Oliver Bonas becomes first high street chain to pay Living Wage
Oliver Bonas has become the first high street retail chain to pay its staff the Living Wage.
The company, which has 43 stores across London and the UK, has committed to pay all employees and third party contractors at the rate of £7.85 per hour and £9.15 in London.
Rhys Moore, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We are delighted that Oliver Bonas has accredited as a Living Wage employer. This is a significant milestone for the Living Wage movement and will see the Living Wage become more prominent on high streets across the country.”
The Living Wage Foundation has to date accredited 1,700 Living Wage employers, including SSE, Nationwide, Barclays and Nestle, as well as hundreds of independent small and medium sized businesses.
Moore added: “Major players in the retail sector have for a long time claimed that the Living Wage is too expensive to implement on the high street. This move by Oliver Bonas demonstrates that whilst it’s not always an easy choice for business to make, it is the right choice, and we hope that both staff and customers will support the leadership they are showing in their commitment to help end the low wage culture of the British high street.”
A recent poll by Nationwide, an accredited Living Wage employer and principal partner of the Living Wage Foundation, revealed that 87% of the public thought that those businesses that can, should pay the voluntary Living Wage and 58% would be more likely to use the goods and services of a company that paid its employees the Living Wage.
Oliver Tress, managing director and founder of Oliver Bonas, said: “We are thrilled that we are now able to pay the Living Wage to all members of our team. We want to do everything we can to pay our team at OB a wage that reflects their hard work and loyalty – and the ‘real’ cost of living. It is exciting to be the first retailer on the High Street to make this commitment.”
