Living Wage

something for you means everything to her

Taking good care of workers is crucial: they are at the heart of the company. Part of this is by working towards fair remuneration: a living wage.

Sava believes that paying a better life wage to employees is an investment in a strong business and a strong local economy and a healthy community, contributing to the development of a dedicated, skilled and healthy workforce.

What is a living wage?

A better life wage is meant to approach a living wage: a remuneration received for a standard workweek by a worker in a particular place, sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and her or his family.

Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, health care, transportation, clothing, and other essential needs including provision for unexpected events.

What will this mean for you?

A better life allows a worker to afford a basic standard of living, including:

A job for Sabita

It enables me to invest in my children’s future development, via quality education”

Why a better life premium?

In many emerging economies, like India, many workers get minimum wages. It differs per factory, per person. But minimum wages is not enough to afford a better life: is does not cover the real cost of living.

Why SAVA initiates and Supports Living Wage ?

A better life wage is meant to approach a living wage. Sava might provide wages above minimum wages level and many workers receive (almost) enough for a better life, but we want to work towards a better life for all workers.

The concept of a better life wage is more than money related or material. It is also aimed at meeting people’s aspirations for a decent quality of life (and work life), being productive (at work), and enabling shared prosperity at home and across future generations.

Better life wages, are aimed at approaching living
wage levels step by step. The result is:

How much is a Better Living Wage?

SAVA provides Financial training to the workers on a monthly basis. This helps them to calculate & analyze the difference between current wages and actual living costs. The costs to close this financial gap can be covered with increased purchasing prices of products sold.

Based on research and estimation of a living wage in this region, we have set the better life premium that is paid to workers by SAVA.

This premium is meant to contribute to better living standards for workers and approaching eventual living wage levels.

“We’re too small to make a real difference alone. That’s why we initiate system change and motivate others to follow our approach. Together we can close the gap and reach 100% living wage levels.”

This income gap cannot be closed at once. We do this carefully and in collaboration with other buying brands.

The goal is to make this a structural premium that contributes to better lives, and enough for employees to cover monthly expenses and set something aside. Until we have reached living wage levels for all workers in the end.

Realizing the shift to living wages takes time and collaboration.

Every buying customer needs to contribute before this can be realized. It is our aim to contribute to
this shift by following our own approach for this.

We believe in all of you!

Do you have any questions?

Feel free to make this an open discussion for questions of clarification before proceedings.

The management or HR department might start a conversation or involve you in a discussion on
this topic.You might be part of the working group too.This is to engage everyone with this topic, in
order to make it a longer term success and make the shift towards living wages.