Independent business and industry caterer, Houston & Hawkes has become a Living Wage Employer following accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
As a Living Wage Employer, Houston & Hawkes has committed to paying the real Living Wage to all of its team members.
The Living Wage Foundation fundamentally acknowledges that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, and the foundation recognises responsible employers who go further and pay a Real Living Wage and a London Living Wage.
Established in 2011, the Living Wage Foundation campaigns to ensure employees receive a wage that is higher than the government minimum and is based on actual living costs. Currently, only a very small handful of contract catering businesses in the UK have signed up to the organisation.
Dave Hawkes, co-director at Houston & Hawkes, commented, “We are proud to join the efforts of over 6,000 responsible employers across the UK, accredited by the foundation as a Living Wage Employer.
'It clearly illustrates our commitment to treating our employees fairly, and we are delighted to be joining many small businesses as well as many FTSE 100 and household names such as Ikea, Aviva, Nationwide and Google in making such a promise.”
“The UK, and our sector in particular, has been through a devastating six-month period and an uncertain future lies ahead. But we believe the best way out of this crisis is to pay fairly, look after our teams and attract the very best talent the hospitality sector has to offer.”
Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said, “We’re delighted to celebrate Houston & Hawkes as a Living Wage Employer. It has been a challenging time for the catering industry, but Houston & Hawkes are showing real leadership by committing to pay their team members a Living Wage that covers the cost of living.
'People are the lifeblood of any business and those organisations that support them during this period will be the ones who emerge from this crisis stronger.”
Founded in 2019 by Simon Houston and Dave Hawkes (pictured), Houston & Hawkes operates a number of contracts in London and the South East.
In addition to signing up as a real Living Wage Employer, the company is a committed supporter of Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme and it has recently joined the Devon Partnership NHS Trust’s Mindful Employer initiative, a UK-wide scheme that provides employers with access to professional workplace mental health training, information and advice.