Foster + Partners is among the first architectural practices to commit to the London Living Wage. This will see everyone working at the company, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors, cleaners and suppliers, receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.15 per hour, significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50.

The London Living Wage is set annually by the Greater London Authority and covers all boroughs in Greater London. The UK Living Wage for outside of London is currently £7.85 per hour. This figure is set annually by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public. Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The concept enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Mayor, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Charlotte Sword, Head of HR, Foster + Partners:

“Signing up to the London Living Wage is an important part of our commitment to being a responsible employer and creating a great place to work for our 1,250-strong team. We believe the London Living Wage brings long-term benefit to our people and our practice.”   

Rhys Moore, Director, Living Wage Foundation:

“We are pleased to welcome Foster + Partners to the Living Wage movement. Over 1,000 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers, helping to tackle in-work poverty. Foster + Partners is one of the first architectural practices to sign up to the voluntary Living Wage scheme, and we hope their leadership will encourage others in the sector to consider the Living Wage as a mark of  responsible business.”

> via Foster+Partners