Edinburgh and the Living Wage

The main audience are HR professionals, organisational leaders, trade union representatives, CIPD, members of City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. 

The event is also open to the general public, providing broad information about the living wage and its benefits for employees, organisations, and the community.

Hosted by the UoE Business School, this event will begin with a welcome from University of Edinburgh and Living Wage Scotland, to give background to what the living wage means, and the current research. 

We will then hear from a panel of leading Edinburgh businesses who are living wage employers (including City of Edinburgh Council) to share their experiences of paying the living wage, as well as low-wage employees who have experienced an uplift in their pay due to moving onto a living wage. 

Through a facilitated panel discussion speakers will reflect on what earning a living wage means for employees and the benefits it has brought their workplace, as well as on the aspirations of Edinburgh City to become a Living Wage City. Following the panel discussion there will be ample time for Q&A with the audience.

It will be hosted by Cllr Kate Campbell (Co-Chair LWC Edinburgh Action Group) and Dr Ishbel McWha-Hermann (University of Edinburgh Business School) in partnership with Living Wage Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council and University of Glasgow.

Professor Rosalind Searle (University of Glasgow) will speak about the science behind the living wage.

10:00 Welcome and introduction to Edinburgh Living Wage City Dr Ishbel McWha-Hermann (UoE Business School) and Cllr Kate Campbell (Co-Chair LWC Edinburgh Action Group)  

10:05 Video giving overview of Edinburgh Living Wage City

10.10 The science behind the living wage Prof. Rosalind Searle (University of Glasgow)

10:20 Guest speaker Cab Sec Kate Forbes or other SG Minister (TBC)

10:30 City response – next steps and the Living Wage City Action Plan Cllr Kate Campbell (Co-Chair LWC Edinburgh Action Group)

10:35 Facilitated panel discussion of Edinburgh LW employers and employees discussing their experiences.

Dr Ishbel McWha-Hermann (UoE Business School)

The panel will consist of:

• Dougie Cameron, Chief Operating Officer at Centre for the Moving Image (Filmhouse)

• Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

• Sandy MacDonald, Director of Policy and Communications at Scottish Financial Enterprise

• Lynn Anderson, Manager at Living Wage Scotland

• 3 employees from living wage accredited businesses.

11:20 Q&A with panel and Cllr Kate Campbell (Co-Chair LWC Edinburgh Action Group)

Dr Ishbel McWha-Hermann (UoE Business School)

11:50  Final thoughts, thanks and close  Cllr Kate Campbell (Co-Chair LWC Edinburgh Action Group) & Ishbel McWha-Hermann (UoE Business School)