Whitbread continues to play its part in COVID-19 crisis
Premier Inn owner Whitbread today, Tuesday, April 14, announces that its senior leadership team has committed to a voluntary pay cut as the business continues to contribute to the fight against COVID-19.
• 5,000 Premier Inn rooms open to support NHS key workers
• Partnership with FareShare announced
• Leadership team announce voluntary pay cut
• All furloughed team members remain on full salary
Whitbread’s CEO Alison Brittain and its Executive Directors Nicholas Cadbury and Louise Smalley, have received Board approval for a voluntary 30 per cent temporary base pay reduction.
Chairman Adam Crozier, non-executive Board Directors and members of the Executive Committee have all volunteered a temporary reduction in their base pay of 20 per cent.
The CEO, Executive Directors and members of the Executive Committee will not take cash bonuses accrued for the 2019/2020 financial year, instead deferring them into shares.
All other Whitbread staff are currently receiving full pay, with Whitbread topping up the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to ensure all furloughed staff are receiving one hundred per cent of their annual salary.
In addition to the temporary decreases, there will be no annual pay rises for the Executive Directors, senior team or salaried staff. Hourly paid team members, a population of approximately 32,000 people, will, however, continue to receive pay rises in line with the April National Minimum Wage increases.
Whitbread continues to play its part in the fight against COVID-19 and is committed to supporting the key worker agenda, as well as of course its 35,000 strong team – who remain central to all decision-making.
Following the closure of around 800 hotels across the UK, it has made 37 hotels (representing approximately 5,000 rooms), including the London Docklands Excel Premier Inn available exclusively to key workers including NHS staff. All team members volunteering to work at the open hotels are receiving increased rates of pay.
Whitbread has also announced a new strategic partnership with food charity FareShare and, following the closure of its restaurants over three weeks ago, has donated enough fresh food to make almost 65,000 meals. The food will be distributed through FareShare’s national network of charities and community groups, ensuring schools, foodbanks, care homes and homeless shelters all benefit as they work to support those most vulnerable during this crisis.
Whitbread has also supported supermarkets feed the nation by freeing up its logistics network to help transport food to where it’s needed most.
ENDS
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