Introducing the Edinburgh Fair Work Action Group

Welcome to the Edinburgh Fair Work Action Group’s blog. We are a collaboration of employers based in Edinburgh, who are working together as ambassadors for the Fair Work and Living Wage movements in Scotland’s capital city. Through our work we aim to:

• ensure that Edinburgh’s residents can access high quality, fair paid employment,
• reduce levels of in-work poverty,
• contribute to the city’s goal of ending poverty by 2030.

To achieve this, we:

• Demonstrate leadership in Fair Work and support other employers to do the same.
• Learn about labour market challenges and best practice in implementing Fair Work.
• Promote the Fair Work and Living Wage movements.
• Influence development of local and national policy and legislation.
• Celebrate local and national Fair Work and Living Wage achievements.
• Monitor delivery of our actions and developments in Edinburgh’s labour market.

Our Action Group was established in 2020, in response to a call from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission for employers and institutions to come together to increase the number of real Living Wage accredited businesses in the city. Since then, we have been working together to grow the Living Wage movement in Edinburgh.

in 2024, we decided to widen our remit to cover all aspects of fair work and became the Edinburgh Fair Work Action Group. This was in response to national and local policy developments that promoted the Fair Work agenda, alongside our recognition that reducing in-work poverty and promoting the wellbeing of workers requires action across all elements of Fair Work.

Promoting fair pay and the real Living Wage remains at the heart of what we do, but we’re also looking at how we can work together to make sure that work is respectful and secure, and offers workers opportunities, fulfilment and an effective voice.

If you’d like to find out more about our work, please get in touch by emailing policyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk. You can also stay up to date with our latest work by keeping an eye on our blog.