The Good Work Standard (GWS)
The Good Work Standard is a free accreditation programme that provides employers with a set of best employment practices alongside information and resources to help achieve them.
The initiative has been developed in collaboration with London's employers, trade unions, professional bodies and experts and it sets the benchmark the Mayor wants every London employer to work towards and achieve.
Organisations able to meet the Good Work Standard criteria can apply for accreditation and recognition as leading employers from the Mayor.
The Mayor's Good Work Standard aims to improve working lives for Londoners by bringing together best employment practice and links to resources and support from across London to help employers improve their organisations.
It is great to have a set of standards to mark ourselves against to ensure we are rewarding and developing our staff to the best of our and their abilities.
What is Good Work
The Good Work Standard is organised into four key areas, known as pillars, that are relevant and important to all employers and set the benchmark for good work.
Involving employees in decision making and managing change and positive engagement with trade unions where possible cuts across all pillars of the Good Work Standard.
The four pillars of Good Work are:
Fair pay and conditions
(Pay, contracts and financial wellbeing)
Engagement, voice and wellbeing
(Workforce dialogue, positive relationships with trade unions, health and wellbeing and work-life balance)
Skills and progression
(Management and leadership, skills and development and in-work progression)
Diversity and inclusive recruitment
(Equality, diversity and inclusion and inclusive recruitment practice)
Read our full employer guidance to learn more about what good work looks like.
Why become an accredited employer
Becoming accredited to the Mayor’s Good Work Standard can bring increased employee engagement, employees who feel well treated and valued, resulting in lower absence rates, enhanced productivity and improved innovation, which is good for business and profit growth.
Becoming accredited to the Mayor’s Good Work Standard demonstrates leadership in employee wellbeing and development. It also helps to attract and retain a diverse, talented, and motivated workforce, with equally positive benefits to external reputation as a recognised good employer.
Becoming accredited to the Mayor’s Good Work Standard provides access to a platform for collaboration, with likeminded organisations and businesses, along with a range of resources and support from human resource specialists, in addition to networking events with the Mayor and industry leaders.
Becoming accredited to the Mayor’s Good Work Standard means directly contributing to a fairer and more inclusive economy where all can access good jobs with good conditions, in fair, healthy and inclusive workplaces.
You will be officially recognised by the Mayor as a model employer, with exemplary employment standards in four key areas; pay and conditions, workplace wellbeing, skills and development, and equality, diversity, and recruitment.
Becoming an accredited employer is a free programme of support, resources, events and recognition.
However, to become Good Work Standard accredited, employers must first become Living Wage accredited. This incurs a small cost based on organisation size.
For more information visit the Living Wage Foundation website.
Accredited organisations are able to use their accreditation to demonstrate social value when competing for public sector procurement opportunities with the GLA Group.
Members of the GLA Group include:
- Greater London Authority
- Metropolitan Police
- London Fire Brigade
- Transport for London.
The Good Work Standard is an industry recognised accreditation that has a positive impact when tendering for local government contracts and business opportunities. It is a simple and easy process, providing you can achieve the criteria, and will have a great impact.
Who has achieved the accreditation so far
By achieving the Good Work Standard, employers of all sizes and sectors signal their commitment to healthy, fair and inclusive workplaces.
How to become accredited
Read our employers guidance
This sets out what each criterion is looking for and each stage of the process.
Complete a short foundation checklist
This covers the minimum legal requirements and basic practices every employer should have in place.
Complete your self-assessment
This assesses where you meet different criteria across the four Good Work Standard pillars and where there might be room for improvement.
Provide evidence
A member of the Economic Fairness team will be in touch to progress your application request a small sampling of evidence to demonstrate your answers.
Panel review
Your application will be taken to a panel for final accreditation.
Receive your accreditation
The accreditation is valid for four years and the Economic Fairness Team will contact you before the expiration date, to discuss re-accreditation.
Before you apply
Employers must be an accredited Living Wage Employer to become a member of the Good Work Standard community.
The London Living Wage is an independently calculated, voluntary hourly rate based on the costs of living.
It covers all boroughs in Greater London and all employees aged 18 and over. This is a key commitment in the Mayor’s manifesto – to expand the number of businesses adopting the accreditation and make London a Living Wage City.
Visit the Living Wage Foundation website to find out how to become a Living Wage employer.
Our Good Work Standard guide was developed to help employers understand the process, requirements and expectations to achieve the Good Work Standard. It provides comprehensive guidance relating to each criteria assessed across the four pillars of the accreditation.
The guidance is intended for employers interested in becoming accredited and accredited employers that would like to improve their working practices.
We recommend reading through the guidance before applying and referring to it when completing the online assessment.
Apply now
Contact us
If you have questions or would like to find out more about becoming a Good Work Standard employer, contact the Economic Fairness Team: [email protected]
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