DASCO officially became an accredited Living Wage Employer.
For some businesses, accreditation is another badge to add to the website.
For us, it was a natural step.
From the beginning, DASCO has been built around people. Long before awards, accreditations and growth plans, there was a simple belief that if you look after your team properly, they will look after your customers.
That belief has never changed.
What Being a Living Wage Employer Means
Becoming a Living Wage Employer means making a commitment to fair pay.
It recognises employers who choose to pay wages based on the real cost of living rather than the minimum required by law.
For DASCO, that commitment reflects the values we have always worked by.
As the business has grown, so has our responsibility to the people who choose to build their careers with us.
Therefore, becoming a Living Wage Employer was a way of formalising something we already believed in.
Fair pay for a fair day’s work.
Investing in People, Not Just Projects
Construction continues to face significant challenges.
Skills shortages remain a major issue across the industry. At the same time, competition for experienced tradespeople and future talent continues to increase.
However, we do not believe the answer is simply paying the minimum and hoping people stay.
Instead, we focus on creating careers rather than jobs.
That means investing in training, supporting wellbeing, creating opportunities for progression and recognising the contribution every employee makes to the business.
Our people are the reason DASCO has grown from a single van into one of the North West’s fastest-growing construction businesses.
As a result, investing in them will always remain a priority.
Why It Matters to DASCO
Today, DASCO employs 160 people.
Many of our team have progressed through the business, taking on greater responsibility as the company has expanded.
Some started on the tools and have moved into leadership positions.
Others joined as apprentices and continue to build long-term careers with us.
We are incredibly proud of that journey.
More importantly, we want DASCO to be a place where people can build a future.
Becoming a Living Wage Employer helps support that ambition.
It sends a clear message about the type of business we want to be and the standards we expect of ourselves.
Part of a Bigger Commitment
The Living Wage commitment does not stand alone.
It sits alongside the wider investments we continue to make in our people.
These include apprenticeships, training programmes, wellbeing initiatives and clear pathways for progression.
It also complements our work through the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter and our ambition to become an Autism Friendly Employer.
Together, these commitments help create a workplace where people feel valued, respected and supported.
Looking Ahead
Becoming a Living Wage Employer was an important milestone for DASCO.
However, we do not see it as a finish line.
Instead, it forms part of our long-term commitment to building a stronger business for our employees, our clients and the communities we serve.
As we continue to grow, our values will remain the same.
For us, becoming a Living Wage Employer was not about recognition.
It was simply the right thing to do.
