ISSUE 02, SUMMER 2015Reaching over 10,000 members

THESTANDARD

SUMMER STANDARD

Welcome to the Summer Standard, in this issue we visit the BICSc Annual Awards, look back at the oldest Corporate Member and introduce you to Accredited

Corporate Membership.

Good luck to all those applicants at the BICSc Annual Awards 2015.

WHAT‘S INSIDE THIS ISSUE

BICSc ELECTIONS

THE STANDARD GOES GREEN

BICSc INTERNATIONAL

OCS OLDEST CORPORATE MEMBER OF BICSc

BICSc ANNUAL AWARDS

ACCREDITED CORPORATE MEMBERS

SAOLTA HEALTHCARE

03

04

05

06

08

10

11

2 THE STANDARD Issue 02, 2015

DEAR MEMBERS OF BICScHello and welcome to the first electronic mail out edition of the Standard!

The Standard is produced to keep our members up to date with the activities of the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc). The content includes news updates, projects, networking opportunities and other information that is useful for BICSc Members. If you are a member and would like to share useful information with other BICSc Members via this publication, please email marketing@bics.org.uk.

The British Institute of Cleaning Science

Many Thanks

So much has happened since the last Standard was issued following the 2015 Cleaning Show in London at the beginning of March.

Since then we have been extremely busy visiting existing customers, welcoming new customers and continuing to exchange the original CPSS version 1 with CPSS 2.0.

The exchange was completed at the end of July at which point our International customers are now being exchanged, all previous versions of COPC and CPSS 1.0 will cease.

In addition we have been attending a number of exhibitions like Bache in Canterbury in June and also CUBO in Liverpool at the beginning of July.

At BACHE we met some existing customers and were pleased to welcome potential new customers as well as having the pleasure of attending some excellent workshops and keynote speakers, we look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.

Following on we were delighted to be asked to attend CUBO for the first time and found the exhibition very enjoyable and very interesting. Our congratulations are sent to all winners at both BACHE & CUBO awards ceremonies.

Currently we are visiting our nominees for the BICSc Annual Awards presentation dinner on Thursday 17th September and look forward to welcoming you all there.

All in all it has been a very positive past few months and we are very exited for the next quarter!

Maureen Kelso Head of Education & Standards

WELCOME TO MY COLUMN...

3www.bics.org.uk

Over the last few weeks potential candidates have been interviewed by BICSc Council Advisors, and the most suitable names will be included on the shortlist that has been sent out.

All information about the candidates and how to vote for them is contained on the ballot papers, which Individual Members should now have received. These should be completed and sent back in the prepaid envelopes by 4th September.

Council members are elected by a ballot of all BICSc Members to serve a three year term, with one member of the Council elected as Chairman for a two year term.

Being elected onto the BICSc Council carries real kudos in the industry and the Institute carries out a stringent application process to make sure only the most suitable candidates make the final shortlist.

Once elected to Council, Members have a chance to become part of the Institute’s decision making process, which is why your vote is so important.

The results of the ballot will be announced at the BICSc AGM which takes place on the 17th September at the Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.

BICSc DRAWS UP SHORTLIST FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

BICSc Members will have received their ballot papers by post, with the names of the shortlisted candidates standing for a position on BICSc Council.

The Institute carries out a stringent application process to make sure only

the most suitable candidates make the final shortlist.

4

AN UPDATE FOR MEMBERS

In this quarter’s column I would like to address the membership benefits. At BICSc Head Office we are currently working on reviewing and improving the existing membership benefits, as well as considering new additions. To assist with this we would like to hear from all BICSc Members for your contribution! If you have any ideas or recommendations on services that you would find useful please use the following link to send us your feedback www.bics.org.uk/feedback. All responses will be considered in this review process. In addition, all Individual and Corporate Members will have recently received an email urging you to review your current contact details and giving you the opportunity to send amendments where necessary. If you have not received this email, I kindly ask that you contact me on +44 (0) 1604 678711 as it could be possible that we have an incorrect email address. It is very important that we have your correct details to ensure that important items such as the annual handbook and this very magazine are received successfully, as well as your membership renewal reminders. You should see an improvement in the materials and contact you receive as a member of the Institute. I aim for many more improvements to follow!

Katy’s Column

BICSc is doing its bit for the environment by cutting the print run of The Standard in half over the course of the year.The Institute’s popular magazine, The Standard, is published 4 times a year and is distributed widely amongst its large membership, but from now on only 2 of those issues will be in printed format.

The current issue is the first to be digital only, BICSc are still sending a small amount of printed versions.

BICSc believes in sustainability, and so cutting this huge print run will not only save trees, it will also serve as a valuable example to other organisations.

The mantra of ‘save trees –go digital’ is gaining credence across the business world as companies are encouraged to think about more eco-friendly ways of operating.

Businesses are being encouraged by green campaigners to set a good example to employees by publishing newsletters, magazines etc online as digital entities only, and by only printing documents when absolutely necessary.

Other ways to save paper include reducing usage of paper towels and napkins, buying recycled toilet paper, and buying a reusable coffee mug instead of using a new paper container each day.

Green activists say we can’t completely eliminate paper from our everyday lives and businesses, but changing consumption habits can make a real positive difference to the eco-system if enough people make the change.

THE STANDARD GOES GREEN

THE STANDARD Issue 02, 2015

5www.bics.org.uk

Why did you decide to become a BICSc Accredited Training Organisation (ATO)?We are finding in this region, BICSc certification is becoming a standard pre-requisite for bidding in major tenders, and so we decided it was something we needed to do to remain competitive.

How did you find the ATO Set up Process?Although the ATO set-up process was clearly defined, we found it a little complicated at first. We got the support we needed from BICSc and got into our stride pretty quickly after that initial period. It really is like anything else that is new, it takes time to understand it, but actually the BICSc representative was very good in explaining it to us.

How do you think BICSc will make a difference in your organisation?With the help of this accreditation, we will standardise our cleaning and sustainability processes to enhance service delivery in our contracts. It has already given our entire workforce an enormous confidence boost. The cleaning team now know they have the most up to date training available and this is already having a very positive difference in service delivery. It will also be a very valuable tool for tendering, and re tendering for contracts.

Is there any staff feedback so far?

Some cleaning operatives have taken to it straight away, whilst for others it has been more difficult. Some have said they enjoy the enhanced training and feel better about what they are doing. We expect in time that will be how the majority feel.

Pictured below from left to right:

Suraj Velip Cleaning Services Site Supervisor Al Zeina Abu Dhabi

Suraj Rukshan Cleaning Services Site Supervisor The Gate/Arc Abu Dhabi

Joseph Raj Snr Soft Services Supervisor 15 sites

Mohammed Awais Area Team Leader Mosques Western Region

Faisal Mohammed Site Supervisor Al Ain Rimall Mall

Joyce Mensah Site Supervisor – Sun & Sky Abu Dhabi

Jayne Ludlam Soft Services Manager Khidmah 

NEWS STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

KHIDMAH INCREASE THEIR STANDARDS

6 THE STANDARD Issue 02, 2015

BICSc HERITAGE OLDEST CORPORATE MEMBER

We value all our members equally however long they’ve been with us, but we thought it would be interesting to delve back into our archives and find out who the very first Corporate Member was.

It was an interesting exercise that brought to light a number of interesting facts.

Our longest serving Corporate Member joined BICSc in October 1964 and started its own business very modestly in 1900, with just one man, a ladder, bucket, and a pushcart, but has gone on to become one of the biggest facilities management companies in the world.

OCS – Outsourced Client Solutions isn’t immediately the kind of firm you’d imagine when thinking of a family run business, but it’s now in its fifth generation of family ownership and going from strength to strength.

Frederick William Goodliffe, who started it all with his window

cleaning round, struck upon a basic need for clean and hygienic workspaces, that is as important today as it was back at the turn of the 20th century.

The group has now grown into a global business with over 90,000 employees, providing integrated facilities services in over 50 countries.

Turnover was £871 million (for the year ending March 2014) and the group offers more than 80 individual services from catering, cleaning, horticulture and waste management to security, maintenance and hygiene. These services can be delivered individually or as part of a fully-integrated FM solution. OCS manages and delivers services to organisations across the public and private sector.

Earlier this year OCS won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its work in international trade; building a series of new facilities management ventures in Australasia, Asia and the Middle East.

Although the group provide a wide range of essential facilities services for big clients, cleaning remains the absolute core of what they do, and as if to emphasise this, the group won four awards at the cleaning industry’s prestigious Golden Service Awards when they were last held in 2013.

Speaking at the time Peter Goodliffe, Business Improvement Director at OCS, said: “The Golden Service Awards are the Oscars of the cleaning industry and to win in four categories is quite an achievement. This is a wonderful endorsement of our cleaning service provision.”

The company uses the latest technology and techniques to get the best outcomes for its clients and uses what it calls CleanSmart, a strategic planning system that can provide a bespoke cleaning solution.

Paul Thrupp, who’s been a senior manager at OCS for over 25 years, says the long association with BICSc has played a big part

BICSc membership has been growing steadily over the 50 years and the Institute now has over 10,000 Individual and Corporate Members in the UK and Internationally.

“STARTING VERY MODESTLY IN 1900, WITH JUST ONE MAN, A LADDER, BUCKET, AND A PUSHCART”

7www.bics.org.uk

in keeping the cleaning division focused on improving standards, particularly in regard to the cleaning operatives.

Paul says one of the biggest changes that’s taken place in the period they’ve been BICSc members is the onset of daytime cleaning. He acknowledges that it’s been brought about through technological advancements like the new battery powered silent vacuums, and the new generation of scrubber dryers and also through the gradual change in perceptions of what the role of a cleaning operative should be.

Paul thinks BICSc has played a big role in changing the perception of the industry by focusing on standards, and has found that, over time, clients have come to

realise that having cleaning and housekeeping teams working during the day is highly beneficial to the running of their core business.

Central to this is a well-trained cleaning operative, who today is a highly visible member of the

building’s staff. Paul says that when OCS joined BICSc, cleaning operatives were invisible and usually began their shifts when the company’s regular daytime staff had left the building. It’s taken a combination of new technology, and new ways of thinking to bring

about this fundamental change of perception.

Both OCS and BICSc are committed to the professionalisation of the cleaning industry, and so will continue to work closely well into the future. The OCS cleaning division is

amongst the best in the FM industry and so everyone at the Institute will be keeping a close eye on this year’s Golden Service Awards in October, to see if they can improve on the four trophies they won last time!

The image below includes:Paul Thrupp (OCS Account Director), Steve Cartmell (NEC Cleaning and Waste Manager) and Lee White (OCS Head of Cleaning and Waste)http://www.necgroup.co.uk/news-and-media/news/ocs-award-win/

BICSc HERITAGE OLDEST CORPORATE MEMBER

“The Golden Service Awards are the Oscars of the cleaning industry and to win in four categories is quite an achievement. This is a wonderful endorsement of our cleaning

service provision.” Peter Goodliffe, OCS.

8 THE STANDARD Issue 02, 2015

THE BICSc ANNUAL AWARDS 2015

The BICSc Annual Awards take place on Thursday 17th September, 2015 at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club, Birmingham, with the awards, dinner, live entertainment and disco all happening on the night.

The event was established to recognise outstanding excellence in accredited training and assessment, and it’s a great way to relax with colleagues and meet new contacts, as some of the most important people in the UK cleaning and FM industries will be in attendance.

A high profile awards evening such as this attracts a lot of interest from sponsors, and this year BICSc is delighted that Diversey Care, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, ISS & PWC, Vileda and Darwin Clayton have all confirmed their sponsorships for the BICSc Annual Awards.

Diversey Care is part of Sealed Air Corp and is a global leader in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection. They focus on the key market sectors of building care, hospitality, healthcare, long term care, food service, retail, and government and education, and their products and equipment are available in a wide range of innovative formulations and designs.

The most glittering event in the cleaning awards calender is almost here, and organisers have promised an evening to remember.

9www.bics.org.uk

Since 1968, Rubbermaid Commercial Products have pioneered technologies and system solutions in the categories of food services, sanitary maintenance, waste handling, material transport, away-from-home washroom, and safety products. They are a manufacturer of innovative, solution-based products for commercial and institutional markets worldwide.

ISS is one of the world’s largest facility services providers, providing organisations of all types, shapes and sizes with every facility solution they might require. By managing your organisation’s everyday needs, they can save you money, make your life easier and give you more time to focus on what you do best.

Vileda Professional offers cleaning solutions and innovative systems for professional users. With over 30 years in the business they know what needs professional users in different environments are looking for, and they offer solutions that help you clean faster, more effectively and to lower total costs.

Darwin Clayton is one of the longest established Independent Insurance Brokers in the UK, and has a reputation for delivering innovative products, quality service and competitive premiums.

Sponsoring the BICSc Annual Awards is a great way to let people know about this important work, as well as shining a light on the company as a whole.

An awards event like this generates a lot of interest from the trade press, and on social media and enables a sponsor to align their brand with the industry’s ‘achievers’.

Advertisers says that sponsorship is one of the fastest growing and most powerful marketing tools there is as it builds brand awareness, generates positive PR and gets your message out way beyond the core audience.

The BICSc Annual Awards is now one of the cleaning industry’s ‘must-attend’ events as it looks set to be sold out again, with just a few tickets still available as we go to press. It’s a special evening because the category winners are all truly deserving of their awards, and once the food, awards and speeches are out of the way, guests can boogie the night away to their favourite disco tunes.

It’s an evening that the whole industry is looking forward to, and BICSc would like to give a special thank you to all the sponsors this year which so far include: Diversey Care, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Vileda, ISS & PWC and Darwin Clayton.

THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS:

AN AWARDS EVENT LIKE THIS ENABLES A SPONSOR TO ALIGN THEIR BRAND WITH THE INDUSTRY’S ‘ACHIEVERS’.

10 THE STANDARD Issue 02, 2015

Because BICSc has been improving industry knowledge of cleaning science for over four decades, it has a long track record of achievement and results, and has brand recognition few can match.

This brings real tangible benefits to members. They get the most advanced training available, and can also align their companies with one of the most recognisable and trusted brands in the sector.

This is important as clients are increasingly demanding higher standards, and BICSc accreditation is one way of demonstrating your company’s commitment to those standards.

For instance, in the United States, no Federal client will enter into tendering unless the contractor is CIMS accredited, which is a trend, many industry observers feel, could start happening in the UK.

CIMS has helped to transform cleaning standards in the US and although it has only been in the UK for just over a year, it looks set to do the same here. BICSc and ISSA teamed up to launch CIMS in the UK, the partnership was strong due to both organisations striving for higher standards within the cleaning industry.

All BICSc Members benefit from their involvement with the Institute, but there is now an extra benefit on offer for those companies that qualify.

These companies can now apply for ‘Accredited Corporate Membership’. It’s free to join and brings a range of benefits like: reduced costs to certificates

and Licence to Practice cards, Accredited Corporate Member logo and inclusion in the Best in Class table, in addition to all the regular benefits of being an ATO and being a Corporate Member of the Institute.

The Best in Class programme recognises outstanding commitment to BICSc training and being included in it is a huge boost for everyone involved in the company. It is also an excellent marketing tool, and gets the point across to potential clients that your company has been rigorously tested to the highest possible standards.

Having BICSc accreditation and BICSc trained staff is increasingly making the difference between a contractor winning a contract, or losing out to a rival. The marketplace is getting increasingly competitive and many more contractors do now realise professionalisation is the way to go.

By becoming an Accredited Corporate Member, companies can demonstrate even greater commitment to standards and professionalism, and that can make all the difference when tendering for new business.

There’s nothing to lose by becoming an Accredited Corporate Member, it’s easy to do, it’s free, so get in touch with us, and we’ll get the ball rolling. If you already have Corporate Membership with the Institute and are an ATO, all you need to do is contact membership@bics.org.uk and fill out an application form. 

ACCREDITED CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP

The British Institute of Cleaning Science is very proud of being the pre-eminent membership organisation in the cleaning industry. It exists to promote and advance knowledge of the science of cleaning, and to raise standards and quality across the whole sector.

11www.bics.org.uk

March 2015 saw the award of the Cleaning Services of the Saolta Healthcare to Noonan Group. This massive undertaking was commenced with support from Noonan Management and a range of their suppliers. The 5 main sites which includes University Hospital Galway, Portiuncula Mayo General Hospital, Roscommon Merlin Park University Hospital came with a diverse range of requirements and challenges which Rachel Naylor, Account Director, made the decision that a standardised approach to training across the estate would be key to the on going success of the contract.

Rachel spoke to BICSc to create a tailored training program which was implemented during a 6 week period with Diversey Ireland. Out of the 12 trainers 4 of them undertook Assessor and verification training from CPSS 2.0.

The contract is a complicated hybrid of outsourced and self delivery cleaning across the estate, to ensure a uniform approach. Both Noonan and HSE staff were trained on the mixture of skills agreed as a core competency for the contract. Two new hubs for BICSc assessment have been established from these courses, one for HSE and one for Noonan with trainers across the estate working together to deliver both the Mandatory Units to gain their Licence to Practice (PBICSc) and the Base Unit skills from the Cleaning Professionals Skills Suite (CPSS 2.0).

The feedback from the group was incredibly positive and plans to roll the training out across the sites are now underway. To celebrate this achievement, Noonan held an afternoon tea for the group, formally presenting their certificates and letters of commendation for their achievements. This was a much appreciated treat and Denise Hanson, Vice Chair of BICSc Council, was delighted to be asked to present the certificates in conjunction with Ian Meredith, their trainer.

NEW CORPORATE MEMBERSBICSc are proud of their Corporate Members and in this area of The Standard we are going to give praise to new organisations that have joined BICSc in supporting a better cleaning industry.Below is the list of our new Corporate Members for the past 3 months!

APRIL

Green World InnovationsPremier Cleaning & Transport Services (UK) Ltd Clear Choice Ltd G&A Cleaning Services LtdSupreme Security Solutions UK Ltd

MAY

Blu Diamond ServicesGarner Property Care LtdCascada Enterprise LtdChemical and Technical Services LtdGetty Cleaning Services LtdGraham Hygiene Services LimitedChemsol Cymru LtdDG Cleaning SolutionsClean & Tidy LtdJoyce Cleaning Services LtdRecleaning Service LtdCass Facilities LtdDCS MultiserveRevolution Support Services LtdSkylight Security & Cleaning Services

JUNE

MLC Office Cleaning Services4serve LtdJustom LtdSpace Facility Services LtdPerfect Service Solutions LtdRapid Facilities Management LtdClean Genie Oxford & ReadingGrove Facilities (Scotland) LtdLuka CleanersD. F. Williams Cleaning Services LtdHako Machines Ltd

DIVERSEY HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CONTRACTOR & IN HOUSE DELIVERY

For further information about regional events please contact your region or visit our website

LONDON & HOME COUNTIES

london@bics.org.ukNORTH EAST REGION

northeast@bics.org.ukNORTH WEST REGION

northwest@bics.org.ukMIDLANDS REGION

midlands@bics.org.ukWELSH REGION

info@bics.org.ukSCOTTISH REGION

info@bics.org.ukSOUTH WEST & CENTRAL REGION

central@bics.org.ukEAST ANGLIA REGION

eastanglia@bics.org.ukNORTHERN IRELAND

northernireland@bics.org.uk

www.bics.org.uk

MEMBERSHIP EVENTSKey:

August 2015

6th Basildon Holiday Inn Basildon, Waterfront Walk Festival Leisure Park, Basildon , SS14 3DG

18th Glasgow Hilton Garden Inn, Finnieston Quay, Glasgow, G3 8HN

25th Liverpool Village Urban Resort, Fallows Way, Whiston, Merseyside, L35 1RZ

September 2015

9th Milton Keynes Doubletree Hilton, Stadium Way West, Milton Keynes MK1 1ST

10th

London NDNA – venue tbc

Catax Solutions cohost

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, 1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 9HG

17th

The BICSc Annual Awards 2015

Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club

Huddersfield NDNA – venue tbc

London event Vinopolis

29th Knutsford Cottons Hotel Manchester Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0SU

October 2015

TBCLondon & Home Counties

Trade Show / Industry Intro Day

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT AT OUR MEETINGS?

Contact your local BICSc region…Ideas that are put forward at regional meetings shape the cleaning industry today. You have a voice, use it... we want to hear from you!

Start gaining industry contacts today.

HEAD OFFICE EVENTS REGIONAL EVENTS CITATION EVENTS

If you aren’t it is likely that we do not have your latest email address and contact details.You can easily update your contact details at www.bics.org.uk via the update your details section of our website. This is accessible from the ‘Membership’ dropdown tab.

Alternatively call +44 (0) 1604 678 710 and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.

Update your details now to ensure you don’t miss out on…

UPDATES

NEWSLETTERS

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

OFFERS

BICSc NEWS

ARE YOU NOT RECEIVING EMAILS FROM BICSc?