[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page:what-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Funilever-living-wages-raising-floor":3},{"id":4,"slug":5,"title":6,"short_title":7,"intro_text":8,"meta_description":9,"seo_title":10,"path":11,"content_type":12,"locale":13,"go_live_at":14,"first_published_at":15,"page_created_at":16,"published_at":15,"edit_url":17,"breadcrumbs":18,"seo":29,"body_blocks":37,"call_to_action":103,"categories":110,"show_author_info":52,"show_table_of_contents":52,"owner":112,"authors":119,"image":121,"related_pages":122,"related_sites":123,"in_subsite":53,"contact_page_url":124,"banner_message":125},36987,"unilever-living-wages-raising-floor","Raising the Floor: Unilever on What It Takes to Pay a Living Wage","From Commitment to Change: Unilever's Living Wage Journey","\u003Cp>WageIndicator recently spoke with Karin van den Houten-Bogaers, Head of Livelihoods and Human Rights at Unilever. The leader in consumer goods has been working on Living Wage for a decade and closed its gap globally in 2020.\u003C\u002Fp>","Discover how Unilever has been working on Living Wages for a decade. Learn about thier implementation strategy, challenges, and key lessons.","","\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Funilever-living-wages-raising-floor","pages.contentpage","en",null,"2026-03-05T11:51:05.528000+00:00","2026-06-05T20:36:17.211801+00:00","\u002Fcms\u002Fpages\u002F36987\u002Fedit\u002F",[19,22,25,28],{"title":20,"slug":21},"What We Do","what-we-do",{"title":23,"slug":24},"News and Stories","news-stories",{"title":26,"slug":27},"Living Wages Company Case Studies","companies-case-studies",{"title":6,"slug":5},{"title":6,"description":9,"image":30,"canonical":31,"robots":32,"og_type":33,"twitter_card":34,"locale":13,"created_at":35,"last_modified_at":36},"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_pro.2e16d0ba.fill-1200x630.png","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Funilever-living-wages-raising-floor\u002F","index, follow","website","summary_large_image","2026-03-05T12:51:05.528000+01:00","2026-06-05T22:36:17.272406+02:00",[38,43],{"type":39,"data":40},"text_block",{"content":41,"variant":42},"\u003Cp>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>March 2026\u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cb>A strong business case to pay a Living Wage\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"richtext-image right\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FLandscape-Karin_van_den_Houten-Bogaers_-.width-400.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FLandscape-Karin_van_den_Houten-Bogaers_-.width-400.jpg 400w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FLandscape-Karin_van_den_Houten-Bogaers_-.width-800.jpg 800w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FLandscape-Karin_van_den_Houten-Bogaers_-.width-1200.jpg 1200w\"\u002F>\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>For Unilever, paying a Living Wage is one of the most powerful actions business can take to tackle inequality. And it also has business benefits, Karin explains: “Research we commissioned shows that a Living Wage improves worker satisfaction and productivity, reduces staff turnover and its associated costs and, in some cases, grows consumer markets by helping more people to have the means to buy consumer products, including Unilever’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch3>Lessons from a decade of progress\u003C\u002Fh3>\u003Cp>Unilever’s journey to Living Wage compliance began with the launch of Unilever’s Framework for Fair Compensation in 2014. By 2020, it had closed their Living Wage gap globally, and in 2021 it was recognised by the Fair Wage Network as a global living wage employer. Since then, Unilever’s focus has shifted to extending this commitment into their supply chain.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Along the way, several lessons stood out to Karin: “Sustained senior leadership support proved essential, as delivering Living Wages requires coordinated action across the business. Clear ownership and accountability helped translate ambition into action, while ongoing education and capability‑building ensured teams were equipped to deliver. Taking a phased approach also allowed us to respond to different country contexts and address barriers in a practical, scalable way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch3>Why access to quality data matters\u003C\u002Fh3>\u003Cp>Unilever's next milestone is to reach 50% of procurement spend with suppliers that have signed its Living Wage Promise by 2026. To achieve that mission, Karin highlights how the importance of working with WageIndicator and other partners has been central to this effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Access to credible data has been a critical enabler. To address long‑standing gaps in transparency, Unilever joined a coalition of companies investing in WageIndicator, helping make Living Wage estimates publicly available across more than 170 countries. This data supports suppliers with benchmarking and gives workers clearer information to advocate for fair pay”.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch3>Moving suppliers from intent to action\u003C\u002Fh3>\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"richtext-image fullwidth\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_programme.width-800.png\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_programme.width-800.png 800w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_programme.width-1200.png 1200w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_programme.width-1600.png 1600w\"\u002F>\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The first critical step is to get suppliers to sign the Living Wage Promise, which commits them to assessing the gap between current wages and Living Wage estimates and taking action to close it. “Early surveys showed that many suppliers lacked awareness of what a Living Wage is or how to begin, so we launched a programme that provides tools, guidance and support to help suppliers move from intent to implementation.”, Karin explains.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>To make meaningful progress toward decent livelihoods across the value chain, country context must be considered too, especially in times of hyperinflation: “Unilever prioritises geographies where the Living Wage gap is largest, social protections are weakest, and where the company has the greatest potential to influence change.” This includes countries facing high inflation, where wage erosion can be particularly acute.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch3>Progress requires more than one company\u003C\u002Fh3>\u003Cp>Karin welcomes new regulations - such as the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive - as a way to raise the floor for everyone. But regulation alone won't close wage gaps. \"Companies need to act, governments need to strengthen minimum wage frameworks, and investors need to embed Living Wages into ESG expectations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Besides WageIndicator, Unilever is working with key partners to advance Living Wages - including IDH and the World Benchmarking Alliance - and contributing to initiatives like the UN Global Compact's Forward Faster programme, which has brought more than 800 companies to commit to paying a Living Wage.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Levelling the playing field is critical,\" Karin says, “which is why we are working with partners to drive this forward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cb>Written by:\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Paulien Osse, Co-Founder and Global lead Living Wages\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Blanca Civit, Public Relations Lead\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Photo credit: Thiemi Higashi\u003C\u002Fp>","light",{"type":44,"data":45},"latest_page_items_block",{"title":46,"link":47,"link_description":50,"variant":51,"show_item_images":52,"show_categories":52,"show_as_slider":53,"items":54},"More case studies",{"id":48,"short_title":14,"title":26,"url":49},24993,"\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies","View All Stories","dark",true,false,[55,75,89],{"title":56,"short_title":14,"intro_text":57,"link":58,"categories":62,"labels":67,"image":72,"go_live_at":14,"first_published_at":73,"page_created_at":74,"published_at":73},"H&M Group: “Low wages are an operational risk”","\u003Cp>The WageIndicator team spoke with Johan Genneby, Global Sustainability Area Lead at H&M Group. The global fashion design company has been working with WageIndicator since 2021, so we had a deep conversation to learn more about the group’s challenges, ambitions and commitment to adequate wages.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":59,"short_title":14,"title":56,"url":60,"image":61},38258,"\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Fhm-group-living-wages","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fh-and-m-STORE-Brazil.width-400.jpg",[63],{"id":64,"slug":65,"name":66},4,"living-wage","Living Wage",[68],{"id":69,"slug":70,"name":71},5,"case-studies","Case studies","\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fh-and-m-STORE-Brazil.width-400.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fh-and-m-STORE-Brazil.width-400.jpg 400w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fh-and-m-STORE-Brazil.width-800.jpg 800w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fh-and-m-STORE-Brazil.width-1200.jpg 1200w\" alt=\"H&M\">","2026-06-29T10:45:29.487290+00:00","2026-06-29T10:45:29.387326+00:00",{"title":76,"short_title":14,"intro_text":77,"link":78,"categories":82,"labels":84,"image":86,"go_live_at":14,"first_published_at":87,"page_created_at":88,"published_at":87},"Zeeman: Leading the Way with Living Wages","\u003Cp>Zeeman, the Dutch retail chain known for competitively priced textiles and accessories across 1300+ stores in eight European countries, is taking a pioneering stance on Living Wages. The WageIndicator team spoke with Simone de Vos, CSR Assistant, and Joy Roeterdink, CSR & Quality Manager, to understand their innovative approach.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":79,"short_title":14,"title":76,"url":80,"image":81},37910,"\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Fzeeman-living-wages","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FZeeeman_teKoWni.width-400.jpg",[83],{"id":64,"slug":65,"name":66},[85],{"id":69,"slug":70,"name":71},"\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FZeeeman_teKoWni.width-400.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FZeeeman_teKoWni.width-400.jpg 400w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FZeeeman_teKoWni.width-800.jpg 800w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FZeeeman_teKoWni.width-1200.jpg 1200w\" alt=\"Zeeman\">","2026-05-26T14:06:40.195000+00:00","2026-06-01T15:29:41.255035+00:00",{"title":90,"short_title":14,"intro_text":91,"link":92,"categories":96,"labels":98,"image":100,"go_live_at":14,"first_published_at":101,"page_created_at":102,"published_at":101},"How IKEA Implements Living Wages - A Case Study in Fair Pay Practice","\u003Cp>The WageIndicator team Paulien Osse and Irina Raiu recently spoke with Marjolein Scheerders, Lead Integration of Responsible Wage Practices (RWP) at IKEA. This global company with Swedish roots piloted Living wages since 2010 and has been working with Responsible Wage Practices since 2021, so we asked about their insights and recommendations.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":93,"short_title":14,"title":90,"url":94,"image":95},37719,"\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fnews-stories\u002Fcompanies-case-studies\u002Fhow-ikea-implements-living-wages","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fikea.width-400.jpg",[97],{"id":64,"slug":65,"name":66},[99],{"id":69,"slug":70,"name":71},"\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fikea.width-400.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fikea.width-400.jpg 400w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fikea.width-800.jpg 800w, https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Fikea.width-1200.jpg 1200w\" alt=\"IKEA living wage\">","2026-05-05T20:55:00.082000+00:00","2026-06-04T17:16:08.595762+00:00",{"text":104,"link":105},"Contact us",{"title":104,"url":106,"description":104,"rel":107,"type":108,"id":109},"\u002Fabout\u002Fcontact","follow","internal",24590,[111],{"id":64,"slug":65,"name":66},{"id":113,"first_name":114,"last_name":115,"email":116,"image":117,"function":118,"external":53},86,"Blanca","Civit","blancacivit@wageindicator.org","https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002FBlanca-Civit-Sarda-ED.width-400.jpg","Lead Public Relations",[120],{"id":113,"first_name":114,"last_name":115,"email":116,"image":117,"function":118,"external":53},"https:\u002F\u002Fwageindicator.org\u002Fmedia\u002Fimages\u002Funilever_living_wage_supplier_programme.width-400.png",[],[],"\u002Fwork\u002Fliving-wages\u002Fcontact-us","\u003Cp>Welcome to WageIndicator. Same organisation, same information, new look!\u003C\u002Fp>"]