NSI receives accreditation as a Living Wage Employer

Part of a wider strategy to raise standards of labour competency within the security and fire sectors, the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has announced its accreditation as a Living Wage Employer from the Living Wage Foundation.

The principles of the Living Wage Foundation revolves around ‘a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay’, and it believes this should be an integral part of an organisation’s corporate social responsibility. The NSI has endorsed this movement.

The Foundation 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. This is 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 buyers of services. For employees, tangible advantages include higher esteem, self-confidence, health benefits and improved quality of life, whilst for employers they include increased motivation and retention rates, argues the foundation.

This announcement also relates to the Certification Body recently launching its Code of Practice for the ‘Provision of Labour in the Security and Events Sector’. The new Code aims to reduce the risks associated with ‘weak links’ in supply chains of providers of security guarding services who may have the need to utilise additional outsourced labour.

The Code’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, Living Wage Foundation commented: “We’re delighted that NSI, recognised within the Security and Fire sectors as an organisation committed to high standards and professionalism, has joined the movement of over 6500 responsible employers across the UK which have accredited with the Foundation as a Living Wage Employer, publicly demonstrating its commitment to treating its own employees fairly. Paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer, NSI joins thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Oxfam, Chelsea FC, and many more.”

Richard Jenkins, NSI Chief Executive added: “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 both employees and employers of gaining accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.

“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 all their staff including Key Workers in the security sector benefit. We would urge all employers to consider stepping up to the Living Wage Foundation’s philosophy.”

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