The LTA has become the first British sporting national governing body (NGB) to be accredited as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage Foundation.
The LTA, the national governing body for tennis in Britain, joins other household names such as Barclays, Aviva and IKEA, who have all committed to paying the real Living Wage to all of their employees, ensuring their staff earn enough to live on. Raising the bar for employment standards in sport, the LTA now leads the way among sporting governing bodies in the UK.
The commitment will see all LTA employees receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.30 in the UK, or £10.75 in London, significantly higher than the government minimum for over 25s, which currently stands at £8.21 per hour.
The real Living Wage is the only wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure all employees earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 200,000 people and put over £1 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
Vicky Williams, People Director at the LTA commented:
"The LTA is proud to become the first British sporting national governing body to be accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Integrity is one of our core values and we believe in paying a meaningful wage to make a positive impact on our employees' lives, no matter their position, age or location. Our employees are the lifeblood of our organisation and by paying a fair wage we are able to attract and retain the best people to deliver our vision of tennis opened up. We hope other businesses and organisations in the UK will be encouraged to become real Living Wage employers too."
Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation said:
"It is excellent news that the LTA has become the first British sporting national governing body to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation. They join the movement of over 6600 responsible employers such as Burberry and Barclays, who all voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff and contracted staff earn enough to live on. The LTA's accreditation shows their passion and leadership for employee standards among sporting governance bodies in the UK, and we hope many others will follow in their footsteps. As we begin to rebuild after the turbulence of recent months, having the extra income from the real Living Wage will help to provide workers and their families with stability and security."
The LTA's vision is to open up tennis in Britain by making it relevant, accessible, welcoming and enjoyable to all. For more information about the LTA or to view live vacancies, head to www.lta.org.uk/careers.