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A Look into Our Business: Living Wage

A Look into Our Business: Living Wage

Posted by Heidi Schonover Baah on on Apr 2nd 2018

A Look into Our Business: Living Wage

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” (Old proverb)

With growing awareness of how clothing and other products are manufactured, more and more people have a concern for the well-being of the laborers and resources behind their purchases.Many companies are working to ensure that workers are being treated ethically and materials are used sustainably. Kwame Baah Shoes was founded to provide a living wage for its employees in Ghana.Our employees were formerly artisans with little employment opportunities or very low wages, barely able or unable to scrape out a decent living. The income our employees now earn enables them to provide for the basic necessities of life.

The living wage we pay is determined by the data review at http://www.mywage.com This website, which says it “was launched in 2001 to contribute to a more transparent labor market for workers and employers,” has employment and wage data on most countries, including Ghana. We also conduct our own cost of living survey, and we use the higher cost of living to determine the wages of our employees.

The pay scale varies based on the numbers of years of experience working at Kwame Baah Shoes. On the average, it takes each artisan one to two years to fully achieve the methods and techniques of work at our shop. Wages and promotions are based on each artisan’s ability to make progress in the quality of craftsmanship expected by Kwame Baah Shoes.However, the living wage is the baseline income for anyone employed by our company.Wages are reevaluated every year based on the data from http://www.mywage.com as well as our own data, and each employee’s wage is adjusted accordingly. In addition, each employee receives a wage increase and a bonus at the end of each year based on individual performance and quality of work.

Our employees often express the difference that working for our company has made in their lives. Some have said that in the past they were so desperate, they were tempted to rob money to make ends meet.Before Kwame Baah Shoes, none of them had a job that earned them steady income, but some of them were working on contract jobs with shoe companies in the capital city and were making GH 230 per month.Now they are making five to ten times that amount working at Kwame Baah Shoes.

Since we have personal contact with our employees, we can stay aware of their needs and learn how we can make their work as convenient and profitable as possible.For example, we provide free accommodation for those who are desire to stay on the compound during the time of employment since many have a long way to travel from home. Additionally, while we hire artisans with some degree of shoe-making experience, we enable them to develop their skills by providing them with training in the craft of high-quality, handmade footwear.

Our employees’ well-being and their ability to live self-sufficient, dignified lives is the foundation of Kwame Baah Shoes.When you enjoy the comfort and fashion of wearing one of our shoes, you can also enjoy the knowledge that lives in Ghana have been significantly improved by your purchase!