ITV have become the first broadcaster in the UK to accredit as a Living Wage employer, affirming their commitment to ending in-work poverty.
The accreditation is an agreement by ITV to pay all employees, from permanent employees to contractors and temporary workers, at least £7.65 an hour, or £8.80 in London - significantly higher than the current minimum of £6.31 an hour.
By 2015, ITV will also have standardised all its agreements, so anyone employed or contracted by ITV via a third party organisation will receive the Living Wage as a minimum.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the 'Minimum Income Standard' for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
ITV HR Director David Osborn said, "At ITV, we are committed to being an inclusive employer, and we're pleased to be affirming our commitment to the Living Wage. The Living Wage is a route to encouraging social mobility and access to the industry, particularly in higher cost of living locations."
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis.
The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said: "We are pleased to announce ITV as the first broadcaster in the UK to accredit as living wage employer. The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the living wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day's work with a fair day's pay."