Boo Coaching and Consulting took to the sea, mermaid tails intact, to celebrate their commitment to paying their employees the real Living Wage.
The Bolton-based consultancy firm emerged from the water as winners, when the Living Wage Foundation challenged all 14,000 Living Wage Employers (businesses and organisations who are committed to always paying all their employees the real Living Wage) to get creative and post a team picture on social media celebrating the Living Wage movement. The photo competition ran on Living Wage Week – between the 6th and 12th of November.
The mermaid consultancy's fin-tastic entry had some tough competition – runners up included the team at London-based cleaning company Xenon Services, who gathered in front of the Elizabeth Tower while the clock struck 13:15, drawing attention to the real London Living Wage (£13.15 per hour).
Boo's coaching, workplace wellbeing and leadership programmes have helped thousands of bosses be better bosses, whilst creating healthy and happy workplaces. The firm has been an accredited Living Wage Employer for over 7 years (since May 2016) and is also a Living Hours Employer. Boo is one of 47 Living Wage Employers based in Bolton – joining Boo in this cohort is the Octagon Theatre and online gifts company A Year of Dates. In the North West as a whole there are 1,369 Living Wage Employers.
Becci Martin, Founder and Director at Boo Coaching and Consulting, "We are thrilled to be recognised for our creative approach in promoting the Real Living Wage. We are known as a team who do things differently and this campaign gave us the freedom to do just that!
We are proud champions of the Real Living Wage movement in our hometown and beyond, and we truly believe that helping to raise awareness in as many creative ways as possible, will lead to more people being able to thrive rather than survive."
There are now 14,000 employers committed to paying the real Living Wage rates of £12 (UK) and £13.15 for those in London.
However, there is more to be done. Research by the Living Wage Foundation found that over one tenth of jobs (13.8%) are low paid in Bolton, meaning that 13,000 people in the town are struggling to make ends meet. The research also found that over one tenth of jobs (12.5%) are low paid in the North West, with 367,000 people in the region struggling to live on their earnings. Only 47 businesses and organisations are Living Wage Employers in Bolton, while 1,369 businesses and organisations are accredited in the whole of the North West.
Katherine Chapman, the Living Wage Foundation's Director, said: "We are grateful to Boo Coaching and Consultancy, and all the other Living Wage Employers, who got behind Living Wage Week and helped raise awareness on their social media channels with their creative photo entries. Thanks to the commitment of the 14,000 Living Wage employers, over 400,000 workers across the UK got a much-needed cost-of-living pay rise.
With 13,000 workers in Bolton still earning below the real Living Wage, it's clear that there is more to be done. We'd encourage all organisations and businesses to do right by their employees and join the network of Living Wage Employers who make a commitment to pay their wages in line with the cost of living."
For more information around Boo Coaching and Consulting's services visit: boo-consulting.com.
To find out how to become a Living Wage Employer and find out more about the Living Wage Foundation visit: livingwage.org.uk.