A medical communications company based in Willesden has become the first business in Brent to benefit from a living wage incentive from the council.
Synergy Vision in Kimberly Road, will be given a business rate discount following its accreditation as a living wage employer.
Last month, Brent Council became the first local authority in the county to offer the discount to businesses in the borough paying the London Living Wage (LLW) of £9.15 an hour.
This is 40 per cent more than the national minimum wage of £6.50.
Synergy Vision will pay all staff regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers LLW.
Ffyona Dawber, managing director of Synergy Vision, said: “It’s important to Synergy Vision to be living wage accredited and pay our staff this as a minimum, as this increases staff retention and motivation.”
Rhys Moore, foundation director of The Living Wage Foundation, the organisation which accredited Synergy Vision, added: “It’s exciting to see the first business benefit from the innovative scheme developed by Brent Council, and we hope many more organisations will join them in making this move.”
“We have accredited over 1,200 leading employers, including Synergy Vision, ranging from independent printers, bookshops and breweries, to well-known companies such as Nationwide, Aviva and SSE.
“These businesses recognise that clinging to the national minimum wage is not good for business. Customers expect better than that.”
Related link: Brent Council becomes the country’s first local authority to offer incentives to businesses paying the living wage
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here