Sweetdreams Ltd celebrates commitment to real living wage

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <3rd August 2021>

SWEETDREAMS LTD CELEBRATES COMMITMENT TO REAL LIVING WAGE

Sweetdreams Ltd has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Sweetdreams receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 in the UK. This rate is significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.

Sweetdreams Ltd is based in the North East, a region with nearly a quarter of all jobs (22%) paying less than the real Living Wage – around 213,000 jobs. Despite this, Sweetdreams has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 250,000 people and put over £1.3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

Managing Director, Matt Stephenson said: “This is a really positive milestone for the company – the success of Sweetdreams starts with the workforce and by being accredited as a living wage employer, we are committing to paying a fair wage for the brilliant work that they do.  This is just the start of our journey to be recognised as a quality Chocolate manufacturer, committed to creating skilled employment, supply the UK and beyond with delicious, sustainable confectionery.  It will take time, and there is more work to do, but this is a great start for the business.”

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Sweetdreams has joined the movement of over 7,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Sweetdreams, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

 

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Marketing department: info@sweetdreamsconfectionery.com

 

 

 

 

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Notes to Editors

Sweetdreams Ltd is a leading UK confectionery manufacturer and panning and coatings specialist. Based in North East for over 30 years, the company manufactures the well-known and much loved quirky retail brand, Choc Nibbles.

Sweetdreams Ltd’s state-of-the-art coating and panning line, housed in a purpose built unit allowing for controlled climate and humidity, can offer customers unrivalled quality, innovation and service for all their coating and panning needs.

About the Living Wage

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.

The UK Living Wage is currently £9.50 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £10.85 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.

The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advice from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by our principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London.

What about the Government’s national living wage?

In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, and, as of April 2021, is currently £8.91 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.

 

 

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We have a growing number of UK and international stockists and are very happy to consider further enquiries. If you would like learn more about our Sweetdreams Confectionery product range or would like to be a Choc Nibbles stockist please complete the form below. Please note we supply to trade only, minimum order quantities apply.

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