FESTIVAL Place has been accredited by the Living Wage Foundation and received the highest standard Investors in People award in recognition of its commitment to its employees.

The Living Wage is an hourly employment rate set independently and updated annually and is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the Minimum Income Standard for the UK.

By signing up to pay the Living Wage, Festival Place is ensuring that all Interserve and Jones Lang LaSalle employees working at the shopping centre, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers, will receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.65 which is significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.31.

Festival Place will be the first shopping centre to be added to the list of accredited Living Wage Employers, which will be shared publically during Living Wage Week from November to November 8, and will join over 850 organisations including HSBC, ITV, and Nationwide.

As a recipient of the Investors in People Gold standard award, and only the fourth shopping centre in the UK, Festival Place joins the top seven per cent of accredited organisations across the UK who believe in realising the potential of their people.

The shopping centre first achieved the Investors in People accolade, which recognises business improvement through people management, in 2008.

Steven Connolly, centre director at Festival Place said this recent award is a true testament to the shopping centre’s dedication to its employees.

He said: “We’re extremely proud of achieving both the Living Wage accreditation and the Investors in People Gold standard award.

“A successful business relies on good people and we are delighted that our ongoing commitment to our staff and their development has been recognised.”