Brett Mendell – the managing director at bedroom and bathroom textiles manufacturer, importer, and distributor Thomas Kneale & Co Ltd – has been honoured with an ‘Advocate of the Year’ award.
This year, Brett has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of the Living Wage network to more than 15,000 Living Wage employers.
And at last night’s Living Wage Champion Awards held in Cardiff, Brett (pictured) was recognised for furthering the Living Wage campaign by using his voice to explain why it is so important to pay people a wage that they can afford to live off.
Brett has conducted multiple BBC Radio Interviews on Radio 4 and 5 Live, provided an employer’s perspective of paying the real living wage in a Sunday Times article regarding in work poverty, featured in multiple national and regional media articles, and highlighted the importance of the real living wage and living hours at multiple sustainability events, summits and conferences across the country.
As well as highlighting how the team at Manchester-based Thomas Kneale receive a rate of pay independently calculated to take into account the cost of living, Brett promotes organisations becoming accredited due to a reduction in staff absence rates, lower labour turnover, recruitment and training costs, and an increase in productivity.
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation said: “We are thrilled to congratulate this year’s Living Wage Champion Award winners for their outstanding commitment to the real Living Wage. These exemplary employers have gone above and beyond to ensure that all workers are paid enough to live decent lives, demonstrating their dedication to fair pay and dignity in the workplace. After years of high living costs, it is still so important.
“By championing the real Living Wage, these organisations are not only transforming the lives of their employees but are also setting a powerful example within their industries and communities.
“Because of their impressive leadership, record numbers of businesses have been inspired to accredit despite extremely challenging economic conditions, with now over 15,000 employers committed to always paying their workers in line with the cost of living. I warmly congratulate Brett on his well-deserved award and thank him for his support on the Living Wage movement.”
Brett Mendell said: “Thomas Kneale is both Living Wage and Living Hours accredited, as well as employee owned. Our team have told us that paying the real living wage and providing the security of living hours has been so important to them in providing them financial security. In addition to this, there are significant benefits to the organisation – we have seen a substantial reduction in labour turnover, staff absence, recruitment and training costs, and a significant increase in productivity and customer satisfaction.
“Having the opportunity have advocate for the Living Wage Foundation locally, regionally, and nationally, especially on the significance to employees and the knock-on benefits to employers has been with the aim of encouraging more organisations to become accredited. At over 15,000 employers, the movement continues to grow and so it should do!”
The annual Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the Living Wage movement. This year they were held in Cardiff for the first time ever in recognition of the strength and growth of the movement in the region. The 2024 awards were supported by sponsors Aviva and Cardiff Vale Credit Union.
