The Cleaning Excellence Conference 2024

The full 2024 agenda

08:30 Doors Open & Networking 

09:15 What's Happening Next in the Cleaning and Hygiene Sector?​ 

Lorcan Mekitarian (Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA)

Lorcan Mekitarian, chairman of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) and sales director at Berry Bpi, will discuss the major trends shaping the cleaning and hygiene sector. These include sustainability initiatives, advancements in artificial intelligence, new distribution strategies, innovative product and packaging developments, data-driven efficiency improvements, and the importance of a trained workforce. His insights will highlight how CHSA members are responding to these challenges and driving innovation to meet the evolving needs of buyers and end users.

Lorcan has spent the last 30 years supplying the waste management and cleaning and hygiene sector with waste sacks. Berry Bpi was a founding member of the CHSA Plastic Sack Scheme. He was instrumental in expanding the scheme to now include office bin liners and OTH sacks. He became a CHSA Council member in 2015 and chair in 2019 

09:45 Is there anywhere left to clean? – How the decline in the high street can affect the wider supply chain and service providers 

Daniel Cross (Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA)

Daniel Cross will address the impact of the declining high street on the cleaning industry. With the fall of physical retail stores, service providers face fewer customers needing cleaning services. Cross will explore whether this trend is inevitable and how collaboration with other sectors like construction, developers, and end users can create opportunities for a more optimistic future.

Daniel Cross has been chair of the CSSA marketing executive and is now a committee member for the CSSA Northern community Group. He is currently UK marketing manager for Tennant Company, one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of professional and industrial cleaning machines, and shares his knowledge and experience with Tennant teams across Europe. In 2022 he was a finalist for the Manchester Young Talent Award for Marketing Professional, and  prior to joining the cleaning industry Daniel worked in marketing and business development within the construction sector before he re-trained spent six years as a primary school teacher.

10:15 The future of cleaning starts now ​

Ryan McClymonds – global technical director i-team Global

The world has changed at a rapid pace, yet cleaning, for the most part, hasn’t. Discover how revolutionary co-botic technology can elevate the role of professional cleaners. How can tasks be made more efficient and rewarding whilst maximising time?

Learn how to achieve cleaner, greener, safer and better environments, using innovative floor cleaning tech, to redefine cleaning forever.

10:50 Networking Break 

11:20 Pests, and signs to look for in premises 

Natalie Bungay (British Pest Control Association (BPCA)

Natalie Bungay will provide an in-depth look at common pests found in premises, such as cockroaches, rodents, and stored product insects. She will discuss the signs to watch for and effective pest management strategies to ensure hygiene and safety.

Natalie Bungay is technical & compliance manager at British Pest Control Association (BPCA). At BPCA, Natalie’s responsibilities include a wide ranging technical and compliance support structure. This includes compiling and ensuring the industry has access to BPCA codes of best practice and guidance documents, delivering CPD to the sector, representing BPCA at committees and forums, speaking to the media and generally, ensuring members have access to technical support in whatever issue they may have. Her career in pest management began in 2002. Natalie’s expertise includes rural and urban pest management, public health pests, legislation and much more. In 2009, Natalie moved into a supervisory position within Leeds City Council, having responsibility for technician management, tender management, contract management and also supporting some of the statutory services within the local authority. Since 2013, Natalie has continued to deliver high level industry consultation with BPCA. 

11:50 Greenwashing - Evolving from legislation into more practical greenwashing 

Nick Winstone (Biovate Hygienics)

Nick Winstone will address the issue of greenwashing in the cleaning industry. He will discuss the evolution of regulations and practical approaches to achieving genuine sustainability, highlighting practices that are no longer acceptable and new, more effective methods.

Nick has been an environmental entrepreneur for the past two decades, advancing the cause of sustainable cleaning on four continents. 

Nick is best known for being one of the pioneers of biological cleaning, introducing it into the UK market in 2010 and being at the cutting edge of environmental sustainability since then. 

Nick is the co-founder of Biovate Hygienics, who won the Product Innovation Award at last year’s Cleaning Excellence Conference and was a finalist for leader of the year at this year's European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards. 

Proudly an advocate of the cleaning industry, Nick is a board member of the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) Southern Community Group, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners and well known for supporting industry events. 

He lives in Northamptonshire with his young family and serves his community as the local scouts chair and is a season ticket holder supporting Northampton Saints. 

12:20 BICSc – Who are we and what can you expect from us going forward?

Neil Spencer-Cook (British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc)

Everyone thinks they know what BICSc is and what they do! However, like all business’s things change over time and how much do you really know about BICSc?  Things have changed recently, and they are still changing. There are many myths out there and many misconceptions about what BICSc can do. Join Neil Spencer-Cook group MD who will aim to give clarity and explain the direction BICSc are heading in for the future.

Neil Spencer-Cook MBICSc is group managing director of the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc). From a financial director role, Neil joined the BICSc senior management team in 2015. He has a wealth of management expertise and has experience in hospitality and FM in numerous industries.

Neil's passion is technology, especially when it can be used for efficiency purposes. Neil was the project lead on the creation of BICSc CPSS Assessor app and, more recently, delivered the virtual training platform - to date over 60,000 candidates have registered.

13:00 Lunch 

14:00 Forging the future - Career paths in cleaning 

Lorraine Larman (Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners (WCEC)

Lorraine Larman, the current master of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners shares her perspective on potential and the importance of training in the cleaning industry; the value of nurturing new and young talent, and ensuring that working in the cleaning industry is promoted as a viable and desirable professional option. As a senior cleaning industry professional and business owner, Lorraine will share her thoughts on how clearer career path has emerged thanks to the support of organisations like the WCEC who have ceaselessly championed and realised the Chartered Practitioners Register (CPR). There are others like the BICSc which provides excellent training and the BCC which champions apprenticeships and lobbies for better recognition of the cleaning profession in the UK. A career in cleaning is not hit or miss – it can be a sound and fruitful career choice, creating a sustainable future for our industry.

 Having worked in the service industry, across many sectors for over 40 years,  Lorraine Larman C.Env.Cl CMIOSH FBICSc has a broad portfolio of experience including overseeing the compliance, and Health and Safety throughout a wide range of companies. Her experience has ranged from Crime Scene work, to healthcare, quarries, power stations, retail and office cleaning, as well as high level cleaning work. 

Lorraine is committed to the ethos of Health and Safety in cleaning and the benefits of training and developing staff at the right level. She ensures that companies achieve the required accreditation in ISO 14001, ISO 45001 , Investors In People(IIP), ISSA CIMS, among others.

She is passionate about her association with and role at the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, especially its dedication to charitable work, facilitation of the Chartered Practitioners’ Register and very proud to be Master of the livery.

14:30 The struggle of reinventing yourself in the cleaning sector 

Jordan Hurley (Soap₂o)

Jordan Hurley will share his entrepreneurial journey, from running a global WiFi company to founding a successful dispenser company. He will discuss the challenges of adapting to new industries, the importance of innovation, and the sustainable benefits of his products.

Soap₂o was born when founder, Jordan, spotted a huge gap in the market. Jordan was supplying and distributing sanitisation dispensers during the pandemic in 2020 and was put in a position where he had to show how well his dispensers dispensed foaming sanitiser but he didn’t have any foaming sanitiser at home.

With some out of the box thinking Jordan filled the foaming dispenser with some washing up liquid and added water which produced the perfect foam. This was his lightbulb moment as the foam it created was more than enough to wash your hands.

Fast forward to 202t Soap₂o is a sustainably focused business that is on a mission to eliminate single use plastics, eliminate the shipping of water and only uses natural ingredients. Soap₂o supports the Made Blue Foundation by donating 33L of fresh drinking water for ever 1 litre of hand soap sold.

15:00 Networking Break 

15:20 Money - A dirty topic

Rojuette de Vries (UN Women, United Nations)

Rojuette de Vries will discuss her experiences in the financial sector and her role with UN Women. She will talk about how financial independence "cleans" up your future and explore the importance of certain financial strategies and goals. Rojuette will also address some common taboos surrounding this topic, encouraging open conversations about financial health and wealth-building by focusing on actionable financial habits with the aim to inspire the attendees to take control of their financial futures. She will highlight the importance of female leadership, share her story, and provide insights on how to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace.

16:00 Close