Hospitality as a force for good: How we're improving livelihoods for Londoners

How is Mercato Metropolitano helping to build a brighter, more sustainable and inclusive future? By empowering not only our local communities through nutritious food and the spirit of collaboration, but also our very own workers, by prioritising their wellbeing and needs.?

A commitment to fair pay and a safe and healthy environment for employees are the pillars on which our modern workforce is built. By championing them, Mercato Metropolitano is leading the way in improving livelihoods for those living and working in London.

We are delighted to have been presented with the Mayor’s Good Work Standard Award as a result of this hard work and dedication; accredited at Achievement level, having met sufficient criteria in all four pillars of the Mayor’s Good Work Standard.?

To celebrate this landmark moment, it was an absolute pleasure to welcome London’s Night Czar, Amy Lamé to Mercato Metropolitano Elephant & Castle on Wednesday 17th January to present us with a Good Work Standard plaque.

Commended for our commitments to hire underrepresented groups,?to support staff health and wellbeing,?ensuring fair pay through the real Living Wage; this achievement affirms our Movimento Metropolitano mission centered on both people and the planet. It is a testament to the power of hospitality as a force for good.?

Amid the current economic uncertainty – exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis – making ends meet to keep warm, healthy, and put food on the table can be a major challenge for many Londoners and their families. Though many businesses are equally feeling financial and labour shortage pressures themselves, it’s imperative that firms prioritise the needs of their workforce.?

Every year, Mercato Metropolitano has committed to raising wages in line with the Living Wage Foundation and I was pleased to see the London Living Wage rise by 10% to ￡13.15 in October last year. I urge other businesses who are in a position to do so, to join us in supporting this rise.?

The upcoming increase in the National Living Wage by 9.8% from ￡10.42 to ￡11.44 per hour from April is also certainly a positive step forward – but it’s not nearly enough. More must urgently be done to support livelihoods in the UK.?

What our society needs – to ensure both economic and social prosperity – is more purpose-led, people-centric policies that offer sustainable solutions to empower both businesses and communities. Businesses must commit to improving employment opportunities, work conditions, and offer fair pay for employees.?

Mercato Metropolitano is the first sustainable community food market and cultural hub in London, and we remain committed to continuing leading London’s hospitality sector in the highest employment, sustainability, diversity, and community standards.?

Since 2016, when the doors to our landmark market opened in Elephant & Castle, we have welcomed our vibrant local community to take a seat at our table and share a vision for something bigger. Our markets are a place where people can express themselves freely; exchange stories and ideas; experience new cultures; enjoy delicious, nutritious food together; and explore our Movimento Metropolitano point of view.

This mission is grounded in an ethos that food is a human right and that sharing it together can help build welcoming and inclusive communities. As part of this, we are committed to making food accessible to everyone, combating the issues faced by the most vulnerable.

We’re proud to join 149 other employers accredited to the Good Work Standard, employing over 258,000 people and we greatly appreciate the Mayor of London recognising our hard work and dedication to upholding the highest employment standards across all of our markets. As Amy Lame? explained:

“This achievement recognizes their commitment to providing fair pay and better working conditions for their staff, including those that work at night. They’re also providing employment for local people from diverse backgrounds, which is a brilliant example of the wider benefits of this scheme.?

“Putting these values at the heart of their businesses will hopefully inspire others to adopt better standards for their employees, as we build a better London for everyone.”?

What will a better London look like in years to come? In an uncertain era of rapid technological advancement and global instability – that’s not an easy question to answer.?

But one thing is for certain: Mercato Metropolitano will continue to be at the forefront of building strong, sustainable and inclusive communities in this vibrant city today and in the future – ensuring that no one is left behind.