As If People And The Planet Mattered

The New Economics Foundation released a report earlier this week into the relative worth to society of various jobs contrasted against their pay levels. And you've got to have time for any Think Tank that believes in, "Economics as if people and the planet mattered" because the inclusion of the "as if" always sounds sarcastic in my head. I wonder if its supposed to be...

Although they must be completely nuts as NEF spokeswoman Eilis Lawlor explained, "Pay levels often don't reflect the true value that is being created. As a society, we need a pay structure which rewards those jobs that create most societal benefit rather than those that generate profits at the expense of society and the environment." Like I said, stark raving bonkers. Using unfashionable terms like "societal benefit" isn't going to get them anywhere in this Capitalist dog-eat-dog world.

Here are the key findings for their chosen six jobs but it pretty much confirms what you probably would've thought anyway given that you are reading this blog in the first place:


The Elite Wanker Banker
"Rather than being wealth creators bankers are being handsomely rewarded for bringing the global financial system to the brink of collapse. Paid between £500,000 and £80m a year, leading bankers destroy £7 of value for every pound they generate."

Childcare Workers
"Both for families and society as a whole, looking after children could not be more important. As well as providing a valuable service for families, they release earnings potential by allowing parents to continue working. For every pound they are paid they generate up to £9.50 worth of benefits to society."

Hospital Cleaners
"Play a vital role in the workings of healthcare facilities. They not only clean hospitals and maintain hygiene standards but also contribute to wider health outcomes. For every pound paid, over £10 in social value is created."

Advertising Executives
The advertising industry "encourages high spending and indebtedness. It can create insatiable aspirations, fuelling feelings of dissatisfaction, inadequacy and stress. For a salary of between £50,000 and £12m top advertising executives destroy £11 of value for every pound in value they generate."

Tax Accountants
"Every pound that a tax accountant saves a client is a pound which otherwise would have gone to HM Revenue. For a salary of between £75,000 and £200,000, tax accountants destroy £47 in value, for every pound they generate."

Waste Recycling Workers
"Do a range of different jobs that relate to processing and preventing waste and promoting recycling. Carbon emissions are significantly reduced. There is also a value in reusing goods. For every pound of value spent on wages, £12 of value is generated for society."


So, as per bleeding usual, the way we are running things at the moment is rewarding the dicks. For being dicks.