PURE Spa & Beauty are the first Spa and Beauty chain in the UK to secure Living Wage accreditation and have been celebrated by Living Wage Scotland as the 2000th accredited Living Wage employer in Scotland.
In Scotland, more than 15% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 350,000 jobs. Despite the high levels of low pay in the female dominated beauty industry and the business impacts of covid, PURE Spa & Beauty has chosen to invest in their workforce to ensure wages can cover their everyday needs.
PURE Spa and Beauty provides an award-winning range of beauty treatments and therapies across 17 UK locations. Their Living Wage commitment will ensure over 130 staff receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay.
Becky Woodhouse, CEO and founder at PURE said:
“I am extremely proud of our team and the work that they do, and it has been a long-standing ambition to become a Living Wage employer. Our staff are what make PURE a great company, they deliver amazing experiences to our clients every day, so I am delighted to be able to make the living wage commitment to them as their employer. As an independent female founder who is also a mum of 2, it matters hugely to me that our staff at PURE are recognised for the amazing work that they do and feel supported and empowered in their career at PURE”
Alessia- a PURE Spa & Beauty Therapist in Edinburgh said:
“Receiving the Real Living Wage makes me feel so much more motivated, productive and valued as an employee and as a therapist. The pay raise allows me to make better and solid plans for my future”.
Living Wage Scotland was launched by the Poverty Alliance 7 years ago with support from the Scottish Government, to increase the number of employers in Scotland celebrated for paying the real Living Wage.
At the inception of Living Wage Scotland in 2014, there were less than 20 employers signed up. The now 2000-strong network of Living Wage employers in Scotland includes lots of smaller employers as well as larger and iconic brands like SSE, abrdn, Barrs, Mackie’s of Scotland, & D.C. Thomson. There are over 7500 accredited Living Wage employers across the UK.
Living Wage accreditation has delivered a pay rise to over 45000 people in Scotland and put over £240 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers. The 2000 milestone signals optimism that businesses, even in sectors hardest hit during the pandemic, are seeking ways to support their workers’ wellbeing with the financial security of a real Living Wage.
Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said:
“Congratulations to PURE Spa & Beauty as the 2000th accredited Living Wage employer in Scotland, and the first Spa chain in the UK to make this commitment. Their accreditation is an important signal of leadership on tackling low pay in Scotland, specifically in the beauty industry, where low pay disproportionately affects women.”
“To have reached the 2000th Living Wage employer milestone in Scotland during this period of economic uncertainty is evidence that businesses want to take practical action to loosen the grip of in-work poverty in Scotland. I hope that more employers will follow the example of PURE Spa & Beauty by joining the Living Wage movement as accredited employers.”
Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Fair Work Minister said:
“It is fantastic to see PURE Spa & Beauty, become the 2000th accredited Living Wage Employer in Scotland. This is a significant milestone for them as they join the thousands of other employers who have committed to pay their staff the real Living Wage rate. It is also a significant milestone for the Scottish Living Wage Employer Accreditation Scheme which has seen the network of accredited employers grow from just 14 in 2014 to 2000 today.
Ensuring staff are fairly remunerated, by paying the real Living Wage, is a key aspect of demonstrating commitment to Fair Work practices and improving lives for Scotland’s workers and their families.
I congratulate PURE Spa & Beauty on their accreditation, and I encourage all employers regardless of size or sector to follow their lead and consider paying the real Living Wage.”
Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland Manager said:
“We’re delighted to celebrate the significant milestone of 2000 Living Wage employers in Scotland with PURE Spa & Beauty.
We are incredibly proud of our network of Living Wage employers in Scotland, and are heartened to see employers, including those in traditionally lower paid industries actively seeking accreditation to demonstrate their compassion and support for their workforce as part of a fair recovery. We hope to welcome many more employers to join the 2000 strong network of Living Wage employers in Scotland.”