National law firm Clarke Willmott, which has an office in Bristol, has become a Living Wage Employer – the latest accreditation achieved as part of its commitment to its ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers wishing to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. 
The move means everyone working for the firm will receive a minimum hourly wage of £12.60 – or £13.85 if they work in its London office – higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which stands at £11.44 per hour.
Nearly half a million people working in the UK are now paid the Living Wage, which was launched by the Living Wage Foundation in 2011 and has since put £3.5bn extra into the pockets of low-paid workers.
Clarke Willmott head of ESG Karen Higgins, pictured, said gaining accreditation as a Living Wage Employer was a no-brainer for the firm, which has around 650 staff, including more than 100 partners, across its seven offices.
“Our ongoing ESG strategy aims to address inequalities through positive action,” she added. 
“We want to integrate the entire ESG framework into every aspect of our operations – from procurement and supplier selection to the benefits and opportunities we provide to our people.
“Becoming a Living Wage Employer means that all third-party contractors should also be paid the Living Wage, meaning we review our contractors too, widening the impact even further and influencing change for good.”
Living Wage Foundation director Katherine Chapman added: “We’re delighted that Clarke Willmott has joined the movement of over 15,000 responsible employers across the UK that voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Clarke Willmott, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
Household names to be accredited as Living Wage employers include Burberry, Barclays and Everton Football Club.
Last month Clarke Willmott announced it was strengthening its alignment with sustainable business practices and responsible corporate values by offering new starters a range of thoughtful, purpose-driven onboarding gifts.
The new starter packs include notebooks made from recycled and reclaimed materials, reusable water bottles, bags, pens and ‘desktop gardens’ that help to promote and create solutions for sustainable travel.
The packs, and the reusable tote bags they are in, form part of a broader effort to reduce waste by the firm while supporting staff with practical, eco-conscious products in line with its ESG strategy.
