Scottish Government
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A crucial ingredient
FM announces Mackie’s of Scotland to pay staff the Living Wage.
One of Scotland’s most successful food firms has become the latest employer to sign up to pay staff the Living Wage, meaning over 380 employers in Scotland are now signed up.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited Mackie’s of Scotland near Inverurie during Living Wage Week to find out how the firm puts employees at the heart of their business.
It comes after the announcement of a 40 pence increase in the Living Wage – a move which will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited organisations in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has set the target of having at least 500 Living Wage accredited employers by March next year.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“A happy and motivated workforce is a crucial ingredient to a successful business, and Mackie’s has put employees at the heart of their work.
“The firm is a Scottish success story and its commitment to staff is clearly demonstrated in their pledge to become Living Wage employers. I’ve seen first-hand the pride that Mackie’s staff have in their work and it has again highlighted that improved staff morale has many benefits, such as increased productivity.
“The Scottish Government is keen to see more businesses follow the good example set by Mackie’s and sign up to become Living Wage employers and help tackle low pay.”
Mackie’s has also signed up to the Scottish Business Pledge, a partnership between Government and business to improve productivity, workforce engagement and enshrine fairness.
Mackie’s becomes the 140th firm to sign up to the Pledge since it was launched in May.
The First Minister added:
“If Government and business work together then we can achieve our shared goals of inclusive growth and improve productivity, competitiveness, employment, and fair work of our leading industries.
“Mackie’s, like the 139 other firms that have signed up to the Scottish Business Pledge, has shown a clear commitment to implement progressive workplace policies which support their growth ambitions and treat and pay staff fairly.
“I thank and congratulate Mackie’s on becoming the latest firm to sign up and encourage more to follow suit.”
Mac Mackie, Managing Director, Mackie’s of Scotland said:
“As a family business going back to 1912, we know that our people are our most important resource and our company would simply not survive without them. Paying the Living Wage helps attract new talent and keep the good people we find with us.
“Our 68 strong team all work incredibly hard to make our award-winning products, so it’s crucial that as a business, we are doing everything we can to make their jobs as rewarding and enjoyable as possible.
“It’s also the reason we’ve signed up for the Scottish Business Pledge, which formally recognises the core policies and practices already at the heart of Mackie’s, from its staff training and youth development, to family friendly shift patterns and reward programmes.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said:
“As a well-known and popular Scottish brand, I am delighted to welcome Mackie’s to the Living Wage Employer movement. We know that 20 per cent of workers - over 400,000 people - in Scotland are paid less than the Living Wage so it is vital that employers who can pay the Living Wage do so, and become recognised via Living Wage Employer accreditation. Mackie’s have shown real leadership and I hope that other Scottish employers - large and small - will be encouraged to show the same leadership.”
Notes To Editors
Images of the First Minister's visit are available on the First Minister Flickr page
More information on the Living Wage
More on the Scottish Business Pledge
Mackie’s of Scotland is a pioneering family business from Aberdeenshire which has diversified into making ice cream, crisps and most recently chocolate. The company vision is to become ‘a Scottish global brand from the greenest company in Britain created by people having fun’: http://www.mackies.co.uk/
