Facilicom UK recognised for its dedication to the real Living Wage with award win

• Facilicom UK was awarded a prestigious prize for its commitment to the real Living Wage at the  annual Living Wage Champion Awards

• The contract cleaning and services provider was given an accolade for the Beyond the Living Wage Champion Award as it has shown exceptional leadership in living out the values of the Living Wage movement.

• Facilicom UK became a Living Wage Supplier in 2013 and has been committed to paying the real Living Wage rate to all employees and promoting the voluntary rate across the UK ever since.

At the annual Living Wage Champion Awards, Facilicom UK was recognised for its role in tackling in-work poverty and improving the wellbeing of their lower paid employees.

The contract cleaning and services provider was acknowledged for putting in place measures to tackle insecurity and underemployment, as well as low pay, and offering policies to improve job security and work-life balance alongside the real Living Wage.

Facilicom UK was awarded the “Beyond the Living Wage Champion Award” for its long-term commitment to employee wellbeing and paying a fair wage. The firm is not only a Living Wage supplier, but is also a founding member of the Living Wage Service Provider Recognition Scheme. It was one of the first three national contract cleaning providers to sign up to the scheme and, today, remains part of the Service Providers Leadership Group

Facilicom’s security business, Trigion, was also the first national security provider to sign up to the scheme back in 2013.

Jan Hein Hemke, Managing Director at Facilicom UK, said: “We are extremely proud to have been given this award as we are passionate about ensuring our colleagues receive fair pay. We believe that people who are willing to work hard for their wages should be rewarded sufficiently – so that they can live, enjoy life and support their families. That’s why we are strong supporters of the Living Wage movement.

“In addition, we are committed to protecting our colleagues’ wellbeing, and firmly believe that ‘happy people make happy people’. This is why every staff member has 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme, where they can discuss any issues that might adversely affect their work performance, health and wellbeing. By creating a positive workforce, our clients receive a much better service and our colleagues are more motivated and committed.”

The real Living Wage is currently £9.00 across the UK and £10.55 in London. Unlike the government’s minimum wage or so-called Living Wage, it’s independently calculated based on the cost of living. There are currently 5,000 Living Wage employers that pay the real Living Wage rate, including Facilicom UK.

Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “Congratulations to Facilicom UK for winning a Beyond the Living Wage Award. Facilicom has always gone above and beyond to live out the values of the Living Wage movement, prioritising the wellbeing of its employees and promoting it across the industry.”

“The last year has been particularly successful for the Living Wage Foundation as we’ve seen through the 5,000th Living Wage Accreditation. Our awards are an opportunity to recognise the fantastic businesses who continue to recognise the importance of a wage that truly covers the cost of living, and the value this provides for workers and their families, as well as businesses.”

The annual Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate notable employers that pay the Living Wage and the awards were hosted by Martin Lewis at Guildhall, London. The awards were sponsored by Aviva, Heathrow and City of London.