NSI accredited as Living Wage Employer by Living Wage Foundation

The Foundation itself celebrates responsible employers who choose to go further and pay a real Living Wage, the only one based on the cost of living and calculated on a basket of household goods and services, as distinct from the statutory Minimum Wage for under-25s and the National Living Wage for over-25s.

The real Living Wage offers a range of benefits to employees and employers alike and, by implication, to the buyers of services. For employees, tangible advantages include higher esteem, self-confidence, health benefits and improved quality of life, while for employers the advantages encompass increased motivation and bolstered staff retention rates.

The NSI’s own accreditation is part of a wider strategy designed to raise standards of labour competency within the security and fire sectors, as evidenced by the certification body leading the way in recently launching its Code of Practice for the Provision of Labour in the Security and Events Sector. The new Code of Practice aims to reduce the risks associated with ‘weak links’ in the supply chains of security guarding services providers who may have the need to employ additional outsourced labour.

The Code of Practice’s requirements include measures relating to Best Practice in terms of employee Terms and Conditions, right to work checks, training, organisational structure, finances, record keeping, confidentiality and insurances.

Katherine Chapman, director at the Living Wage Foundation, commented: “We’re delighted that the NSI, which is recognised within the security and fire sectors as an organisation committed to high standards and professionalism, has joined the movement of over 6,500 responsible employers across the UK which have accredited with the Foundation as a Living Wage Employer. This publicly demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to treating its own employees fairly. Paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer. The NSI now joins a list including thousands of small businesses as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays and Oxfam.”

Richard Jenkins (pictured, right), CEO at the NSI, responded: “At the NSI-sponsored UK OSPAs Thought Leadership Summit held earlier this year, a representative from the Living Wage Foundation delivered a thought-provoking and compelling case for employers in the sector to understand the value to employees and employers of gaining accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. The NSI is committed to playing its part in increasing the sector’s broader understanding of the benefits this initiative delivers by being an accredited real Living Wage Employer. Many NSI-approved companies are already accredited by the Living Wage Foundation, ensuring that all of their staff members, including key workers in the security sector, can benefit from this. We would urge all employers to consider stepping up to the Living Wage Foundation’s philosophy.”