Jenny Baskerville, Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Social Equality at the professional services firm KPMG UK, has been appointed Chair of the Living Wage Foundation Advisory Council.
Jenny brings with her a wealth of experience, having served on the Living Wage Advisory Council for over 3 years. KPMG in the UK has been a longstanding Principal Partner of the Living Wage Foundation and has been an accredited employer since 2012.
The Advisory Council provides advice and guidance to the Living Wage Foundation on the development of the Living Wage in the UK.
Jenny's appointment as Chair comes at a milestone moment for the Living Wage Foundation, with this year marking 20 years of the Living Wage movement. The Living Wage Foundation will shortly welcome the 8,000th accredited employer to the movement, which now includes two-fifths of the FTSE 100.
Graham Griffiths, Interim Director, Living Wage Foundation said:
"We are delighted to welcome Jenny as Chair of the Advisory Council. Jenny has been an active champion of the Living Wage and the Foundation will greatly benefit from her leadership, expertise, and personal commitment as we continue to grow the Living Wage movement in the UK. We are thankful to Stuart Wright for his commitment and dedication over the last 5 years, which has seen the Foundation grow from strength to strength, including the mainstreaming of the living wage concept. With more employers joining the Foundation every day, we have a real opportunity to take the Living Wage campaign to the next level in supporting businesses to offer both high quality work and a wage that reflects the cost of living. Jenny's leadership will be invaluable in guiding the Foundation as it grows."
Jenny Baskerville commented:
"I'm thrilled to have been appointed Chair of the Living Wage Foundation's Advisory Council. Alongside my own passion for the work the Foundation is doing, KPMG UK has had a longstanding commitment to the real Living Wage. Stuart Wright's contribution has been central to the Foundation's many achievements in recent years and for that we are immeasurably thankful. In-work poverty still remains a critical issue for the UK though, especially as we emerge from this pandemic and face both rising inequalities and economic challenges. In the current climate, the work the Foundation is doing is more important than ever and I look forward to taking on the challenge."
Stuart Wright, former Group Property & Facilities Director at the global insurance group and Living Wage champions Aviva, stood down as Chair at the end of June 2021.
Stuart Wright said:
"It has been my absolute honour to Chair the Living Wage Foundation Advisory Council. In the last five years, the real Living Wage has become recognised as the benchmark approach to tackling low pay, and the Foundation has become the go-to organisation for all related matters. I want to give a huge thank you to members of the team, past and present and to all our Living Wage Employers, Places, Funders and Service Providers for your support."
Notes to editors:
Jenny joined KPMG in 2007, working in a variety of roles within the firm before becoming KPMG's Head of Inclusion, Diversity & Social Equality in 2018.
Prior to her most recent role, Jenny worked as KPMG's Head of Social Mobility developing and executing KPMG's social mobility strategy across the firm. Jenny is regularly consulted by Government and advises KPMG clients, suppliers and the wider business community on inclusion, diversity and social equality policy within a business context.
Jenny is also a Board Trustee for the East London Business Alliance.
For more information and any further enquiries, please contact:
Maisie Caro, Communications Officer, Living Wage Foundation
Maisie.Caro@livingwage.org.uk / 07950666882
John Hood, Head of Communications, Living Wage Foundation
john.hood@livingwage.org.uk / 07507 173 649
Simon Wilson, Media Relations Manager at KPMG UK
simon.wilson@kpmg.co.uk / 07785 373 397
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.
About KPMG:
KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates from 21 offices across the UK with approximately 16,000 partners and staff. The UK firm recorded a revenue of £2.3 billion in the year ended 30 September 2020.
KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Legal, Tax and Advisory services. It operates in 147 countries and territories and has more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.