The Salford City Mayor's Charter for Employment Standards is designed to help raise employment standards for employees and businesses across the city.

We hope that businesses and employers across Salford will support the our pledges, focused on:

• investing in Salford’s workforce
• equality and inclusivity in Salford
• raising standards for businesses and employees across Salford

By working together we will promote social inclusion, drive economic growth and raise living standards in our city.

The charter is open to any private sector business, public sector organisation, voluntary or community organisation and social enterprise working in Salford.

Over 200 employers have signed up to the charter since it was launched in November 2013. View the current committed supporters here.

Benefits for businesses joining the Charter supporter network:

• acknowledgement that you are committed to the highest employment standards and practices in the city
• you will contribute to wider economic prosperity and sustainability in the city, supporting good quality jobs and local employment
• you will help to demonstrate the quality of your business when seeking new business opportunities
• you will gain public recognition for your support for the Charter
• you will be entitled to use the Charter Supporter mark on your website and on company literature
• your business name will be listed on Salford City Council's website so that prospective employees, commissioners and customers can easily see who supports the Salford City Mayor's Charter
• Salford City Council will promote businesses which achieve supporter status via social media

How to sign up and demonstrate your support

If your business meets the supporter criteria, you can apply online for your free membership and accreditation.

If your business is not ready to meet the charter supporter criteria, you can stay in touch by making a pledge to work towards one or more of the standards.

Learn more and apply

Salford City Council is also a partner in the Salford Social Value Alliance, which seeks to tackle inequality and poverty in Salford and improve the wellbeing and quality of life for residents. More details about the Salford Social Value Alliance and how to pledge support for the 10% Better Campaign can be found here.

Making Salford a Living Wage city

Being a Living Wage provider helps to tackle poverty and create a better, fairer Salford. 
Salford is aiming to become the first Living Wage city in England, and has already been recognised by the Living Wage Foundation for this ambition.

The Real Living Wage is independently calculated based on what people need to meet the true cost of living, and is upgraded every year to reflect increases in living costs. It allows people to live in dignity without the fear of poverty.

We already have many accredited Living Wage employers in Salford, with more firms working towards accreditation. 

People who receive the Real Living Wage feel valued for the work they do and have more money to spend in the local economy. However, there are also huge benefits for employers. Workers who feel valued are more productive, and loyal which cuts recruitment costs and helps with attracting employees if posts need to be filled.

We’re proud that Salford City Council was the first local authority in Greater Manchester to pay the Real Living Wage. Our campaign to increase the number of Salford-based employers paying the Real Living Wage is being supported by many employers in the private, public and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, as well as our trade unions.

Read more about our Living Wage ambitions.

This page was last updated on 12 September 2024