A DRIVE to turn Arran into Scotland's first Living Wage Island has been launched.
Not content with being a living wage employer, Arranshand Business Development Services Ltd is trying to encourage all the companies on the island to pay the living wage.
Many of them are already paying near or above this level but just need an extra push to become accredited Scottish living wage employers, according to Derek Shand, managing director of Arranshand.
The main contractor on Arran for the provision of Business Gateway services on behalf of North Ayrshire Council, Arranshand looks after every business on the island.
This involves making sure all of them are aware of new legislation and being on hand to give business advice when required. Arranshand also delivers courses to make sure the island businesses stay ahead of the game.
“Of the businesses we look after, 158 are employers employing some 1,600 employees, and many of these I am sure will already be paying above the minimum wage and are either near or above the living wage,” said Shand.
“It is our aspiration not just to be a Minimum Wage Island but to get businesses to commit to being a Living Wage Island and also to encourage businesses to sign up to the Scottish Business Pledge.”
Currently only Visit Arran and Arranshand are accredited Scottish living wage employers, but Arranshand has begun to record all the businesses that support the idea of a Living Wage Island.
“As an adviser I will seek to promote the living wage in my meetings with clients,” he said. “Being a living wage employer lets you be assured that you are doing your best as a business to support your lower-paid staff, enabling them to maintain a good standard of living.
“If Arran were to become a Living Wage Island I think it would help to boost the tourist industry as it would give us a very positive image. Arran already has a very good reputation for excellent products made on the island such as the cheese and beer and the island also has a great reputation for high-quality hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants. If visitors know that companies are rewarding their workers for their efforts then that can only be a good thing. I think people like to know when they are buying a quality product that local people and the local economy are benefiting.
“Being able to market ourselves as the first Living Wage Island would be a great marketing tool,” said Shand. “It would also help staff recruitment and staff retention, which would result in savings for employers because they are not constantly having to retrain new staff and staff are not constantly looking for new jobs.”
Since it was launched in April 2014, more than 600 organisations in Scotland have signed up to the scheme to become accredited as official living wage employers, giving their workers at least £8.45 per hour.
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