LUSH AWARDED ‘INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZER’ AWARD

• Lush was awarded the prestigious prize for its drive to advancing the real Living Wage within its trade sector or supply chain.

• Lush became a Living Wage employer in 2011 and has been committed to paying the real Living Wage rate in the cosmetics industry ever since.

At last night’s Living Wage Champion Awards, Lush was recognised for its leadership within its sector. This award recognises that Lush has gone beyond just paying their staff the real Living Wage, but has set the bar for employer standards within the cosmetics industry, providing an example we hope to see many others within the industry follow.

Lush first committed to a real living wage in London in 2011. Since establishing over 27 years ago, Lush has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath bomb, shower jellies and solid shampoo bars, Lush places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables. Lush fights tirelessly against animal testing and operates a thoroughly comprehensive Ethical Buying department, developing fair and direct trade initiatives. Lush leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by running public awareness campaigns and developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the consumer without any packaging.

Today Lush operates in 48 countries with over 900 shops, 38 websites shipping worldwide and a global network of native apps, broadcasting channels and digital communities in over 30 languages.

“Despite the continuing challenges of the past two years, the Living Wage movement has never been stronger – we’ve continued to grow, welcoming our 10,000th employer, and tonight we come together to recognise some of the outstanding leadership these employers have shown. The Living Wage Champion Awards 2022 are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the importance of a wage that covers the cost of living and the value this provides for workers and businesses, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis, and I warmly congratulate Lush on their deserved award.” – Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation

Kat Hannible, Lush Retail Director, UK&I accepting the award

“We are delighted to be considered an Industry Trailblazer in such an important area;  paying our workers the real living wage has never been more important. Our dedicated retail and manufacturing staff are the backbone of our business, making and selling our fresh products. It would be remiss of me not to use this opportunity to encourage other UK retailers to join us; we would like to pass this award to another retailer next year! We owe a great deal to the Living Wage Foundation for the diligent work they do to provide us with the rates each year- the trust we, and our staff are able to place in them, is crucial to making the implementation of the rates work.” – Kat Hannible, Lush Retail Director, UK&I

The annual Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate notable employers that pay the Living Wage. This year they recognised the movement welcoming its 10,000^th accredited Living Wage Employer, an incredible achievement during a cost-of-living crisis where paying a real Living Wage is more important than ever. The awards were sponsored by Aviva and Everton FC.

NOTE TO EDITORS

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 £9.90 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £11.05 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; Burberry; 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 2022, is currently £9.50 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.

Media Contact

Living Wage Foundation 

Matt Ford – [email protected]

Lush Press Office – [email protected]