4 November 2015

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had the perfect excuse to taste some ice-cream as she announced one of Scotland’s most well known food firms as the latest to pay staff the Living Wage.

She visited the Mackie’s of Scotland farm in Inverurie where she met staff and found out about the process behind the making of the firm’s ice-cream.

The First Minister said:

A happy and motivated workforce is a crucial ingredient to a successful business, and Mackie’s has put employees at the heart of their work.

The firm is a Scottish success story and its commitment to staff is clearly demonstrated in their pledge to become Living Wage employers. I’ve seen first-hand the pride that Mackie’s staff have in their work and it has again highlighted that improved staff morale has many benefits, such as increased productivity.

Over 380 employers in Scotland are now signed up to paying staff the Living Wage, which increased by 40p to £8.25 an hour at the start of Living Wage Week.

The move will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited organisations in Scotland, with the Scottish Government targeting at least 500 Living Wage accredited employers by March next year.

Mac Mackie, the Managing Director of Mackie’s of Scotland, explained why they have signed up:

As a family business going back to 1912, we know that our people are our most important resource and our company would simply not survive without them. Paying the Living Wage helps attract new talent and keep the good people we find with us.

Our 68 strong team all work incredibly hard to make our award-winning products, so it’s crucial that as a business, we are doing everything we can to make their jobs as rewarding and enjoyable as possible.

The firm has also signed up to the Scottish Business Pledge, which a partnership between Government and business to improve productivity, workforce engagement and enshrine fairness.

Mackie’s becomes the 140th firm to sign up to the Pledge since it was launched in May.