PLANED has this month accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone working directly for PLANED receive a minimum hourly wage of £12, higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £11.44 per hour.
PLANED, whose main office is in Narberth, and its projects cover Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and Ceredigion, operates where more than a tenth of all workers in Wales (12.9%) earn less than they need to get by, with around 161,000 jobs nationally paying less than the real Living Wage. Despite this, PLANED has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 460,000 people and put £3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
“PLANED is one of the leading employers within the Third Sector here in West Wales, that offers a competitive salary for the innovative and co-produced projects we support communities with across the region. Therefore, now being officially accredited as a Living Wage employer, enables us to publicly demonstrate the value we put on our skills and knowledge within the team currently, and in the future” notes Tony Baron, PLANED Chair of Trustees.
Iwan Thomas, Chief Executive of PLANED said “Now that PLANED has expanded in recent years from one county, to working regionally to the benefit of all our communities, it further strengthens the commitment to our great team. We will always recognise the value they bring to those who require our support in partnership and innovation, by being recognised as a Living Wage employer, and certainly therefore encourage and support others to follow suit.”
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that PLANED has joined the movement of over 14,000 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.
“They join thousands of small businesses and third sector organisations, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like PLANED believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
