Respect at the heart of the cleaning industry’s future

IN A recent address at the Summer Court Lunch of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, I emphasised the critical importance of respect within the cleaning industry. I began with a light-hearted acknowledgement of the struggle with abbreviations, a common challenge that many can relate to. The aim was to set a friendly and approachable tone for the serious message that followed.

The core of the speech focused on the legacy of Eric Hill, the founder of both the British Institute of Cleaning Science and the Environmental Cleaners. Hill's mission was to professionalise the cleaning industry and ensure that those working within it, particularly the cleaning operatives, received the respect they deserved. This legacy of respect is a cornerstone of the industry's ongoing efforts to elevate its standards and recognition.

I posed a thought-provoking question: Do we have complete respect within our industry? This internal respect is crucial for gaining respect from others. Respect is built on a foundation of training, knowledge, and progression. A recognised qualification with a Royal Charter, like the Environmental Cleaners Chartered Practitioner, is a powerful tool for fostering respect and professionalism within the industry.

While government backing would be beneficial, the industry cannot afford to wait for external support to make progress. There is much that can be done from within the industry to help itself, and who better to lead these efforts than those who are already part of it? This call to action is a rallying cry for industry professionals to take ownership of their future and work collaboratively to create new opportunities.

The British Institute of Cleaning Science and the Environmental Cleaners are leading by example in this regard. I explained how Darren Marston, upon becoming Master, approached us to explore potential collaborations. Given our shared heritage in Eric Hill, it was a natural partnership. Our aim is to help individuals starting out in the industry or those already in it to fill gaps in their knowledge to achieve Chartered Practitioner status.

To support this goal, we mapped the five pillars to becoming a Chartered Practitioner to existing courses from BICSc that can help meet the requirements in most of these pillars. A dedicated webpage has been created to assist with this process. The webpage, accessible via a QR code, provides information on how the Institute can help with each of the relevant pillars and directs users to the Chartered Practitioner portal.

The swift creation of this resource was a team effort, and I must thank my team and Sam, the Clerk, for their hard work. The hope is that this will drive people through the process and help fill in the gaps in their knowledge. The team at BICSc are available to answer any questions and provide support as needed.

I ended my speech with a call to action, urging industry professionals to focus on action rather than talk. The Institute is evolving, just like any other business needs to, to remain relevant today. I encourage everyone to catch up with these changes and not view the Institute as the "elephant" or "dinosaur" in the room.

By showing those outside the industry how professional and respectful we are to each other, I do believe that this will help the industry gain the respect it craves. 

In summary, I felt the speech was a powerful reminder of the importance of respect within the cleaning industry. It highlighted the need for internal respect, the value of professional qualifications, and the power of collaboration and action. By working together and supporting each other, the industry can achieve great things and gain the respect it deserves.

Neil Spencer-Cook is group managing director at BICSc

For more information visit www.bics.org.uk