Since our inception, we’ve always been about building an environment where every team member can thrive, not just by offering challenging and rewarding work and thorough mentoring and training, but by ensuring everyone is actually paid fairly. That’s why we’re super proud to share that we’ve officially achieved Living Wage Accreditation, a recognition that reflects our commitment to valuing and supporting our team and their contributions.
The Living Wage Foundation sets the gold standard for fair pay, ensuring employees receive wages that reflect the real cost of living rather than just meeting the Government’s minimum requirements.
By securing this accreditation, we’re making a clear statement to current and future team members: your work and dedication are appreciated, and we are committed to investing in your prosperity and well-being.
Why the Living Wage Accreditation?
When our agency founder, Shane Parkins, launched the agency earlier this year after 3 years as a successful consultant, he aimed to create an agency he would want to work for: one that values its people, fosters development and provides growth opportunities.
“Agency perks” are almost at meme-level these days, and, whilst we have plenty of staff benefits for our fully remote team, we also recognise that free coffee and pizza don’t pay the bills, particularly in a tough economic climate.
Achieving Living Wage Accreditation is a vocal commitment to remunerating current and future staff in line with Living Wage guidelines and, better yet, way above them, as staff progress in their roles.
By committing to a fair living wage for all, we’re addressing one of the most vital aspects of employee wellbeing: financial security.
For our team, this means wages that allow them to live with confidence, balance their personal and professional lives, and focus on thriving rather than just surviving. It’s a work in progress and the accreditation process requires us to keep on top of this, which is something we’re dedicated to doing.
Building a Supportive & Inclusive Culture
This milestone ties into our broader mission to create a company culture rooted in inclusion, sustainability, and employee well-being.
We operate as a remote-first agency, which helps reduce barriers to entry and provides flexibility for our team to work in ways that suit them best. To ensure connection and collaboration, we offer benefits such as paid co-working spaces, regular 1:1 coaching, and opportunities for personal development through training and events. We also invest in maintaining a sense of community through virtual socials and in-person gatherings.
Our commitment to fair pay complements the many ways we support our team, ensuring they feel valued, respected, and empowered. From planting trees through Carma to our sponsorship of TEDxTeessideWomen to our various charity fundraising initiatives, we are constantly striving to create a workplace and agency model that prioritises both people and the planet.
Leading by Example
As you may know, we were one of the agencies recognised by Prolific North for their prestigious “Independent Agencies to Watch” list for 2024 and, as a result, are seen as an agency that’s leading the way and doing something exciting both as a service provider and an employer.
Our growth trajectory is dependent on continued growth and success, and to secure that we need brilliant people, so we hope that this accreditation will help signpost more fantastic recruits to us for Remote SEO and PPC roles in the future.
This is a proud moment for Climb & Conquer, but – as we keep on saying! – it’s really just the beginning!
2024 has been hugely rewarding and action-packed, with so many successes to mention it’d take more than just one blog post. In our growth and success, we remain committed to creating a sustainable, inclusive workplace where our people and clients alike can continue to excel.
