Greater Manchester launches new employment charter

24/07/19

The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter Supporters’ Network, the first of its kind in the UK, has launched with more than 60 businesses signing up to the aims of the Charter.

The city-region’s Good Employment Charter encourages and supports employers to develop good jobs, deliver opportunities for people to progress, and help employers in the city-region grow and succeed.

Cereal giants Kellogg’s, global accounting firm KPMG and national TV network ITV are amongst the first supporters of the Charter.  Greater Manchester businesses such as Music Magpie and the Lowry Hotel have also signed up, with a number of public sector and voluntary organisations also becoming supporters.

The model for the Charter has been co-designed by business owners, employers, trade unions and employees from across Greater Manchester, and involved two public consultations to develop and agree the proposals.

Employers will be supported to raise standards across a number of areas, including secure work, a real living wage and excellent recruitment and progression, with a tiered approach to help them progress. The three tiers of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter are:

Tier 1: Supporters - for those employers who support the aims of the Charter and Greater Manchester Strategy, but are not yet in a position to meet the requirements of accreditation.

Tier 2: Membership – requiring employers to demonstrate excellent practice in key characteristics of employment practice, these are:

  • Secure work;
  • Flexible work;
  • A real living wage;
  • Workplace engagement & voice;
  • Excellent recruitment practices & progression;
  • Excellent people management;
  • A productive & healthy workplace.

Tier 3: Advocates - employers who meet high standards in all the key employment characteristics to be Members, and then go out to other employers to encourage them to raise employment standards and join the Charter process.

The Charter will be embedded in public procurement through the city region’s social value framework – which gives additional weighting to bids delivering social value in procurement processes. Businesses receiving investment through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s investment funds will also now be required to become Charter supporters.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester is once again leading the way with the launch of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter Supporters’ Network.

“We have proud history of ensuring that economic progress goes hand in hand with social progress and that is the basis of this Charter. We know that those employers who are best at engaging and supporting their employees are the most successful. Providing good employment is a win-win for Greater Manchester businesses.

“Through working together, business owners, employers, Trade Unions and employees from across Greater Manchester have developed a journey that we want employers to take towards good employment. Employers will be supported to provide jobs which are secure, fairly paid and fulfilling, with opportunities to progress and develop. As employers move through the journey we will make Greater Manchester an area of excellence.

 

Topics: 
Recruitment