Making wages fairer across retail is the sector’s next challenge and best way to ensure people reach their full potential.

One of my favourite things about the retail industry is our tenacity. Once we’ve set our collective mind to something, we’re more than likely to achieve it.

Looking back over 2014, two words prove to me beyond doubt that our tenaciousness is as potent as ever: business rates.

We’ve been campaigning on rates for a long time now and 2014 saw that hard work yield dividends when the Chancellor announced a full review of business rates in his Autumn Statement.

A review of the structure of the rates system presents an opportunity to move the Government towards a system fit for the 21st century.

Including this commitment in the Autumn Statement is a clear sign that the wall of implacability that surrounded HM Treasury on this issue is finally bowing to the pressure we’ve collectively exerted.

The fact that the industry has been able to come together and lobby so successfully on this issue should also be recognised as a victory in and of itself. Looking back over the past 18 months it’s clear to see how far we’ve come. We’ve moved from debating a series of possible minor changes to uniting around the need for fundamental reform – and we’ve built a cross-industry coalition along the way that echoes our call.

As our campaigning on rates moves into a different phase, it’s right that the industry looks around and suits up to confront the next challenge. At present, one problem seems to raise its head above the rest: low pay.

This is one of the great social problems in our country. The number of people stuck on low pay has increased dramatically. There are numerous reports from all sorts of think tanks all pointing to the same thing.

We know that our industry has a great story to tell when it comes to employment. We have a diverse workforce and we provide excellent opportunities to progress and rise through the ranks.

But while it’s true that people do progress, it’s also true that some people get stuck. Unfortunately the over-simplistic focus on basic hourly pay will continue to dominate unless we answer the questions about why people can’t get over the barriers to better pay. 

Not only will this unjustly impact the reputation of our industry but, more importantly, it’ll do little to help those who find themselves still on low pay.

As the largest private sector employer our industry can show the way forward. By doing this we’ll raise many more people out of low pay than we would by tinkering with basic hourly pay rates or politicising the minimum wage.

By working together we can overcome the barriers to progression faced by some in our industry. By breaking down those barriers we can ensure that all retail employees reach their full potential. And fully realising the potential of everyone who works in retail is how we begin to end the serious social problem of low pay.

That’s what we’ll be looking at in the months ahead, working in partnership with colleagues across the industry.

  • Helen Dickinson is director-general of the British Retail Consortium