Supporting education in the cleaning sector

The Environmental Cleaners has a charitable fund and gives grants to support educational advancement and training in the cleaning industry and more generally.

To recognise the contribution made by training colleges in developing the skills of the people working in our industry, it established an annual Eric Hill Memorial Award (named after its founder). It is awarded to the college with the highest number of successful candidates in the City and Guilds’ examinations each year in Cleaning Science and Cleaning Services Supervision.

The work of the APPG for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry

The talk will examine the work of the APPG for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry, for which the BCC is its secretariat.

The APPG's immediate priorities for 2021 include:

• conducting a short inquiry to highlight the essential nature of the work undertaken by cleaning and hygiene operatives
• encouraging the development of occupational standards and an apprenticeship in cleaning science
• promoting the importance of the cleaning and hygiene sector to restoring popular confidence to return to public places

In the aftermath of the pandemic, the APPG's priorities are:

• to encourage the adoption and promotion of preventative health and hygiene
• to promote the adoption of the Real Living Wage, to underline the importance of paying good wages to people in essential occupations
• to shift the adjudication of public sector cleaning contracts away from cost at the expense of value and to end the “race to the bottom”.
  

Keep the bar high with CPD and training

As part of its ongoing commitment to maintain standards in our specific cleaning expertise, the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCC) recently achieved CPD (continuous professional development) status for its carpet and upholstery cleaning course. This also forms part of the entry requirement to the NCCA, so straight away, people begin their membership as trained professionals in their field. Dave Wheadon and Paul Pearce describe the importance of maintaining standards post-COVID.

Accreditation helps ease the recovery phase

From offices to restaurants to shopping malls and hotels, facility managers are tasked with creating plans that protect occupant health and inspire customer and employee confidence. Dianna Steinbach describes an option for cleaning professionals to help meet these new demands and provide international validation - the recently launched GBAC STAR facility accreditation programme for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention.

Top 7 signs your cleaning tech has found a pest problem

Pest patterns have changed considerably under the lockdowns introduced in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Natalie Bungay gives some insight into the main factors behind that change – and sets out ways the cleaning sector can ensure their workplace is protected professionally from infestations.

The future of cleaning looks bright, study finds

As we emerge from COVID-19, cleaning and hygiene is essential both at home and in the office. Ceris Burns explores research commissioned by the cleaning industry PR specialist and examines the positives for the sector.