Grand gesture from caring company boss in Cumbernauld who is giving £1000 to his staff

Workers at Vivalda Scotland, MSP Facades and Prism Powder Coating, all part of the Vivalda Group and based in Lenziemill , will be receiving the sum in four separate installments for the next year from founder and chairman Peter Johnson.

A privately owned business, Vivalda has an annual turnover of approximately £40 million and so this cost of living commitment comes at a significant price to the cladding company.

Yet the caring employer has form, after it went into special measures during the pandemic.

For back in early 2020, the firm’s founder and chairman Peter Johnson wrote to all his employees, promising that whatever the coronavirus crisis threw at them he would ensure furlough payments would be topped up to make 100% of their usual wage.

True to form, the cladding specialist is matching the level of support at this difficult time that much larger, global businesses are contributing to their staff in the light of recent hikes in power, fuel and food costs.

Mr Johnson said: “My staff are dedicated and hard-working, with a growing number giving over twenty year’s loyal service.

"The idea of even one of this superb team fretting over higher utility bills does not sit comfortably with me when something can be done to help.

"Vivalda is already one of the London Stock Exchange’s ‘Companies to Inspire Britain’

"I want us to live up to that reputation with action and not just words.

“Vivalda Group prides itself in doing the right thing – by its customers, its suppliers, and the colleagues who’ve made it the market’s number one.”

Vivalda supplies non-flammable cladding brands such as Equitone, Cedral, and Rockpanel to UK building contractors, installers and architects.

For more on the cost of living crisis and how this is viewed by Cumbernauld’s Parliamentarians and the Scottish Conservatives as they clash, see our news coverage on Page 4.

A special feature on this topic will also appear on Pages 8 and 9.