GO NORTH EAST SETS NEW STANDARDS WITH REAL LIVING WAGE ACCREDITATION

Go North East, one of the region’s largest employers, has achieved Living Wage Foundation accreditation, cementing its commitment to fair pay. The Real Living Wage, calculated independently, exceeds the government’s minimum and reflects the actual cost of living.

This accreditation guarantees all 1,800 Go North East employees – including future recruits – a wage that reflects the true value of their work.

The impact of the Living Wage commitment has been immediate. This week, 73 cleaners transitioned from external roles to become directly employed by Go North East, benefitting from the Real Living Wage from day one.

At an event marking Living Wage Week, Managing Director Nigel Featham highlighted the decision: “Our commitment to the Real Living Wage is a promise that we value every single person who works with us. Go North East's success is a result of our hard-working drivers, engineers, cleaners, and supervisors who keep our services running.”

The North East’s Mayor, Kim McGuinness, presented Go North East with their accreditation, praising the company’s role in raising employment standards: “The Living Wage is crucial to the North East's mission to tackle low pay and create opportunity for workers and families. Go North East’s commitment to fair pay is exactly what we want in our region: decent work, respect, and investment in our people. This decision will make a real difference to hundreds of families. This is a milestone not only for Go North East but for the region as a whole. I would urge more employers to pay the Living Wage and play their part in making our region the home of real opportunity."

Head of People and Change, Maria Bainbridge, added: “As the third largest private employer in the region, our Living Wage accreditation shows our ongoing commitment to looking after our team, and we will adjust pay to remain in line with Living Wage Foundation standards as they evolve.”

Go North East's leadership on fair pay reflects its core belief: when people thrive, so does the company.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Go North East runs a network of bus routes across the North East region including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, and surrounding areas.

The Go-Ahead Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of public transport, enabling more than a billion passenger journeys each year on its bus and rail services. Go-Ahead places great importance on partnership, adopting a collaborative approach with governments, local communities and strategic partners; developing and operating services that create long-term value for all.

For more information about Go-Ahead Group visit www.go-ahead.com.

Press and media contacts:

Ben Maxfield

Business Director, Go North East

ben.maxfield@gonortheast.co.uk

Telephone: 07890 436531