Boldr meets target for employees’ living wage globally
MERIDA, MEXICO — Business Process Outsourcing company Boldr is pioneering change in the industry after meeting its target to provide all of its employees in the Philippines, South Africa, and Mexico a living wage by December 2023.
Driven by founder David Sudolsky’s commitment to fair employee compensation, Boldr began rolling out adjusted wages to staff earning under localized living wage baselines last year.
The company first focused its efforts in the Philippines, where the average BPO salary was 38.4% lower than the living wage, and the national minimum wage lagged by 49.8%. With the help of economic think tank IBON Foundation, Boldr increased its pay for 9% of its Philippine workforce, enabling them to cover basic needs.
By September, Boldr had also extended living wages to an additional 1.4% of employees based in South Africa.
In a country where the average BPO salary remains 20.23% less than the living wage, and the national minimum wage was 72.28% lower, Boldr said that its South African team “could now afford better living conditions, contribute more significantly to their communities, and plan for the future with greater confidence.”
To round out Sudolsky’s pledge, Boldr partnered with B Lab’s Social Standards Unit and the WageIndicator Foundation last December to determine a living wage baseline for its team in Mexico based on local living expenses and demographics. New Mexican wage scales were then implemented, reaching Boldr’s final 12% of staff.
With 22.4% of its total employees now earning a living wage, Boldr has set a new standard in an industry criticized for unfair labor practices.
Glo Guevarra, Boldr’s Head of Impact and Content, said that their focus is now on their teams in Canada, where they hope to continue providing living wages to their employees.
Boldr is a purpose-driven outsourcing company and the world’s largest B Corp-certified BPO and PEO. It is currently subscribed to the Outsource Accelerator (OA) Source Partner Program, a powerful tool that helps BPO firms with marketing, sales, and business intelligence.
