West Ham United proudly joined the Living Wage Foundation to kick off Living Wage Week 2025, joining the Foundation’s official London launch event at the London Stadium on Monday 10 November.
The event brought together leading voices from across various sectors to highlight the importance of fair pay and to celebrate progress made towards making the Real Living Wage the standard across the UK.
Guest speakers included Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham and Peter Swordy, Director of Health, Safety and Compliance for London Stadium - alongside West Ham United’s Director of HR, Michele Gull, who represented the Club and spoke on the future of fair pay in the sports sector.
Speaking at the event, Gull highlighted the Club’s ongoing commitment to ensuring fair pay across all areas of its operation, saying: “We became an accredited Living Wage employer because we believe that fair pay is fundamental to dignity, wellbeing, and belonging - and that every member of our team, on and off the pitch, should be valued for the role they play.
“Across sport, we know there is still work to do. Around 32% of jobs in the sector are paid below the Real Living Wage, and too often, the people who make match days possible are the ones who feel the squeeze the most. But change is happening.
“Here in London, six of the seven Premier League clubs are now accredited. That momentum matters.
“At West Ham United, we support over 3,300 local and regional jobs and we are committed to making the Living Wage the norm, not the exception - from our retail colleagues to our Foundation to our matchday teams. It’s good for our people, and it strengthens our culture.
“My call today is if you’re an employer in sport, join us. Be part of raising standards across the sector. When we value our people properly, the whole game wins.”
West Ham United first became an accredited Living Wage Employer in 2017, becoming one of the earliest Premier League clubs to achieve this status. Since then, the Club has continued to champion the Real Living Wage across its operations, ensuring that everyone working directly for the Club, as well as contracted staff, are paid a fair wage that reflects the true cost of living.
The Club’s ongoing partnership with the Living Wage Foundation reflects West Ham’s commitment to driving positive change within sport, business, and the local community.
As Gull shared at the event, “when we value our people properly, the whole game wins” - a message that continues to sit at the heart of the Club’s culture.
