Background
Component Sense was established in 2001 by CEO, Kenny McGee. Operating within the electronic sector, Component Sense specialises in the redistribution of excess and obsolete components. After visiting electronic factories and witnessing the amount of excess inventory waste being generated worldwide, Kenny set up Component Sense. The company aims to lead electronic manufacturers towards zero waste by preventing unwanted component stock from becoming scrap in the first place.
Since 2001, the company has developed from a one-man operation in Kenny’s living room to a multi-national organisation, and they continue to grow at a rapid pace.
Kenny started his own company after feeling frustrated by life in the corporate world. At that time, he was a single father to a young child, and he wanted to be able to develop a true work/life balance.
“I wanted to create a company where I was happy to come in every day and it just so happens that other people share my vision of a happy company!”
Kenny McGee, Founder/CEO.
Flexibility is a key feature of Component Sense – they are a hybrid company headquartered in Livingston, West Lothian with completely flexible working hours for all staff members. This way, they can accommodate the needs of students, parents, and all members of the team.
They also place a huge emphasis on their EPIC company culture. For them, being EPIC means that they are enterprising and positive, and they work with integrity and clarity. Maintaining these cultural values is an ongoing process: they hold monthly book clubs; they have regular team training sessions; they regularly recognise team members for their excellent work; and they have a daily morning coffee call, regardless of where everyone is in the world.
Sustainability and environmentalism are some other key areas of their business plan. By reducing electronic excess and leading electronics manufacturers towards zero waste, Component Sense actively works to lessen the carbon footprint of the electronics industry. They are passionate about the environment and are working hard to continuously improve their green credentials.
The Component Sense team is honoured to have won the Employees Choice Award at this year’s Living Wage Champion Awards. They were nominated by an employee as an excellent place to work.
When asked why winning the award was so important to her, Marketing Manager Morag Dine explained that “coming into a team that’s so welcoming and makes me feel secure is just an amazing feeling.”
They have also recently been named finalists in the “Best Customer Service” category at the Electronic Industry Awards.
Process
The real Living Wage is the only independently calculated rate based on what people need to live on. Component Sense had long paid the real Living Wage as a minimum before becoming an accredited Living Wage employer in 2018. They wanted to become accredited to show prospective partners and recruits that they are serious about team welfare and demonstrate their commitment to fair wages.
They faced no challenges in becoming Living Wage accredited and found the accreditation process “relatively easy”. They were contacted by a member of the Living Wage Scotland team after completing the online form to ensure they were compliant and that they have no queries about accreditation. Once accredited they received their official plaque so they could publicly display their commitment.
Luckily, the pandemic didn’t threaten their ability to pay a real Living Wage to their team members. They certainly worked to slim their costs, but they did not face too many issues due to the company already having hybrid working. They moved any employees from the office to a home working space, and they were lucky enough to be in a position where they could supply their team with the necessary working equipment.
“The pandemic showed us the importance of a flexible yet robust business plan, as well as the necessity of caring for our team members’ health and well-being.”
Morag Dine, Marketing Manager at Component Sense
Benefits
At Component Sense, they know the importance of employee recognition and professional development. An EPIC business requires the best people possible, and they explain that they cannot expect people to perform to their high standards if they don’t pay their team properly.
“Paying the Living Wage is not only an ethical choice, but it makes real business sense too.”
Grant Rutherford, Chief Technical Officer
For Component Sense, the real Living Wage is a necessity and a true marker of fairness. So many people are currently in jobs where their time and skills are not respected — for example in zero-hour contracts, or in minimum-wage roles. Many of their team members have come from working in traditionally low-paying industries, and for them, finding a position that pays a real Living Wage is a welcome relief. They believe that paying a Living Wage is the only real way to show their appreciation for the hard work of their team.
Furthermore, they argue that a real Living Wage lessens some of the worries of our current cost of living crisis. Fuel and food prices are only going to continue to increase — they care about the well-being of their team and believe that any company that feels the same should pay their staff a real Living Wage, at the very least.