London Mayor launches Good Work Standard initiative

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched the ‘Good Work Standard’ to benchmark employment standards and tackle inequality.

To receive the accreditation, an employer must meet a set of criteria covering fair pay and conditions, wellbeing, skills, diversity and recruitment.

It has been developed in collaboration with London’s employers, trade unions and professional bodies and sets the benchmark the Mayor wants every London employer to achieve, including paying all staff at least the London Living Wage, currently £10.55 an hour.

According the Mayor, achieving the Good Work Standard will bring a range of benefits such as making it easier to attract and retain talent, reduced absenteeism, and will help employers achieve higher levels of employee engagement, motivation, and productivity.

A range of public, private and third-sector employers have already signed up to the scheme including major financial firms EY, KPMG and Schroders, electronics retailer Richer Sounds, family-run care provider SilverBirch Healthcare, London City Airport, Unison, several London boroughs and the functional bodies in the Greater London Authority family (including the Metropolitan Police Service, Transport for London and London Fire Brigade).

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘Tackling poverty and inequality is one of the reasons I got into politics. London and the whole country are still simply too unequal – and it is bad for our both our economy and our society. I want to make London a fairer city by ensuring that all Londoners get the opportunities that our city gave to me when I was growing up.

‘The Good Work Standard will play a key role in tackling poverty and inequality in London. I’m calling on employers across our city to play their part – to pay the London Living Wage, to pursue greater diversity at senior levels, to achieve the highest standards in wellbeing and training, and to ensure that their workers have a voice in the workplace.’

EY’s managing partner for talent in UK and Ireland, Justine Campbell, said: ‘Here at EY, we are working hard to create an environment where our people feel safe, they can bring their true selves to work, and are treated and rewarded fairly too. We are delighted that EY has been recognised by the Mayor’s Good Work Standard.

To sit alongside the Good Work Standard, the Mayor will soon launch the Employment Rights Hub, which will help Londoners understand their rights at work and what action is available to them when those rights are infringed upon.

Photo Credit – Pixabay