Charlotte Findlater Design is thrilled to announce that we have been officially accredited as a Living Wage employer. This significant achievement highlights our dedication to ensuring that everyone working within our company receives wages that exceed the minimum hourly rate set by the government. This commitment is significant given our location in the North West, where 13.5% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage, impacting around 397,000 jobs.
The Living Wage initiative provides a voluntary benchmark for employers who aspire to offer their staff a wage that supports a dignified standard of living. Since its inception in 2011, the Living Wage movement has positively impacted over 460,000 individuals, injecting an additional £3 billion into the pockets of low-paid workers across the UK. At Charlotte Findlater Design, we believe that despite being based in a rural area, equal opportunities should be available to all new and existing members of our team. We are proud to join the community of approximately 6,000 UK based employers who have earned this certification, and we hope to inspire others in our industry to follow suit and contribute to a network of responsible employers.
Our commitment to the Living Wage is a reflection of our broader ethos at Charlotte Findlater Design. We understand that to prioritise human health and wellbeing within our projects, we must also embody these values within our studio. The Living Wage certification complements our ongoing journey towards B Corp status, further solidifying our commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
Ecologi: Partnering for a Greener Future
In addition to our Living Wage accreditation, Charlotte Findlater Design proudly supports Ecologi, a B-Corp certified organisation dedicated to encouraging businesses to play a part in global climate action. Ecologi offers an accessible subscription service that helps individuals and businesses reduce their carbon footprints. Through our partnership with Ecologi, we have become a carbon positive workplace. For every new employee we hire, we add a new Ecologi subscription to ensure their carbon footprint is being offset too.
This initiative means that our employees can feel confident they are part of a company that is actively contributing to the fight against climate change! While we acknowledge that offsetting alone is not a long-term solution for achieving carbon neutrality, we believe that supporting an organisation focused on combating deforestation is a valuable interim measure. This collaboration with Ecologi is part of our larger strategy to meet our comprehensive carbon reduction goals.
BIID Accreditation: Commitment to Continuous Learning
At Charlotte Findlater Design, we champion further learning and professional development. Our accreditation with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) commits us to achieving over 20 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) annually. This dedication to CPD allows our employees to enhance not just their design skills and construction knowledge, directly improving the quality and innovation of our projects.
Moreover, our team members actively engage in hands-on learning experiences, visiting suppliers, and exploring new sustainability strategies and emerging technologies. With the Living Wage accreditation employees have the time to take a proactive approach to furthering their education ensuring that our workforce is not only well-compensated but also continually expanding their expertise and capabilities.
Aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Last year, Charlotte Findlater Design committed to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our Living Wage accreditation directly supports several of these goals, including:
By providing fair and productive employment, we contribute to ethical economic growth. We believe that investing in our employees is an investment in a more diverse, educated, and innovative future.
As a woman-owned and led company, we are also dedicated to promoting inclusive working environments, contributing to:
We strive to create a workplace where everyone, regardless of gender or background, has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
A Holistic Approach to Ethical Business Practice
At Charlotte Findlater Design, our commitment to the Living Wage is just one aspect of our broader mission to foster ethical and sustainable business practices. We understand that true corporate responsibility encompasses not only fair pay but also environmental stewardship, continuous learning, and social equity. By aligning our operations with the Living Wage standard, supporting environmental initiatives like Ecologi, investing in professional development through BIID, and adhering to the UN SDGs, we are building a company that reflects our core values and sets a positive example for others in our industry.
We have chosen to make positive contributions not only towards people but equally as importantly the planet. We believe that it is incumbent on us as a business to leave a positive design and build legacy when renovating, restoring or building new. Playing our part in a wider regenerative system, we will always leave sites better than we found them.
We are excited about the future and remain steadfast in our commitment to creating a workplace that is fair, inclusive, and environmentally conscious. We hope our efforts will inspire other companies to pursue similar paths, contributing to a more equitable and sustainable world for all.