Cornish energy broker Total Energy Solutions has become an accredited Living Wage employer, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring its employees earn enough to live on.
The Stoke Climsland based energy broker has now called on other SMEs across the region to follow suit.
The company announced its accreditation during Living Wage week, which runs from (November 4-10, 2018), when it was revealed that over a fifth (21 per cent) of all jobs in the South West pay less than the real Living Wage. That equates to around 463,000 jobs throughout the region (Source: Living wage).
The real Living Wage is a commitment for employers to pay their staff not just the Government’s minimum wage of £7.83 per hour for over 25s, but a wage rate calculated according to the costs of living.
Managing director Alastair Carnegie said: “Working with ethical values has been at the core of our business since our launch in 2007. We see this accreditation as another way to prove this commitment. We now hope other employers across the region will follow suit and pay a wage that reflects the cost of living in our region.”
Kim Conchie, Chief Executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is great to see Total Energy Solutions become an accredited business for real living wage.
“It is quite disturbing to hear that 21 per cent of all jobs in the South West pay less than the real Living Wage. I am sure most of our members aspire to become Living Wage employers and I would encourage those who can to apply for Living Wage accreditation.”
Tess Lanning, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted that Total Energy Solutions has joined the movement of over 4,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.”
Total Energy Solutions helps businesses from across the South West find the best price for their gas, electricity and water supplies and work to a customer service ethic unrivalled in the industry.