Considered to be the pinnacle awards for the cleaning industry, Kimberly-Clark Professional is delighted to announce the return of the Golden Service Awards on Thursday 23 May 2024 at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

Created more than 30 years ago, the biennial Golden Service Awards are one of the most prestigious events and sought-after accolades in the facilities management (FM) and cleaning industry across a variety of sectors, including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, education, leisure and office.

“Behind the scenes, our cleaning and FM teams continue to make our workspaces and our public venues safe despite difficult times for all of us,” said Craig Bowman, General Manager for the UK and Ireland at Kimberly-Clark Professional. “We can go to work and attend events with our families and friends trusting that the many cleaners and FMs keep these locations safe. We are delighted to announce the launch of the Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards 2024 where we will acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our industry colleagues.” Entries to The Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards 2024 close on Friday 27October 2023, with finalists to be announced on Monday 4 December 2023.  Entries are welcome from all FM and contract cleaning companies across the UK and Ireland. There are 18 categories that recognise excellence and the achievement of the highest standards in the industry.

To honour the achievements of the industry in diverse and challenging times, Kimberly-Clark Professional has announced two new categories: a ‘Social Impact Award’ recognising positive impact on people and communities, and a ‘Cleaning Team of the Year Award’ for outstanding contributions.

The sponsors of the Golden Service Awards include a new gold sponsor, Kärcher, and returning silver sponsors, Nationwide, and Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies, which are joined this year by a new silver sponsor, Soap20, and a new bronze sponsor, BioVate Hygienics. Welcomed back for the 2024 awards is the Irish Contract Cleaning Association (ICCA), event category sponsors for Inclusion and Diversity.

Kimberly-Clark Professional also welcomes returning media sponsors for the Golden Service Awards, including Tomorrow’s Cleaning, Facilities Management Journal and Cleaning Matters.

To support all entrants, Kimberly-Clark Professional hosted a webinar on July 26 in addition to distributing a comprehensive ‘how to enter’ guide. The webinar featured support and guidance from the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc), which independently oversees the judging process, and Suzanne Howe Communications, the awards’ organisers.

“We are very grateful to all our sponsors that support the Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards and continue to help us make this special industry event possible. It is our flagship event in the UK and Ireland, and we look forward to discovering how the cleaning and FM industry continues to excel in reaching incredible new heights,” said Bowman. 

Silver, bronze, category, and table sponsorships are still available. The sponsorship programme will run from the summer 2023 and culminate in the awards ceremony in May 2024. Sponsors benefit from extensive PR and social media coverage, excellent branding opportunities and top-level networking. For additional information on becoming a sponsor, please download our sponsor’s guide here.

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ScotRail, the publicly owned Scottish railway network operator, has selected MRI Software’s Horizon solution to manage its rental and lease portfolio, comprising 220 units across 356 stations. MRI Horizon is an innovative real estate cloud solution used by leading property owners and operators in the private and public sectors to manage complex lease portfolios, improve business performance, and reduce operational risk.

The decision to deploy Horizon was part of ScotRail’s digital transformation strategy, implemented after the company came into public ownership in 2022. After reviewing its processes and deciding to bring previously outsourced activity in-house, ScotRail needed to find a property management solution to gather data into a new, easy-to-use centralised system. ScotRail chose Horizon after a competitive and regulated procurement process.

“Everyone involved was immediately impressed by how user-friendly Horizon was and the functionality available,” says Kerry McKerron, Senior Product and Revenue Development Manager at ScotRail. “Our team could quickly and clearly see how Horizon would fit with our processes and benefit the business. After speaking with other MRI Horizon users in the same industry who successfully use the solution, it wasn’t hard for our team to make the decision.”

ScotRail has already deployed Horizon, with a team of five successfully using it day-to-day after the company and MRI worked closely together to get the system up and running as quickly as possible. ScotRail is now using Horizon to manage lease agreements with tenants that are using station spaces to run cafes, shops, and other retail outlets.

Since implementing MRI Horizon, ScotRail has experienced several benefits across the organisation:

• Increased data visibility through a centralised property management database
• Improved data accuracy for better decision-making
• Deeper, easily accessible insights and faster, reliable reporting with business intelligence dashboards

“ScotRail joins a growing number of UK public sector organisations that use Horizon in different ways to manage the complexities of their property portfolios – either as landlords or occupiers,” says Garreth Cosgrave, Business Development Manager, Strategic Accounts at MRI Software. “What makes Horizon so useful for companies like ScotRail is its scalability and flexibility. It is a cloud-based solution that can fit into any organisation’s existing processes.”

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Sustainable cleaning plays a major role  in supporting a company’s overall sustainability goals. It creates a good brand image for your company, slashes energy costs, promotes green procurement as well as care for the planet and its people.

According to a 2021 consumer intelligence survey report by PwC, 76 percent of consumers are likely to stop buying from a brand that doesn’t practice sustainability. From the same report 84 percent of employees prefer to work for a company that cares for the environment. (¹)

One of the ways a facilities management team can boost sustainability efforts is to adopt a green cleaning strategy. Unfortunately, using traditional cleaning chemicals poses a health risk, whilst sustainable cleaning products will take greater care of your employees and the environment. The best way to clean green is to use a cleaning product that will biodegrade completely within a short time frame, within 28 days.

The way the products are packaged is also really important to think about. For commercial cleaning products these should be as concentrated as possible. For example, a multi-purpose 1.5 litre pouch uses 90 percent less plastic than a jerry can and makes 275 spray bottles, massively reducing the carbon footprint and plastic waste generated.

Recyclable components

Fitting products with trigger heads that are made from 33% PCR plastic with no metal parts, and are fully recyclable, as some of our products are, also helps with sustainability. Their use stops 7.5 tonnes of virgin plastic from entering the supply chain, with CO₂ emissions reduced by 13% and wastewater by 17%. Responsible sourcing of cardboard packaging also reduces our CO₂ emissions by 25%.

Another important factor to consider is the impact a product has on the user. Basically a green cleaning product should not be classified as an irritant to skin or corrosive  in its diluted state.

Sustainability high on the agenda

Sustainability is high up the agenda for businesses across most sectors, with environmental impact becoming a major driver in procurement decisions. This is sure to accelerate in a post pandemic world. In the liquid product cleaning industry, this is reflected in demand from customers and their distributors for chemical-free and plastic-free cleaning products. They are mindful of the fact most commercial cleaning products are in a ready-to-use format, increasing plastic waste and carbon footprints. Others contain traditional chemical actives which are unkind to the environment, while inhaling some chemical cleaning products is simply unhealthy, especially for cleaners using the products all day.

We’re on a mission to establish our company as the UK’s go-to sustainable brand offering a carbon neutral range of liquid cleaning products that will change the way Britain cleans. We’re looking to ensure that all our products are carbon neutral and sustainable inside the packaging, the way they’re packaged, the way they’re produced and the way they’re transported and stored.

All our products are designed with these goals in mind – and we like to think we’re leading by example, setting standards for the rest of the sustainable cleaning industry to follow.

https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/consumer-and-employee-esg-expectations.html

https://www.biovatehygienics.com/

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Established in 2010, Green Facilities Management is an eco-friendly commercial cleaning company providing reliable and innovative cleaning services to a range of businesses such as: offices and co-working spaces; retailers and restaurants; schools and education hubs; and museums and leisure centres.

One year ago, it began using the new Multiwash PRO scrubber-dryer from Truvox International.

We spoke to Green FM CEO, Manu Sareen, to discover why the company had chosen Multiwash PRO, and more about its relationship with Truvox.

“I first came across Truvox International and its original Multiwash machine about six years ago when we took over a retail cleaning contract and bought half a dozen machines,” says Manu Sareen. “They were reliable and delivered great results, but our current relationship with Truvox developed last year when we re-discovered the company and its newly released Multiwash PRO, which is considerably better and more efficient than other machines we were using.

Ease of use and sustainability

“Our mission is to provide and maintain a hygienic environment for staff and visitors at every location, boosting morale and productivity. One of the most important reasons to work with Truvox is to make life easier for our operatives, but we also know that we are working with a business where sustainability matters.

“The Multiwash PRO is so easy to use, works on all surfaces, and requires minimal training. It’s not as bulky as other scrubber-driers but at the same time it is robust and durable, and is easy to move from one place to another. The machine washes, scrubs and dries in a single pass, giving improved and unrivalled cleaning results – and leaves floors ready for staff and customers to walk on.

“The Multiwash PRO is effective when used with only water and no chemicals. However, the water in London is very hard and can leave mineral deposits on the floor, so we use a pH neutral detergent to cater for this problem.

“Another positive contribution to sustainability is the machine’s reliability. It needs less maintenance and engineer visits than other machines, so that helps reduce its carbon footprint.

“Green FM is proud to be an ethical and sustainable business, and Multiwash PRO and Truvox International are a great fit for us and our clients.

‘We dirty our hands every day, so we know how to clean’

“Since the pandemic, our clients and their customers expect to see us cleaning. Before, we were often expected to clean out-of-hours and behind-the-scenes, as if we weren’t even there! Now we can carry out cleaning in plain sight, and so the fact that Multiwash PRO also looks good and highly professional is another benefit.

“As part of our business, we offer a consultancy service for companies and FMs which have their own in-house cleaning facilities, and we are quick to recommend the use of Truvox machines,” says Manu Sareen.

“Green FM has been active in the cleaning industry for many years, so we know from experience which machines deliver the best results. We like technology and work with tech-savvy suppliers, and will only recommend the best. We only want to use the most innovative equipment, and I often say: ‘We dirty our hands every day, so we know how to clean’.”

https://www.truvox.com/our-products/scrubber-dryers

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Amianto Services, part of The Sovini Group, offers an award-winning asbestos and abatement removal service, in addition to their recent expansion of services to provide passive fire protection (FIRAS).

Since 2017, Amianto Services have worked on large and complex projects across both the public and private sectors; from NHS trusts and higher education providers to the housing sector and established commercial businesses.

During this time, the firm has also successfully passed all its six external industry-standard audits, including ACAD (Asbestos Control & Abatement Division), ARCA (Asbestos Removal Contractor Association and SafeContractor, to name a few.

In 2022, Amianto Services proudly scooped the ARCA Gold Standard accolade, a prestigious industry award.

In 2022 alone, Amianto Services have also provided additional meaningful employment opportunities, for both trainee and highly skilled operatives.

Tony Loughran, Managing Director of Amianto Services, said: “We established in 2017 to provide asbestos abatement services for our parent company, The Sovini Group. Since then and gaining a wealth of experience in the housing sector, we’ve expanded our service offer and delved into various industries and sectors. Throughout our journey we’ve been recognised by leading industry bodies for our excellence. Furthermore, we’ve continued to provide new and unique employment opportunities across the North West and beyond.”To find out more about Amianto Services click here.

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Sodexo’s new Work Experience Tracker research, conducted in collaboration with YouGov, revealed that out of the 3,000 respondents in the UK 1 in 5 were dealing with poor mental and physical health, 20% are quiet quitters and 23% stated they wanted to quit.

These issues are likely to impact business performance and business leaders need to reflect on the causes and take action to improve employee experience.

A big question for many employers in 2023 still remains ‘how do we bring people back to the office?’ Sodexo’s research reveals the top reasons which would help draw workers back in, with synergy between people, space and sustainability core to building a future-proof workplace, driving business performance and employee experience. 

Two thirds of those surveyed said they were satisfied with their current working pattern. 58% continue to work a hybrid pattern, however 36% stated they would come into the office more to connect with other people.

This is corroborated in the 71% of those questioned stating the greatest satisfaction in their workplace experience was from team spirit and collaboration.  36% said they would like the opportunity to socialise, a similar number (35%) noted that they would like to be offered free or subsidised commuting, and 23% said the same about food.

Julie Ennis, CEO Corporate Services, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Interestingly the tracker research shows us that 43% of workers are only somewhat satisfied with their workplace experience. This is a risk for employers as these workers could move to become quiet quitters, but why is this group being overlooked? The question we need to ask ourselves is what piece of the puzzle are we missing?”

58% of those surveyed are working a hybrid pattern. 20% of respondents appear to be quiet quitters, those who say they will stay in their job and do the bare minimum. Interestingly 43% of quiet quitters work a hybrid pattern and the greatest proportion (38%) are boomers.

With the research revealing differing preferences for quiet spaces or lively, creative and collaborative environments it is essential that business leaders adopt a balanced approach factoring in wellbeing when looking at remote and in-person work and avoid adopting a one-size-fits-all approach when developing their workplace strategies.

The YouGov findings were also validated by Sodexo’s own observations through sensor data at its London head office which shows the consistent motivation for workers going into the office is about seeing their work colleagues.

Julie Ennis, explains: “Before the pandemic, we were already witnessing a shift in the nature of workplaces and the need to be future ready. To help businesses adapt, we developed Vital Spaces – a strategic approach to transforming workplaces and preparing for changing futures.

“Using Vital Spaces we redefined our London head office during the pandemic. Early surveys hinted at a new trend for the office to become a social hub, a place for health and wellbeing and a crucible for culture. Using data sensors from the office we are seeing this trend come to life with people gravitating towards the collaborative areas rather than the traditional workspaces.”

The final cornerstone for building a future-proof workplace is sustainability. Sodexo’s Work Experience Tracker examined the drivers around employment choices and found that 78% of those surveyed find sustainability personally important and half of respondents expecting their employer to act responsibly.

Specifically, responsible energy use, waste management and reduction of plastic usages at workplace are the top three expectations from employees.

At a recent summit held by Sodexo Corporate Services, CEO Julie Ennis and special guest renowned futurist Anne Lise Kjaer discussed the research and what factors business leaders need to consider to future-proof their workplaces at a recent virtual summit.

Anne Lise Kjaer is CEO and founder of Kjaer Global which has been providing businesses and governmental institutions with insights to drive new models for innovation for three decades. 

Anne Lise shared her predictions to simplify the complex trends of future, business and innovation.  She shared with the attendees her thoughts on tomorrow’s futureproof organisations being those that realise the future is now and which are adopting an approach which factors in people, planet, purpose alongside profit.  

Julie Ennis concludes: “This latest research and the insights discussed at our recent virtual summit with Anne Lise lay clear that a future-proofed workplace centres on a human-centric approach with the interplay of people, space, and sustainability at the core. The future of work is about adapting to these pillars and proactively evolving with them.”

Sodexo has taken the results of its Work Experience Tracker and produced a report which can be downloaded here: https://sodexouki.info/WorkplaceExp2023

Sodexo’s forward-thinking and innovative Vital Spaces proposition aims to boost the employee experience and enhance productivity and comprises an ecosystem of workplace services.

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Workman, the UK’s largest independent commercial property management and building consultancy firm, today announced further investment in its ESG team.

The new hires reflect continued growth in demand for Workman’s ESG services and for specialist solutions to support the breadth of clients’ ever-increasing sustainability requirements.

To date, the Workman ESG team has delivered Net Zero Asset Plans for more than 5msq. ft of commercial real estate. Meanwhile, the ESG Project Advisor service is going from strength to strength, with more than 3m sq. ft of developments under action, £230m of which involves the refurbishment of existing assets.

Jan-Hendrik Hoehnk, ESG Project Surveyor

Bringing his architectural and project management skills, alongside an MSc in Sustainable Urban Development, Jan will help Workman to drive enhanced asset and project performance, specialising in the interface between the E, S and G. Understanding how the myriad of ESG requirements can be simplified into clear deliverable strategies is a key part of helping our clients achieve better-performing assets.

Danielle Dinneen, Sustainability Consultant

Danielle’s architectural background has enabled a thorough understanding of the role of whole-life carbon assessment within development projects. With her MSc in Green Building, Danielle will be leading on modelling whole-life carbon impacts as well as operational energy modelling, both of which are fundamental as part of decision-making through project delivery. Having Danielle’s expertise in-house will help inform carbon discussions at a much earlier project stage, enabling decision-making beyond just aesthetics and cost, while using modelling as a design tool rather than a simple tick-box exercise.

Hedley Jones, Head of ESG, Refurbishment & Development, said: “We are investing in growing our team to ensure we’re able to support our clients to achieve their elevated sustainability goals. As investor requirements have extended beyond just meeting minimum sustainability standards, so the breadth of specialist services and creative solutions required has expanded. I look forward to working with our new team members Jan and Danielle as we deliver the next-generation ESG agenda for our clients.” 

Vicky Cotton, ESG Director at Workman LLP, said: “With the UK Net Zero Carbon Standard on the near horizon, today’s investors are looking for detailed energy modelling and whole-life carbon assessment, along with effective MEES planning to ensure competitive EPC ratings across their portfolios. The biggest driver is the requirement for evidence and disclosure, which requires us to understand and track energy intensity baselines, and then track performance against targets.”

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The new contracts will support SOCOTEC in being the largest provider of asbestos management services to the UK retail sector. In addition, the contracts include a five-year extension, which will extend SOCOTEC’s partnership with one of the retailers to 16 years.

“We are thrilled to have secured these contracts with some of the UK’s largest supermarket and retail chains” said James Dodgson, commercial director, Asbestos, SOCOTEC UK. “As the largest provider of asbestos management services to the UK retail sector, we have a wealth of experience and expertise in managing asbestos in high-traffic environments. We look forward to working with our clients to ensure the safety of their employee and customers.”

The delivery of these services will involve a team of highly experienced asbestos consultants and surveyors who will work closely with the retailers to identify and manage any asbestos risks. SOCOTEC UK’s asbestos team will also provide comprehensive training to ensure that all staff are aware of the risks associated with asbestos and how to work safely in environments where asbestos may be present.

With these new contracts, SOCOTEC UK’s asbestos team continues to cement its position as a leading provider of asbestos management services in the UK.

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Now in its 65th year, the International Safety Awards recognises and celebrates organisations from around the world which have demonstrated their commitment to preventing workplace injuries and work-related ill health.

Spearheaded by Anabas Account Manager, Richard Bostelmann, the award was given to the Anabas facilities management team at global advertising and media giant, WPP’s iconic Sea Containers building in London.

Commenting on this achievement, Richard Bostelmann, Account Manager at Anabas said: “I am thrilled that we have been awarded a merit for the International Safety Award.

“The award is reflective of the fantastic work the Anabas team does at Sea Containers, which includes the diligence to processes and the maintenance of our safety culture.

“The award is also a direct result of the guidance and governance provided by Anabas, and I am immensely proud of the achievement.”

Anabas continuously seeks to improve its processes and maintain the highest standards of health and safety in the workplace through various training programmes, rigorous external auditing and implementing market-leading health and safety software, where data can be analysed and trends identified and improved upon.

Alistair Craig, managing director at Anabas, said: “The importance of health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace is championed in all that we do at Anabas.

“This external recognition is fantastic validation and shows our commitment to keeping our people and customers safe in the workplace.”

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Liam Kearney, Managing Director, Powerday says: “We fully recognise the climate emergency and the urgent need for climate action.  We believe that achieving net zero as quickly as possible is essential for our business, and want to ensure that our target and roadmap are robust yet ambitious.  We have been working with external consultants to support our sustainability team to ensure that we build the requisite skills in-house to credibly deliver against our commitments and accurately measure our achievements.”

Powerday has already undertaken significant carbon reduction measures including switching to a renewable electricity tariff for five of its six sites, ensuring the company is well on its way to meeting its first interim target for 2023.  Over the next three years, the focus will be on Scope 1, and on developing a fleet and plant strategy to significantly reduce these emissions.     

John Kelly, Transport General Manager, Powerday says: “We know that one of our biggest challenges is going to be decarbonising our fleet.  We have long been exploring alternative technologies and have run a number of insightful trials this last year, including of electric skip and dustcart vehicles.  We are focused on putting ourselves in the strongest position to be able to switch our fleet and reduce these emissions as soon as is viable.”

As well as continuing to take steps to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, Powerday is starting to collate data on Scope 3 emissions this year with a view to making an equally robust net zero target for these as soon as the company can credibly do so.

Powerday set out its plans to establish this net zero target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of last year in its Sustainability Manifesto 2022.  The annual report, published each spring, outlines the company’s targets for the year, and reports on progress for the previous year, under five sustainability pillars: employees, community, carbon management, clients, and procurement.  Powerday plans to set out its net zero roadmap in the 2023 Manifesto due out in April. 

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