FEATURE Looking ahead to 2023
Jim Melvin, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), looks forward to what 2023 and beyond has in store for our industry.
The main priority that we must all watch out for in 2023 will be the drive to ensure that Government pays attention to the voice of the cleaning and hygiene industry.
The crisis that hit the NHS over the winter, as it struggled to cope with flu and COVID cases, again highlighted the cleaning and hygiene sector’s vital role in keeping public
buildings hygienically clean and making the products needed to stop the spread of infectious diseases.
Our sector’s work is, and will always remain, the first line of defence, stopping the spread of bacteria, viruses or other germs so people don’t become ill in the first place. The time for Government to accept that fact is now.
The sector is one of the biggest industries in the UK but, despite the bravery and professionalism of staff helping tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, it has largely been overlooked and ignored by Government. In 2023, we will again continue to promote the message to Government that the public will be healthier, happier and safer if cleaning and hygiene is recognised as a key frontline service with a vital role in terms of public health.
Key to this will be leveraging the report produced by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry into the role of cleaning and hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report made 11 recommendations which, if implemented, will make the nation much more resilient to current common infections and also leave it much better prepared for any future public health emergencies.
In January, representatives from the cleaning industry met with us and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) in a roundtable event to discuss the report’s findings and how to take them forward. Expect to see further communication and updates on this topic in coming months.
APPG Chairman, Nigel Mills MP, will also hold a meeting at Westminster with MPs and Peers to highlight the importance of the report and the need for Government to adopt its recommendations. Further lobbying work is underway to raise the profile of the report with ministers, Government departments and the chairs of select committees and other APPGs.
Furthermore, as the country moves towards an election, we will again contact the opposition parties who will no doubt see some advantage in discussing the issues when there is a vested interest for them.
We’re also hoping for good news early this year about the proposed Apprenticeship Levy-accredited industrywide training programme and apprenticeship. It has been a lengthy process getting here but we are now in the final stages of getting the proposals agreed. I am expecting a final consultation to be held on the proposed scheme and then hope The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) will finally give the apprenticeship and training programme the greenlight.
This is a hugely important initiative which, if approved, will ensure significant amounts of Apprenticeship Levy funding currently lost to the cleaning and hygiene industry can instead be invested in training for personnel. It will also help address the baseless narrative held by some in government and outside the sector that our staff are ‘low skilled’, and assist the sector in recruiting badly needed staff.
Another major priority for the BCC in 2023 will be continuing to highlight our ‘We Clean, We Care’ campaign. The campaign is designed to reflect the pride cleaning staff have in the vital, frontline role they perform keeping others safe, well and healthy.
We’ll be giving updates on all three of these initiatives at the Cleaning Show, which runs from 14-16 March at ExCeL, London, and is free to attend.
The Cleaning Show, which the BCC co-produces, is the industry’s biggest and best trade show, and will be one of the highlights of 2023 for the sector.
The show attracts some of the biggest and most innovative firms to exhibit, offering visitors a chance to see the latest cleaning and hygiene products and to network with colleagues from across the industry. It also includes a fascinating conference programme and other attractions such as the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) Innovation Showcase and the Window Cleaning World Cup.
www.britishcleaningcouncil.org 6 | TOMORROW’S CLEANING PRODUCTS & SERVICES GUIDE 2023/2024
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