Member News
Sunderland digital agency recognised for fair pay leadership and work championing the real Living Wage across the region.
Phonetic Digital is celebrating a double shortlist at the 2026 Living Wage Champion Awards, after being recognised for its commitment to fair pay and its ongoing work to champion the real Living Wage in Sunderland and across the wider North East.
The Sunderland-based agency has been named on the shortlist for:
Living Wage Leader (SME)
Living Wage Champion of the Year
The Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the real Living Wage movement, whether through implementation, advocacy or leadership.
The double nomination reflects both the company’s own accreditation as a real Living Wage employer and its wider contribution to the Living Wage movement locally.
Since Sunderland became a Living Wage City in 2022, significant progress has been made. There are now 62 accredited real Living Wage employers in the city, with more than 2,000 workers benefiting from a wage increase based on the real cost of living.
That work is continuing through a new three-year action plan, with Phonetic Digital’s Managing Director, Steven Parker, continuing to chair Sunderland’s real Living Wage action group.
Speaking about the importance of the real Living Wage, Steven Parker, Managing Director of Phonetic Digital, said:
“Low pay is highly prevalent in Sunderland, and median pay in the city remains below the national average. Child poverty in Sunderland also remains a serious issue, with around 23 to 25% of children living in poverty despite having at least one working parent. This is why it is so important that more businesses across our region commit to paying the real Living Wage.”
Phonetic Digital’s role in championing the real Living Wage has also included designing and building the Living Wage North East website. The site provides a dedicated platform to share news, resources and updates from across the region, helping employers, partners and supporters access information about the real Living Wage and the progress being made locally.
The real Living Wage North East site can be found at: livingwagenortheast.co.uk
The winners of the 2026 Living Wage Champion Awards will be announced later this year.
For Phonetic Digital, the shortlist is a welcome recognition of work that remains focused on supporting fair pay, strengthening their local community and helping drive continued progress across Sunderland and the wider region.
