 82% of its workforce is already earning the Living Wage, or above.  That includes all employees at its manufacturing and distribution sites in Trowbridge and Bristol and follows on from its approach to responsible labour packages as part of the company’s Fair Pay project. The organisation is working towards obtaining accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.

Staff also receive a benefits package, which includes a retail benefits scheme, life assurance, healthcare, tax-efficient benefits, such as bikes for work and childcare vouchers, as well as higher-than-statutory pension contributions.

Apetito chief executive Paul Freeston said: “Our mission at Apetito is to ’make a real difference’ and that means embedding principles that support our customers, our supply chain, and crucially, our workforce.

“Supporting the Living Wage is quite simply the right thing to do; it improves our employees’ quality of life, but also benefits our business and society as a whole."

www.apetito.co.uk/news-articles/living-wage