Social Investment Scotland (SIS) has achieved Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension accreditation ensuring security and stability for their staff now and in the future.
Social Investment Scotland was established in 2000 to provide a new finance model for Scotland’s charities and social enterprises. Over 25 years it has invested £171 million in 575 social enterprises. This includes projects as diverse as providing a permanent, community-owned home for the Scottish circus community — including a circus school and a development and performance venue in Paisley and helping Green Aspirations CIC replace a failing charcoal kiln.
Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at SIS receive a minimum hourly wage of £13.45. This rate is higher than the government minimum for over 21’s which is currently £12.71 per hour.
A Living Hours commitment means providing at least four weeks’ notice for every shift when applicable, and a guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled. Living Hours employers also guarantee a minimum of 16 hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise), and a contract that accurately reflects hours worked.
Additionally, SIS’s Living Pension pledge will help staff build a pension pot to provide an income that meets basic needs in retirement.
This announcement demonstrates the importance that SIS places on setting standards, and ensuring staff have the security they need now and in the future.
Sharon Gillies, Chief Operating Officer at Social Investment Scotland, said:
“Achieving Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension accreditation reflects our commitment to creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported and secure. As an organisation that exists to help build stronger communities across Scotland, we believe it is important that we uphold those same principles for our own team. These accreditations recognise the steps we have taken to provide fair pay, greater financial security and long-term stability for our employees, helping ensure our people can thrive both now and in the future.”
Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland Manager said:
“We are delighted that Social Investment Scotland has achieved Living Hours accreditation alongside Living Pension and Living Wage. They join a significant and growing movement of employers across Scotland that are committed to tackling low pay and insecure work.
“Employers increasingly recognise that financial security and stability can help create a happier, healthier and more motivated workforce and we hope to see many more employers join Social Investment Scotland in going beyond the minimum.”
Research by the Living Wage Foundation shows that approximately 250,000 workers are in insecure work and paid below the real Living Wage in Scotland. The Living Hours standard was created to ensure that people have predictable working patterns and income, enabling them to better plan their lives.
The Living Pension standard builds on the real Living Wage by providing stability and security for workers now and in the future. The standard sets out the minimum annual contribution required through an average working life to reach this savings level, and employers commit to making sure all workers can access this.
Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 72,000 people in Scotland, putting £680 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.