Belfast-based IT company Endeavour Information Solutions has become the first employer in Northern Ireland, and one of only 37 across the UK, to achieve all three voluntary Living Wage Foundation accreditations.
Not only is the company committed to paying all their staff in line with the cost of living each year with a real Living Wage, they also now provide secure and stable working hours through Living Hours and they support their workers to save enough for a decent standard of living in retirement with a Living Pension.
Endeavour’s Living Hours commitment means their employees will have hours they can rely on and be able to plan their lives because they know they will have enough work each month to make ends meet. Workers at the company will have the right to a contract that reflects hours worked; at least 4 weeks’ notice of shifts, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this period; and a minimum of 16 hours of work a week to all who want it.
Through Endeavour’s Living Pension pledge, everyone who works at the company will have access to pension contributions designed to keep them out of poverty in later life. This means staff will now be entitled to a total annual pension contribution of at least £3,150, or 12% of a Living Wage worker’s salary, with a minimum of £1,840, or 7% of a Living Wage worker’s salary, coming from the company.
Endeavour’s leadership in responsible businesses practices comes as millions of workers across the UK still struggle to make ends meet in low paid, insecure work, never mind save enough for retirement. In Northern Ireland alone, over 200,000, or nearly one in 6, workers are paid below the real Living Wage and over 25,000 pensioners live in poverty.
Endeavour is part of a growing movement to tackle low pay, insecure work and pension poverty in Northern Ireland and across the UK. They join 234 other accredited employers in the country who have vowed to support their workers with a decent standard of living. They deliver vital cost of living pay rises to over 4,000 workers every year and together have put over £19 million back into the pockets of workers since the first employer in Northern Ireland became Living Wage accredited in 2013.
Across the UK, there are nearly 17,000 Living Wage Employers who have delivered over £4.1bn in additional pay to workers since the campaign began 25 years ago. Nearly half a million workers across the UK receive pay rises every year thanks to the Living Wage movement. There are also nearly 300 Living Hours Employers and nearly 125 Living Pension Employers going even further by committing to ensure their workers can meet living costs now and in the future.
Graham Griffiths, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “The Living Wage movement is one of the most successful campaigns of the 21st Century. For 25 years it has delivered measurable impact for workers, showing that it’s possible to create work that works for everyone. Endeavour Information Solutions is now at the forefront of the next chapter for the movement. By becoming the first employer in Northern Ireland to be Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension accredited, they are going even further to support their workers with a decent standard of living throughout their lives.”
Mary McManus, Regional Manager at Living Wage NI, said: “At Living Wage NI, we are delighted that Endeavour Information Solutions has become Northern Ireland’s first employer to achieve Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pensions accreditation. As one of only 37 triple-accredited employers in the UK, this achievement reflects a real commitment to fair pay, greater security and future financial wellbeing for their employees. With 234 accredited Living Wage Employers now operating across Northern Ireland, Endeavour is setting a powerful example of what good work looks like. We hope others will follow suit.”
Blaithin Surgeoner FCA, Partner, Endeavour Information Solutions, said: “At Endeavour Information Solutions, we believe that responsible employment means supporting our people today while helping them build a more secure future. Our commitment to paying at least the real Living Wage ensures fair reward for the work our employees perform; Living Hours provides greater certainty and stability; and the Living Pension supports long-term financial wellbeing. Together, these commitments help us attract and retain talented people, strengthen employee engagement and create stable, motivated teams that consistently deliver high-quality services to our clients.”
Owen McMahon, Team Lead – Senior Business Central Developer, Endeavour Information Solutions, said: “I’ve been with Endeavour Information Solutions for nearly three years, and one of the things I value most is the company’s commitment to looking after its people. Being part of a business that supports the Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension standards gives me confidence and security, allowing me to focus on my work and career development. It demonstrates a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing.”
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Media contacts:
Matt Ford, Living Wage Foundation – Media Manager | Matt.ford@livingwage.org.uk 07507478967
About the Living Wage Foundation
The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement ensuring everyone earns a wage to meet their needs. Through our Living Wage, Living Hours, and Living Pension accreditations, we champion and celebrate employers choosing to drive up employment standards. The Living Wage Foundation is part of Citizens UK.
Living Wage NI, funded by the Living Wage Foundation and the Department for the Economy, aims to increase awareness of the real living wage and uptake of Living Wage accreditation among employers across Northern Ireland.
What is the real Living Wage?
The Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate independently calculated based on the real cost of living. It applies to all workers over 18 and is currently £13.45 across the UK and £14.80 in London. Rates are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission. Read more about how it differs from the Government’s ‘National Living Wage’ here.
Living Hours and Living Pension
The Living Wage Foundation has also developed two complementary schemes for employers who want to go beyond paying the real Living Wage to support their staff.
Living Hours accreditation is a standard designed to tackle insecurity of hours, where workers don’t know how much work they are going to get week on week, trapping millions in poverty and making it impossible to plan a life. Our Living Hours accreditation It requires employers to provide workers with the right to:
• A contract that reflects accurate hours worked. This helps tackle practices like Zero hours that simply don’t reflect hours worked. Contracts are reviewed after the first 12 weeks of employment.
• Decent notice periods for shifts: of at least 4 weeks’ notice, with guaranteed payment (full compensation) if shifts are cancelled within this notice period. With this, employees have the ability to plan their lives and budgets.
• A guaranteed minimum of 16 hours a week to all who want it. So that workers can get the hours they need to meet their everyday needs.
The Living Pension accreditation is a new voluntary savings target for employers that was developed to tackle inadequate pension contributions and poverty in retirement. 4 in 5 workers saving into defined contribution schemes in Great Britain are not saving at an annual rate that would build a pension pot that would reduce the risk of poverty in retirement.

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