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Cresswell rebranding
Cresswell Office Services Ltd, which this year celebrates its 15th year in the cleaning business, has relaunched its company branding.
Commencing with a totally new corporate logo, Cresswell has also redesigned its website - www.cresswellservices.co.uk - to include information on services and regular news updates. With a new look for its company stationery, the new branding will appear on its vans and run throughout all its sales and marketing communications going forward.
The company, which specialises in cleaning, facilities and building maintenance, currently holds a number of contracts in both the public and private sector. David McLeod, managing director, said: “We are delighted with the new logo and it seems fitting to rebrand on our 15th anniversary. Innovation and moving forward is key in our industry and I am confident our new look will be welcomed by our current and future customers alongside our increased marketing activity for this year.”
www.cresswellservices.co.uk
WFBSC announces change of secretariat
The World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) has moved its headquarters from the USA to the Cleaning and Support Services Association in London.
Bob King, president of the WFBSC, said: “I am delighted that the CSSA and Andrew Large, its chief executive, has assumed the position of executive vice president of the WFBSC. I look forward to working with him to promote professional cleaning across the globe in 2010 and beyond. I would also like to pay tribute to the retiring executive vice president Carol A. Dean. She has been a tower of strength for the WFBSC for over 30 years, and her efforts on behalf of building service contractors cannot be understated. We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to her for her hard work in support of our industry. On behalf of the WFBSC board and all its members I would like to wish her very well for the future.”
The new headquarters of the WFBSC is: CSSA, Suite 478-480 Salisbury House London Wall, London, EC2M 5QQ. Tel: 020 7920 9632.
www.wfbsc.org
SCA makes the Global 100 Sustainability List…again
Tork manufacturer SCA is once again the only tissue company to feature in the latest Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list. This is the sixth year running that the company has been recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable companies by Canadian Corporate Knights. The list comprises companies from 24 countries that have been evaluated on how effectively they deal with various environmental and social issues.
“Sustainability is integral to everything we do, and we are delighted that our approach is gaining such global recognition,” said Susan Iliefski-Janols, SCA’s director environment and product safety, SCA global hygiene category. “It is particularly gratifying to have retained our place in the Global 100 list since around 50% of the companies included in last year’s list do not appear this year.”
Britain led the way this year with a total of 21 Global 100 companies being UK-based. The US came in second with 12 corporations, while Canada and Australia gained joint third position with nine Global 100 companies each. The US topped last year’s list with 20 companies.
The latest list was unveiled recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. SCA has qualified as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations every year since the scheme’s inception in 2005. SCA was also named one of the world’s most ethical companies In April 2009 for the second year running. The Ethisphere Institute in New York considered more than 10,000 companies in its annual ethics survey and named SCA among the top 99 in the world.
www.tork.co.uk
Survey reveals anger over tax system among small firms
Small firms believe Britain’s tax system is deeply unfair and urgently needs to be simplified, new research has revealed. A poll carried out by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) found that more than two thirds of SME owners believe the tax burden placed on them is unfair - and over half think the tax system favours big companies.
The research was compiled by canvassing SME owners through the FPB’s Tax and Budget Member Panel which serves as a dedicated, subject- specific opinion-taker. An overwhelming 43% of respondents to the panel said ‘fairness’ should be the main priority for the tax system. The next popular priority was ‘simplicity’, which was supported by one in five smaller businesses, echoing widespread anger with a system which is among the most complex in the world.
Additionally, 13% said they want to see the tax system reformed to make Britain more competitive internationally. And in more general terms, 45% of respondents said their tax burden was a ‘very serious’ issue for their firms.
FPB spokesman, Phil McCabe, said: “Our members believe that they are bearing an unfair tax burden because of the moderate sizes of their businesses. The complexity of the British tax system is not only time- consuming and frustrating, it also puts small firms at an instant disadvantage. Big companies have the expertise and resources to understand the system and minimise their tax burden. For most of our members, hiring an outside tax consultant represents a significant cost few can afford, especially in the midst of a recession. Whichever party comes to power at the general election, we would like to see them lay the foundations of a bold new tax environment where small firms are rewarded, rather than unfairly penalised, for the huge contribution they make to the British economy.”
The Tax and Budget Member Panel also asked SME owners about the recent pre-budget report (PRB). Respondents to the panel were distinctly underwhelmed by the measures announced by the Chancellor, with more than half saying that the PBR undermined both business confidence and future employment.
The increase in National Insurance contributions proved deeply unpopular, with many FPB members expressing anger at further costs being added to employment.
www.smallbusinesschannel.co.uk
Scottish doctors under fire for poor hand hygiene
Doctors in Scotland were criticised recently for putting their patients at risk by not washing their hands enough on hospital wards. They failed to meet the hand hygiene target of 90% compliance set by the Scottish government.
The latest figures show the compliance rate for hand hygiene in hospitals had increased to 94% among all workers, but there were large discrepancies between different staff groups, with doctors singled out as the worst offenders.
Andrew Large, chief executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association, said: "It is a matter of serious concern that doctors are lagging behind when it comes to washing their hands. Hospital acquired infections cost lives, and doctors should be setting an example for other health workers to follow."
Meanwhile, the Journal of Hospital Infection published a report stating that the UK’s HAI infection rates are amongst the highest in Europe. The report stated that ‘Scotland and the rest of the UK continue to have relatively high rates of MRSA, in common with Mediterranean countries, Romania and Ireland. MRSA is a particular challenge in hospitals, as patients with wounds, invasive devices and weakened immune systems are at greater risk of infection than the general public’.
Steve Wright, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: “This report reinforces the central role of infection control procedures, and shows that the UK still has some way to go to reduce its infection rates to an acceptable level. Good hand-hygiene coupled with increased cleaning staff are two of the most effective ways of managing the threat of HAIs; we ask that hospitals are given the resources they need to ensure that they can minimise the risk they pose to patients as much as possible.”
Apprenticeship grants available to FM and cleaning employers
A new grant for facilities management and cleaning employers in England has been announced to make it easier to take on young apprentices.
Over the next nine weeks the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) will provide up to 5000 apprenticeship grants for employers of 16 and
17 year olds. The grant of £2500 is to enable employers to offer new apprenticeship places and take on an unemployed 16 or 17 year old apprentice immediately. It is in addition to the costs of training which are already met by the National Apprenticeship Service.
Last year, despite tough labour market conditions, more than 70,000 young people aged 16 and 17 started an apprenticeship. However, there are still many more young people who want to learn while they are in work and the AGE 16 and 17 grant will help make sure the opportunities are there for them to do so.
Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for FM and cleaning, is urging small and medium sized employers who may be interested in taking on an apprentice for the first time to apply for the grant. Or they may want to employ an additional apprentice over their traditional level of recruitment. Support could also be available for larger employers if they can demonstrate that they are overtraining to support smaller businesses in their supply chain or wider sector. All training providers are also able to offer this incentive to employers. They are encouraged to identify employers they have worked with - or previously contacted - who might benefit from this additional support.
Vacancies can be advertised online through the National Apprenticeship Service that matches interested candidates with employers offering Apprenticeships.
This is a short-term, time-limited measure and is available immediately for employers who are able to offer a job opportunity to a young person. The AGE 16 and 17 grant is only available until the end of March.
To apply for AGE 16 and 17 call the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600 or visit the NAS website.
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
