This year’s Living Wage Scotland Awards took place on Thursday 9 November at Scotland’s design museum, the V&A Dundee. A huge thank you to everyone for making this truly a night to remember. The event was hosted by the wonderful comedian Susan Morrison and our special guest speaker was the amazing Richard McCann, bestselling author, who blew us away with his moving personal story.
We were also joined by Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work & Energy who was delighted to announce the winner of the Living Hours Awards. Our very own Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance, reflected on Living Wage Scotland’s journey and paid tribute to Councillor Lynne Short who was thrilled to receive an Award for her Outstanding Contribution to the Living Wage Movement.
We would like to thank SSE plc, our principal sponsors for the evening, and Kate Wallace-Lockhart, Head of Sustainability at SSE Renewables who opened the event. This year our Award categories were sponsored by a great group of accredited Living Wage employers. Thanks to the generosity of all our sponsors we were able to enjoy a very special evening.
We would like to also thank the fantastic staff at the V&A, Heritage Portfolio, Vision Sound & Light and Mallard Productions.
And finally, a huge thank you to all our employers and employees who continue to support the real Living Wage. They are fundamental in helping reduce in-work poverty and make Scotland become a fairer nation where everyone can enjoy a happy and healthy life.
Newcomer of the Year Award – Saxen Fire & Security
Saxen Fire & Security believe in supporting their local community and giving young people the best start. They provide a pipeline for young people who have lost interest in education and support them to gain experience within their organisation, leading to an excellent apprenticeship opportunity.
This Award was proudly sponsored by Manorview
Trailblazer Award – Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
Camera Obscura highlighted the positive impact for their staff, who benefit from a better work/life balance and are better able to budget for everyday essentials as well as fun activities like holidays. They believe that the real Living Wage has contributed to their overall resilience and has allowed them to retain and attract the best talent for their award-winning visitor attraction.
This Awards was proudly sponsored by MSIP
Living Hours Award – Molke
Molke really stand out in the manufacturing and fashion industry. They have a strong commitment to sustainable and socially responsible practices, with ethics being paramount to the production and manufacturing of all their products. They believe in prioritising the wellbeing of their wonderful staff so along with being Living Wage and Living Hours accredited, they also have a number of wellbeing initiatives and accreditations.
This Award was proudly sponsored by Capital City Partnership
Employee Choice Award – KURA
KURA focus on protecting both their people and the planet, and they invest actively in the local communities in which they operate. KURA were nominated in this category by Robert, an employee, who is currently supporting his partner who is pursuing higher education. Robert told us how much he appreciates the capacity to afford life’s “little luxuries” which has significantly improved his overall emotional and mental well-being. KURA do not want their employees worrying about money, and believe the Living Wage has created a more positive workplace environment and a more motivated workforce.
This Award was proudly sponsored by APSE
Local Champion Award – Mercat Tours
Mercat Tours has been using their influence to champion the Living Wage at local and national levels and have a role in co-chairing the Edinburgh Living Wage City Action group and Chairing the Living Wage Hospitality & Tourism Steering Group.
Through the campaign Our Stories Your City, Mercat Tours has been able to achieve impact for local Living Wage jobs while supporting local charity Grassmarket Community Project. Through this project, Mercat Storytellers can reconnect vulnerable communities with their city through storytelling tours to beat exclusion – paid for by visitors’ donations and supporting local Living Wage jobs in the process.
This Award was proudly sponsored by Hillcrest Homes
Voice of the Year – Austen Smyth, The Richmond Fellowship Scotland (TRFS)
Under Austen’s leadership, TRFS became an accredited Living Wage employer leading to 3,200 staff receiving an uplift to the real Living Wage and beyond. Austen has also championed increased funding of social care with government so that wages reflect the cost of living. He currently sits on the Living Wage Scotland Leadership Group.
Austin’s advocacy work has made a tangible difference via the” Unfair to Care” report to Scottish Government policy around funding of Social Care roles.
This Award was proudly sponsored by KURA
Outstanding Leadership Award – NHS Grampian
As an anchor organization, NHS Grampian is committed to championing fair work, both with their NHS partners as well as further afield and has played a key role in the campaign to Make Aberdeen a Living Wage City.
The organisation has also ensured younger workers benefit from their Living Wage commitment and have uplifted more than 35 apprentices to the real Living Wage. Not only have staff benefitted from extra pay in their pockets, but this has also supported NHS Grampian’s reputation as an employer of choice.
This Award was proudly sponsored by Morton Fraser
Outstanding Contribution Award – Councillor Lynne Short
Lynne is passionate about doing the best for the people of Dundee and has inspired many to take action in the campaign to ensure workers earn a Living Wage. Lynne uses every available lever at her disposal to encourage more local businesses to sign up to the Living Wage and regularly engages with and celebrates new employers and milestone moments in the City. She is always coming up with new and creative ways to engage the existing Living Wage network in Dundee and was the brains behind the Dundee Stencil campaign which ran for 2 years in a row and won the action group the Living Wage Week Award for 2022 at the Living Wage Foundation’s awards.