The City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, has been awarded the London Living Wage accreditation by the Living Wage Foundation in recognition of its implementation of the London Living Wage policy across its funding relationships with voluntary organisations.

City Bridge Trust is London’s largest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital.

It has awarded over 7,000 grants totalling more than £320,000,000 to organisations across the capital over the last two decades.

It helps achieve the Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.

London Living Wage Friendly Funders support charitable organisations to pay the London Living Wage through their grant-making, working together to end low pay in the voluntary and community sector.

As part of their commitment to be a London Living Wage Friendly Funder, funders support applicant bodies to pay the London Living Wage to any grant-funded staff posts. London Living Wage Friendly Funders are themselves Living Wage employers and then, where possible, encourage grantees to become accredited employers over time.

David Farnsworth, Director of City Bridge Trust said:

“Our vision is for a fairer London: the voluntary sector plays a vital part in helping make London a better place to live and the Trust plays a key role in supporting the on-going success of the sector.

“We aim to lead by example with responsible business practices and as an accredited London Living Wage Friendly Funder we hope we can continue to encourage grantees and funders to take similar steps.”

Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said:

“We are delighted to recognise City Bridge Trust as a London Living Wage Friendly Funder. The leadership shown by the trust demonstrates a commitment to tackling the serious problems that low pay brings to our communities.“Many organisations in the voluntary and community sectors are working hard to tackle social injustice and poverty; it’s only right that those committed to these roles are afforded at least a Living Wage. We hope to see many more funders and corporates follow the lead of City Bridge Trust and the other London Living Wage Friendly Funders.”