One way in which universities can fulfil their civic mission is by adopting the Living Wage.
The civic mission of universities is increasingly defined to include a commitment to redistribution; that universities will use their role as educators but also as investors, employers, and purchasers to reduce inequality in the communities in which they are based. Paying higher wages to those performing low wage jobs, who are more likely to be women, drawn from ethnic minorities, and to live locally to their place of work, is one way of advancing this redistributive mission.
The Living Wage is a voluntary labour standard, promoted by the Living Wage Foundation. The standard is based on research into the expenditure needs of different types of low-income families and takes the form of an hourly rate of pay, significantly higher than the statutory minimum. Currently the Living Wage is £13.15 in London and £12.00 in the rest of the UK. If employers adopt the Living Wage, then this higher rate must be paid to all employees aged 18 and over, including those providing outsourced services. Providing these conditions are met, employers can be accredited by the Foundation as Living Wage Employers.
