Goldsmiths officially recognised for paying the London Living Wage

A commitment to giving staff fair pay has seen Goldsmiths, University of London awarded official accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation (LWF).

The university has paid its staff the London Living Wage (LLW), which currently stands at £9.40 an hour, since 2011.

Goldsmiths’ efforts have now been officially recognised by the LWF with the signing of a licence to support the continued commitment to the initiative.

The move means that Goldsmiths will continue to pay its employees the LLW and sees Goldsmiths recognised as a LWF employer.

It also means that the university joins other employers in the borough of Lewisham to be officially recognised in paying the wage. Other such employers and organisations in the borough include Lewisham Council, The New Cross Gate Trust and Rushey Green Time Bank.

The move additionally allows Goldsmiths to apply to Lewisham Council for one year of discounted business rates.

The LLW is an hourly rate that is independently set by the Greater London Authority. The rate is updated annually and calculated according to the basic cost of living in London.

Goldsmiths’ staff and contractors receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.40, which is more than 20% higher than the National Minimum Wage of £6.70.

Employers across the country are only required by law to pay the National Minimum Wage.

Patrick Loughrey, Warden of Goldsmiths, said: “Our staff make Goldsmiths a unique and inspiring university and paying the London Living Wage recognises this.

“We want to support all who work here and are determined to help them cope with the cost of living in the capital.

“It is also fantastic to get official confirmation of our commitment to fair and ethical pay for our employees.

“Alongside our dedication to fair pay we also have a network committed to staff development to ensure that Goldsmiths is a true learning organisation where everyone can grow.”

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “As a council we were one of the first to pay the London Living Wage to our employees because we believed that it was the right thing to do morally.

“Goldsmiths, University of London, is another major employer in our borough and I’d like to congratulate them on their recent accreditation to the scheme.

“We hope that our business rates discount scheme encourages even more Lewisham employers - whether large or small – to give employees in Lewisham an ethical wage to cover the costs of living in London.”

Councillor Joe Dromey, Cabinet Member for Policy and Performance at Lewisham Council, said: “I'm delighted that Goldsmiths, University of London has taken us up on our offer of a Business Rates discount in exchange for becoming an accredited Living Wage employer.

"We're determined to tackle poverty in Lewisham and to encourage employers to do the right thing. A fair day's work deserves a fair day's pay."

LWF Director Katherine Chapman said: “We are proud to welcome Goldsmiths, University of London, an institution steeped in a culture of supporting communities, to our movement. In times of economic uncertainty, paying fair wages is even more important. The Living Wage accreditation is the stamp of an ethical employer.

"Together we're lifting people out of poverty - Goldsmiths, University of London join our network of over 2,600 accredited Living Wage employers who are going above and beyond the statutory minimum to provide stability and proper wages for their low-paid workers.”