Trade associations
The British Institute of Cleaning Science
Trade associations provide a vehicle for best practice, The Industry's latest news and an opportunity to collaborate. The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) whose headquarters are in Northampton, is the largest independent, professional and educational body within the cleaning industry. Founded in 1961, its mission is 'the raising of status and standards of the cleaning industry, through education'.
BICSc, as it is known, is an independent body with members in all areas of the cleaning industry, including Local Authorities, Contract Cleaners, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Trainers and by no means least, cleaning operatives themselves. Its membership currently stands at almost 5,000 Individual and Corporate Members and its reach is global.
There is a nationwide branch and regional structure, through which members, working through their own committees hold regular meetings on topics of mutual interest. Branch and Regional Officers come together annually to debate branch and membership issues.
The Institute's Awarding Body, Education, Strategy and Finance Committee sets the standards and develops the skills programmes necessary for the Institute's range of cleaning qualifications.
BICSc Code Of Practice
Members and Corporate Members of the Institute undertake to abide by the Articles and Memorandum and the rules and bye-laws of the Institute as they may from time to time be in force.
The principles of the Code of Practice are as follows:
A Member shall not use the status invested in him/her as a member of the Institute for direct personal gain and shall seek always to enhance the professional image of the Institute by:
- Maintaining a high standard of integrity in all his/her working relationships whether inside or outside the organisation in which he or she is employed.
- Fostering the highest possible competence and expertise among those for whom he or she may be responsible.
- Seeking to take a positive role in Institute National and Branch affairs, by attending meetings and assisting in appropriate ways at Branch and National events.
- As a Corporate member, by supporting such events and encouraging staff to participate in them.
- Complying with both the letter and spirit of the appropriate legislation of the country in which he or she works.
- Discharging any obligations into which he or she may have entered in the course of their employment or matters of business.
- Rejecting working practices which might reasonably be deemed improper.
- Ensuring the availability of appropriate training for any staff under his or her control and encouraging staff to take part in such training.
- Raising his or her own standards of professional competence by taking advantage of any training that may be made available.
- Declaring any personal interest that may conflict or might be deemed by others to conflict with his or her impartiality in commercial employment or contractual matters or in Institute affairs.
- Not divulging any confidential information which may be received in the course of employment or Institute affairs and not seeking to use such information to his or her personal advantage.
For more information on BICSc e-mail us at info@futures-supplies.co.uk or visit the BICSc website at www.bics.org.uk
The British Cleaning Council
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) is the Voice of the UK Cleaning Industry. It was established in 1982 to co-ordinate the affairs of the industry and to provide a forum for members to meet and work together to raise the profile of the industry and help it gain the credibility it deserves.
Membership of the BCC is open to any recognised trade association, research, educational body or institution concerned with industrial, commercial and institutional cleaning. Individual commercial companies are not eligible for membership.
The BCC currently has nineteen members, which cover every facet of the multi-million pound UK cleaning industry. They are: Asset Skills; ABCD; BACS; BACHE; BCTC-CAMRASO; BICSc; BTA; CIWM; CHSA; ENCAMS; FWC; ICMMA; Keep Wales Tidy; NCCA; NAWBW; UKCPI; UKHA and the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners.
Along with Quartz Publishing & Exhibitions, the BCC co-owns the world-renowned Cleaning Show. This is a regular and well-regarded exhibition and is now a highlight of the international cleaning industry calendar.
The aim is to provide a showcase that both reflects and caters for the UK industry’s needs, with BCC ploughing profits back into the industry, helping it pursue its policy of furthering the educational, training and promotional needs of its member bodies.
The Objectives of the BCC
- To co-ordinate the common activities of interests within the British cleaning industry.
- To promote the general interests of UK based institutions, associations, individuals and others representing those involved in the British cleaning industry.
- To develop and promote the interests of the British cleaning industry whenever and wherever appropriate.
- To provide a forum for all constituent bodies within the British cleaning industry to meet and work together to further the aims of the industry as a whole.
- To support research, education and training or other programmes within the British cleaning industry.
- To undertake, liaise and co-operate with the sponsorship of exhibitions and seminars connected with all aspects of cleaning, in particular through BCC (Exhibitions) Limited.
- To increase public awareness of the industry's contribution both to the environment and the economy (and to encourage and promote the improvement of health and hygiene and general standards of cleanliness in both public and private sectors)
- To facilitate the provision of information to government and public bodies regarding the British cleaning industry.
- To provide overall support and liaise as necessary with UK and international bodies involved in the production of technical and/or other standards.
- To take any necessary initiative to further the above objectives and aims considered by the Council to be in the interests of the cleaning industry as a whole.
The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association - Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes
The Cleaning and Hygiene Suppliers Association was launched in the late 1960’s to bring together companies supplying cleaning equipment and materials to commerce and industry.
The CHSA Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes
Current consumer legislation should protect the purchaser of product against short lengths, short measures or misrepresentation. However this is not always the case as there is no mandatory requirement. For example, to label soft tissue products in the ‘away from home’ market without a label they can be passed off as being any length or sheet count.
The practice of supplying products in unmarked packs as ‘fighting brands’ has evolved in recent years, allowing some suppliers to pass off products as being more than they really are.
In order to ‘Beat the Cheats’ and give customers an informed choice when buying such products, the Association has introduced four Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes.
Organisations that buy from an accredited manufacturer of paper-based and woven products can be certain the dimensions and count of every product is as indicated on the label.
The Accreditation Scheme for manufacturers of plastic-based products defines commonly used terms, so buyers can be certain products from Accredited members are fit for purpose and the dimensions and count are as indicated on the label.
Members of our Accreditation Scheme for cotton-based products guarantee the weight, absorbency and, where relevant, the cotton content of their mops. The Scheme also guarantees the dimensions and count of ancillary products are as indicated on the label.
Accredited Manufacturers of cleaning and hygiene chemicals guarantee the volume is as specified on the label and the bottles are recyclable.
Companies who register for the schemes undertake to
label their products, guarantee the product meets the
specification on the label and are permitted to feature
the approved Accreditation logo on their packs.
Monitored by independent inspectors who visit participating manufacturers to ensure compliance, CHSA accredited products enhance the standing of both the market and those companies operating in it by ensuring the end users receive real value for money.
By member manufacturers displaying the CHSA accreditation logo on products, customers can be confident they are getting exactly what they pay for, not some inferior substitute.
Futures Supplies, as supporters of this scheme, source products manufactured by companies who are scheme members and as such, provide its valued customers with the assurance, confidence and satisfaction of knowing that their products are not short of sheets, inferior in quality or missing yarn!
All of the reputable accredited products can be easily recognised as they carry the CHSA Accreditation Scheme logo – watch out for the logos on your boxes and packaging and make sure you are getting what you pay for.
Beating the cheats
The average customer pays more attention to price than anything else when purchasing basic commodities such as toilet rolls, sacks and mops. Unfortunately this method doesn’t always prove to provide value for money.
Reputable manufacturers work hard to meet the needs of the customer sourcing raw material wisely to provide continuity, manufacture efficiently to keep cost down and produce a quality product providing real value for money.
Not so the Cheats – it’s easy: cut a few metres off the length, put less yarn in the mop and use inferior polythene for your sack, who will ever know? After all who counts the sheets on a toilet roll, gets the scales out to weigh their mop or checks to see if their sack is fit for purpose?
The only way you can be sure that you are getting value for money and receiving what you have paid for is to source products manufactured by members of the CHSA Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Schemes.
