At Tidy Green Clean, we are proud to be an employer of choice in the commercial cleaning industry, and we believe our commitment to the real Living Wage has played a significant role in achieving that status. With seven franchises across Scotland, including three in Aberdeen, we have always prioritised fair pay, and in 2020, we formalised this commitment by becoming accredited as a Recognised Service Provider. However, our dedication to offering real Living Wage hourly rates began well before our accreditation.
As a Recognised Service Provider, we are committed to paying all directly employed members of our staff, not tied to client contracts, the real Living Wage. Additionally, we ensure that every tender we submit includes a real Living Wage bid alongside the market rate, giving our clients the choice to prioritise fair pay for all workers.
Our founder, Andrew Alleway, reflects on our decision to become accredited:
"We've been a Recognised Service Provider for the last five years. The reality is that we run a commercial cleaning business, and most of our staff are at the entry level of the job market. From a business standpoint, it’s crucial that we value our staff and pay them as much as we possibly can.
The values of the Living Wage Foundation align perfectly with our ethos. For us, becoming a Recognised Service Provider was the only option because we rely on clients who want to pay the real Living Wage rather than the National Minimum Wage. In a competitive industry where many are driven by price and content with paying the minimum, we stand out by offering more."
Andrew believes that our commitment to the Living Wage has contributed to our impressive staff retention rate and complements our holistic approach to employee support:
"We maintain a 94% staff retention rate, in an industry where annual attrition can reach 200%. I definitely believe that paying the real Living Wage plays a role in this. It’s part of our ethos to ensure our staff are well-compensated for their work. But it’s not just about the wage—we offer a range of benefits to support our employees. If they need an advance on their pay, we provide it. We ensure that our staff are not stressed about basic needs like keeping the lights on or feeding their families.
Many of our staff earn more than the real Living Wage, even when working on contracts that don’t mandate it. We also reward length of service with higher pay, particularly for those in supervisory roles or other key positions. This approach has resulted in low staff absence and turnover, reinforcing our status as an employer of choice. This stability benefits our clients too, who appreciate the consistency of service that comes from having long-term, dedicated cleaners."
Our commitment extends beyond our own business. We are also actively involved in the campaign to make Aberdeen a Living Wage City, an experience that has broadened our perspective:
"Taking part in this campaign was an eye-opener. Running our own business, it’s easy to stay in our bubble, but working with other organisations, especially those in the hospitality sector, highlighted the profound impact the Living Wage can have. It’s not just about paying bills—it can be the difference between taking your kids to the cinema or not, or being able to afford a family holiday. These stories resonate with us emotionally, and they reinforce our belief that Aberdeen should be the best place to live and work."
Promoting real Living Wage contracts to our clients, particularly in the commercial sector, has not always been easy, especially in challenging economic times:
"It’s been mostly positive, but the past few years have been tough, especially post-Covid. Our business is concentrated in the northeast of Scotland, where the oil and gas sector faces uncertainty due to windfall taxes and political shifts. Many SMEs are happy to commit to the Living Wage, recognising that a small increase in hourly pay can make a big difference to someone’s life, without significantly impacting the company’s bottom line. Overall, about 90% of our clients endorse the sentiment of the Living Wage, even if they aren’t always able to implement it."
Despite these challenges, Andrew remains convinced of the benefits of being a Recognised Service Provider and encourages other organisations to consider accreditation:
"If you’re considering it, I’d 100% recommend jumping on board. The benefits—better staff retention, improved welfare, increased commitment, reduced absenteeism, and a greater sense of value among your team—are invaluable. The cost of retraining new staff far exceeds the effort of retaining the ones you have.
The Recognised Service Provider programme works well because it allows us to make a real commitment. Every proposal we submit includes a Living Wage price alongside a minimum wage price, and we always advocate for the Living Wage. It’s in all our literature, in every conversation we have with clients, and it’s something business leaders should champion. True leadership means providing your entire team, no matter their role, with a better lifestyle and income.
Some may be hesitant because they don’t fully understand the role of a Recognised Service Provider. It’s not a commitment to pay every single staff member the Living Wage—it’s about taking a step in the right direction. The clients who commit to paying the Living Wage tend to be the best to work with, valuing our cleaners as part of their team rather than just someone who comes in at night. It’s about much more than just paying the money."