Sykes is chairman of the Living Wage Service Providers Leadership Group. Launched in January 2015, it promotes good pay practice across the facilities management sector.
He said he views ISS as having three obligations as a contractor. Firstly, including a living wage bid in all new business opportunities and renewals. Secondly, paying all support staff at ISS premises a living wage and finally, acting as ambassadors.
“Benefits are measurable,” he said. “Contracts with living wage have a churn rate that is a third lower than contracts not paying the living wage.”
He added the “hotel and hospitality industries are lagging”, but suggested facilities management could help “bring it into line”.
