The company is one of three businesses shortlisted by judges for the Yorkshire and Humber region for the awards, which recognise Living Wage-accredited employers that have made great contributions to their communities and industries by implementing and promoting the Living Wage both within their own companies and among their wider business networks.
The Living Wage Foundation offers a recognition mark for employers that commit to paying the Living Wage, which is an hourly rate calculated annually by the Centre For Research In Social Policy at Loughborough University.
The calculation takes into account what people need to make ends meet. The London Living Wage is currently £9.15 per hour while outside London it is £7.85 per hour.
The Living Wage Foundation calculation is separate to what the government has also termed a ‘living wage’; a rise to £7.20 per hour that is set to replace the minimum wage for those aged 25 and over when introduced in April 2016.
Watermill Press managing director Dale Deacon said: “We believe everyone working full time should be able to earn a wage sufficient to live on.
“Staff who feel properly valued by their employer reciprocate in a very positive manner. By paying a living wage you get a much better level of staff stability, a much better level of staff engagement and commitment, higher productivity and accuracy and attendance is better. People just bring a better attitude to work.
“Watermill have paid all staff at least the Living Wage for many years but we’re very pleased that over the past 12 months we’ve been able to assist a number of our key suppliers in achieving accreditation for their businesses too.”
Living Wage Foundation Director Rhys Moore added: “The commitment of Living Wage Employers to responsible pay makes a life-changing difference to families and communities across the UK.”
The awards are judged by an independent panel of community and charity leaders from across the UK. Winners will be announced during Living Wage Week 2015 in November, with one winner announced for each region of the UK.
Watermill Press is a certified living wage employer with 26 members of staff and a turnover of £7.5m. It manufactures product identification labels for clients in the food and soft drinks industries including Marks & Spencer, Britvic, Princes Food and the Robert McBride Group.
These clients use the firm’s labels to create high-quality barcodes for case and pallet identification.
The business recently installed 750 solar panels across the roof of its premises and invested £1m in three AB Graphic Omega label converting machines to support its continued growth. It also operates seven other Omega label presses and six desktop thermal label printers.
To read more about how Watermill Press became Living Wage accredited, and the effects it has had on the business, read our Business Inspection feature.
