A FEMINIST production company based in Cornwall has committed to providing its staff with a ‘living wage’.

Cornish production company Scary Little Girls will see everyone working at the organisation receive a minimum hourly wage of £12.60, higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £11.44 per hour.

Following this, the team has been accredited as a ‘Living Wage Employer’ by the Living Wage Foundation. Despite previously committing to this ethos, accreditation adds an official stamp to the decision.

The accreditation is especially relevant in a month when Cornwall has been announced as a Living Wage Place – a signal that the business community in the county is leading the way in supporting a higher standard of living for employees.

The production hub — known for its feminist theatre productions, often telling stories that are historically or culturally excluded — is based in the South West, a region where over a tenth of all jobs (11.8 per cent) pay less than the real Living Wage; around 285,000 jobs.

Rebecca Mordan, artistic director and co-founder of Scary Little Girls, said: “This is an important milestone for our company and one we’ve been committed to achieving. We work with over 100 artists and freelancers every year, and we want to make sure that we’re paying our staff enough to make ends meet. Times are hard, and we value every single person we work with – and want to make sure they know that. To us, it’s only right that we commit to paying them the Real Living Wage.”

Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added: “We’re delighted that Scary Little Girls has joined the movement of over 15,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.”