Aberdeen plc: Delivering Living Hours for all through on-site supplier partnerships
Aberdeen plc is a Wealth & Investments group that achieved Living Hours accreditation in 2020, marking a significant milestone in their commitment to fair and secure work.
Since then, Living Hours has not only ensured their compliance with fair work standards, but has also inspired them to go further — seeking ways to improve and expand their impact for everyone working on their sites.
We spoke to Craig Dick, Third Party Sustainability and Governance Lead at Aberdeen plc, about how Aberdeen plc has embedded Living Hours principles into their operations to deliver meaningful benefits for staff and suppliers alike.
What are the Living Hours requirements for suppliers?
Living Hours accreditation requires companies to provide fair and secure working conditions for their staff:
- At least four weeks’ shift notice, with guaranteed payment (full compensation) if shifts are cancelled within this notice period
- A contract that accurately reflects hours worked
- A guaranteed minimum of 16 hrs a week for all who want it
This includes third-party contracted staff who provide services on your site for more than two hours a week for eight consecutive weeks.
Living Hours employers should focus first on security, cleaning and catering contracts. They need to bring at least one supplier onto the Living Hours measures within three years of accreditation, and then gradually roll out the measures across their other supplier contracts.
Why did Aberdeen plc accredit as a Living Hours Employer?
"By passing Living Hours requirements on to our on-site suppliers we have benefited from high staff retention and improved supplier relationships. The stability and predictability of working hours have contributed to a motivated workforce, and our clear communication and speak-up service ensure staff entitlements are understood and upheld."
Craig Dick said:
“For me, Living Hours accreditation is about more than compliance — it’s about doing the right thing for everyone who works on our premises. Knowing that our colleagues and supplier staff have stable, predictable hours and a fair wage gives me confidence that we’re building a workplace where people can thrive, not just get by. It’s rewarding to see the positive impact on staff morale and retention, and it’s made our supplier relationships more resilient.”
Aberdeen is proud of our Living Hours accreditation and to have embedded these standards through focused work with on-site suppliers. Our consolidation efforts and flexible supply chain approach have been instrumental in creating a fairer workplace and a better standard of living for everyone who works with us."
Navigating challenges to accreditation at Aberdeen plc
"Implementing Living Hours standards across a diverse supplier base can be challenging. While our engagement with suppliers has generally been collaborative, other organisations may face difficulties in adopting the requirements immediately if they have a large and complex supply chain. This is why the Living Wage Foundation allows for phased implementation, giving suppliers time to achieve compliance or, where necessary, enabling organisations to seek alternative providers.
Another challenge is sourcing accredited Living Hours suppliers. Although this is our preference, it is not always feasible due to service complexity, scale, or geographical constraints. In such cases, non-accredited suppliers can be engaged, provided robust controls are applied throughout the supplier lifecycle — from market engagement and contract negotiation to ongoing monitoring and assurance.
To overcome these challenges, Aberdeen plc implemented a structured, step-by-step process, outlined below."
How Aberdeen plc achieved Living Hours implementation with on-site suppliers
Step 1. Identifying services
We conducted a comprehensive review of services provided by suppliers on our UK premises to determine which roles fell within the scope of Living Hours accreditation.
- Service Identification and Evaluation: We compiled a list of contracted services by extracting supplier service information from procurement systems and on-site service records. Each service was evaluated for regular on-site presence and duration of work. Services where staff worked for more than two hours per week for eight consecutive weeks were identified as in scope.
- Stakeholder Consultation: We engaged with facilities management teams and contract owners to validate service types and confirm operational details.
- Final Scope Confirmation: After cross-referencing contract terms with actual working patterns, the following onsite services were confirmed as in scope for Living Hours: Cleaning, catering, security, property maintenance, and mail room operations.
Whilst the Living Wage Foundation only requires an initial focus on security, cleaning and catering services, we decided to go further and roll out Living Hours measures to all on-site staff.
Step 2: Engaging with service providers
After confirming our in-scope services, we launched a structured engagement programme to ensure suppliers understood and could implement Aberdeen’s Living Hours commitment. This process was designed to build awareness, identify gaps, and provide practical support for compliance.
- Initial Communication: Formal notifications were issued to all relevant suppliers, outlining Aberdeen’s Living Hours policy, objectives, and the expectation for alignment.
- Information Sessions: We hosted briefing sessions explaining the accreditation requirements, timelines, and implications for employment practices. These sessions allowed suppliers to raise questions and clarify responsibilities.
- Gap Analysis: Each supplier’s existing contracts and working arrangements were reviewed against Living Hours standards. This included assessing minimum hours, notice periods for shifts, and predictability of work patterns.
- Action Planning: Based on the gap analysis, we developed tailored implementation plans for each supplier, detailing required changes, milestones, and deadlines to achieve compliance.
- Support and Resources: To facilitate smooth adoption, we provided practical tools such as contract amendment templates, and detailed guidance for suppliers and internal stakeholders. Dedicated support channels were also made available for suppliers.
Step 3: Amending service provider contracts
To embed Living Hours commitments into our contractual framework, we undertook a comprehensive process to update existing agreements and strengthen procurement governance.
- Template Development: We designed standardised contract clauses that clearly set out Living Hours requirements, including minimum hours, predictable scheduling, and reasonable notice periods for shifts. These templates were intended to ensure consistency across all in-scope supplier agreements.
- Legal Review: Each clause underwent legal scrutiny to confirm enforceability, compliance with employment law, and alignment with Aberdeen’s governance standards. This step ensured that obligations were clear and legally robust.
- Supplier Negotiation: We worked collaboratively with suppliers to incorporate the new terms into existing contracts. Where immediate compliance was challenging, we allowed suppliers time to transition. This was in line with the Living Wage Foundation’s timeline for gradual roll-out.
- Integration into Procurement Processes: We embedded Living Hours requirements into tender documentation, onboarding materials, and contract templates for all future sourcing events. This integration ensures that compliance is considered from the outset of any new engagement.
Step 4: Ongoing monitoring and assurance
To maintain ongoing alignment with Living Hours standards, we implemented a monitoring framework that ensures transparency and accountability across the supply chain.
- Ongoing Monitoring: Staff are made aware of their entitlements under Living Hours and provided with clear routes to raise grievances. Issues can be reported either through direct communication with the Aberdeen workplace manager or via our Speak-Up service.
- Speak-Up Service: Aberdeen has a dedicated helpline to ensure third-party staff can confidentially report concerns. To date, no issues have been reported. The relatively small number of staff and low turnover make it practical to maintain direct engagement and assurance checks.
