Stuart O'Brien, Author at Facilities Management Forum | Forum Events Ltd - Page 80 of 87
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Stuart O'Brien

Why health & safety professionals attend the OSH Forum
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Hundreds of senior health and safety professionals from companies across the UK have attended the Occupational Safety & Health Forum.

Taking place on February 7th at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted, it has been designed to allow you to meet new suppliers who can help your upcoming projects, and aid in trimming those all-important budgets.

It is free for health and safety professionals to attend and, as our VIP guest, you will be provided with a bespoke itinerary of meetings with those suppliers who match your requirements. No hard sell and no time wasted. You will also have the opportunity to attend educational and inspirational seminars, while all hospitality is included.

Need any further reasons to attend? Here are five more, courtesy of previous delegates…

“Great event and exposed me to suppliers I wouldn’t have ordinarily have encountered as part of my day job” – Tesco Stores

“A well organised event, good location, good information up front prior to the event. A good all round selection of suppliers” – BAE Systems

“Great event, good opportunity to meet suppliers, find out what products and services they offer and how they can meet the needs of the business” – Lewisham Homes

“Very useful to have targeted suppliers and protected time with them” – Norwich & Norfolk University Hospital NHS Trust

“Well organised and beneficial event. Highly recommended” – Saracens

It could be the most valuable day you spend outside of the office. To find out more and to reserve your place, contact Jamie Higgs on 01992 374058 or email j.higgs@forumevents.co.uk.

Suppliers wishing to attend should contact LIsa Rose on 01992 374077 or email l.rose@forumevents.co.uk

Elior secures £5.5 million SportsScotland deal
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French multi-national commercial catering company Elior has won a £5.5 million contract with SportsScotland covering two national sports centres.

The five-year agreement will see Elior cater for guests at the Inverdale National Sports Training Centre and at the National Sailing Centre, Cumbrae.

Elior will provide food in the café and bars, as well as providing full hospitality for conference and events, plus cleaning services.

“We understand that sporting teams all have different nutritional and dietary needs, which can be very specific,” said Cheryl MacLeod, Elior’s business development manager. “By working with the nutritionists at SportScotland, Elior will create specially tailored menus to ensure our offer is optimal for performance.”

Elior will work with Irene Riach, national lead for performance nutrition at the SportScotland Institute of Sport.

Elior operates in 15 countries and has over 80,000 employees, with 10,000 UK staff employed across 650 client sites.

FM Forum

Looking back at the 20th Anniversary FM Forum
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The 20th anniversary Facilities Management Forum took place at the Principal Hotel in Manchester earlier this week, with the UK’s leading FM professionals attending to source new suppliers, learn from insightful seminar sessions and network with peers who face similar challenges.

The two days were complemented with a gala dinner to celebrate the event’s birthday, while headline sponsor Salisbury Group converted the hotel’s bar into, of course, The Salisbury Arms pub.

On a more serious note, the FM Forum’s seminar programme was designed to inspire and educate, including the following sessions:

  • Facilities Management: Past, Present & Future – A Personal Perspective by Mark Whittaker, Integral UK & Chair of BIFM North Region
  • How Can FM Add Value & Transform Culture by Preston Gan, NHS Grampian
  • Personal Development Workshop: Sparkling Moments – Energising & Refocusing Your Team in 10 Minutes, presented by Liz Kentish, Kentish & Co
  • Energy Excellence: The Business Case – What Every Facility Manager Needs To Know, by Arthur Beattie, Carbon2018
  • We Are The Low People On The Totem Pole, by Jon Gudorf, Practical Action

 

The main focus of the event, as always, were the two days of matched face-to-face business meetings between FM professionals and trusted industry suppliers.

But don’t worry if your weren’t able to attend! The next FM Forum takes place in just six months time, on January 29th & 30th 2018 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted.

To register as a delegate, contact Paige Aitken on 01992 374079 or email p.aitken@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, if you’re a supplier and would like to showcase your products and services at the FM Forum, contact Luke Webster on 01992 374074 or email l.webster@forumevents.co.uk.

Survey

BIFM launches 11th annual Sustainability Survey
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The 11th annual Sustainability Survey conducted by the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) is now open.

As the longest running of its kind in the UK, the survey, supported by BIFM’s Sustainability Special Interest Group (SIG), and sponsored by British Gas, acts as a barometer of how FM professionals and the businesses they represent are engaging with the sustainability agenda by identifying key trends and influences.

BIFM says the results provide insight into the way the FM profession is tackling the increasing demand for sustainable business by exploring who is leading the sustainability programme within an organisation and how it is being measured and reported, as well as the latest developments, such as new legislation.

The survey comprises a series of questions on the role of sustainability within facilities management and how it is being embedded into day-to-day practices, the changes it creates and the potential opportunities it offers the profession. Areas covered this year include social value, energy and digitalisation.

BIFM’s research and information manager Peter Brogan said: “With so much of the sustainability agenda sitting within the FM function, facilities management professionals are uniquely placed to offer highly valuable insights into current sustainability practices and future needs taking place in workplaces across the UK economy.

“Now with more than 10 years’ of data and analysis to draw on, the Sustainability Survey offers the chance to see how approaches to environmental, sustainable and corporate social responsibilities have changed over the years, leading to greater knowledge and understanding of not only how attitudes have evolved but levels of innovation, use of systems and processes and the barriers that exist to development of sustainable best practice.

“By providing an insider’s view as to what constitutes successful engagement with the sustainability agenda, FM practitioners operating at all levels can help us build a picture of the opportunities and challenges that FMs from all disciplines face in helping to make their organisations more sustainable.”

Greg Davies, from the Sustainability SIG, said: “Over the 10 years of the BIFM Sustainability Survey we have seen significant developments in both the subject area as well as the industry itself.

“The notion now that sustainability is purely concerned with environmental issues is as outdated as saying FM is just about cleaning or mechanical and electrical (M&E). While aspects such as waste and energy remain enduring features, community, training, wellbeing, social value, recruitment, productivity, technology and health and safety have also shaped findings and thinking.

“Investing the time to participate in this year’s survey continues to add to our current understanding and help identify further opportunities for FM.”

Dylan Crompton, Head of Corporate Sales at British Gas Business, said: “There are fundamental changes happening within the FM industry, driven by the rise of big data, digitalisation and social value. We wanted to get involved with this survey to understand how the industry is coping and what more we could do as a major energy supplier to support the industry through this transition. We look forward to seeing the results.”

The survey is open to all FM professionals in any organisation and those operating in the FM industry including full and single line service providers, suppliers and consultants.

You can take the survey here. The deadline for responses is Monday 31 July 2017. The results are due to be published in October 2017.

Cygnia secures High Street contracts
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UK-based sign maintenance provider Cygnia Maintenance has signed maintenance contracts with three leading High Street brands.

New Look, Rymans and Robert Dyas have all agreed pre-planned maintenance arrangements. The contract covers approximately 1,000 stores.

Speaking about the new contracts, Jeremy Barwick of Cygnia said: “More and more retailers are recognising that relying on reactive maintenance is not necessarily sufficient to meet their signage safety policy” and that more “regular inspection and maintenance” was needed.

Dave Barker of fashion retailer New Look offered: “We were looking for a company with nationwide coverage through directly employed teams in both the UK and Republic of Ireland, and Cygnia were able to provide that.”

Cygnia Maintenance is one of the UK’s largest provider of sign maintenance, repairs and image protection services, employing over 85 outsourced staff.

Savills to manage Lasalle estate
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LaSalle Investment Management has appointed real estate advisor Savills to carry out property and facilities management for the estate of the British Coal Pension Fund.

The portfolio of the British Coal Pension Fund includes over 100 properties comprising shopping centres, office parks, retail parks, industrial estates and London offices.

“Our decision to appoint Savills as the property manager on one of our key long-term client mandates was a natural extension to the work they already do for us across a number of PRS assets and reflects their proven track record in managing portfolios with complex properties that sit across asset classes and different sectors,” commented Rebecca Gates, head of asset management at LaSalle Investment Management.

Andrew Holden, director in the property management team at Savills, added: “The nationwide and mixed-use nature of the portfolio plays to our regional strength and sector specialist approach across retail and business space assets.”

Savills plc is a global real estate provider with over 700 offices and associates throughout the US, UK and Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East.

Salisbury Arms

Salisbury Group sponsors the 20th Anniversary FM Forum in Manchester
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Salisbury Group, the innovative facilities management specialists are headline sponsors of Forum Event’s 20th Anniversary FM Forum, and the first ever to be held in Manchester, at The Principal, Oxford Street, on 10th and 11th July.

The unique business-to-business event brings together executives from across the corporate world seeking partnerships & services in facilities management.

Mark Whittaker the Chair of BIFM North Region is one of the key speakers at the accompanying seminar programme.

Salisbury Group’s Managing Director, Sales and Marketing, Nick Platt explains: “We’ve participated in FM Forum events over many years. They have been held in London and Northampton, so we asked Forum Events to bring their event-management expertise up to Manchester, so we could connect with a whole range of clients that are based in the North. So far it’s proven to be a big success. We can see already, from the advanced appointments, that we will be meeting many new faces and companies that we would have missed down in London.”

Salisbury Group’s sales team, who have already won contracts with FTSE 100 and 250 clients this year, will meet over 40 prospective clients in the two days.

FM Forum’s Luke Webster adds: “We’re delighted to welcome Salisbury Group as the headline sponsor for what is going to be a very special 20th Anniversary FM Forum, which we’re also taking to Manchester for the first time. It marks the eighth time Salisbury Group have attended the event as a trusted industry supplier, with a great reputation in FM, so they clearly see the benefits of the FM Forum. They’re also bringing their imagination and innovation to the Forum, renaming the Hotel’s Pub ‘The Salisbury Arms’, with their very own Pub sign for the duration of the event”

 

Graham FM secures John Moores contract
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Graham FM has signed a five-year contract with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

 The contract will see Graham FM manage and deliver all hard FM services, including mechanical, building fabric maintenance and electrical maintenance to the university’s 44 buildings throughout the three campuses, including a range of listed buildings.

 The Liverpool area will benefit as Graham FM will be offering new job opportunities, while appointing local SMEs to support service delivery.

 The new five-year deal further establishes Graham FM’s market share in the higher education sector.

 The Graham Group has a turnover in excess of £490 million and employs over 1,640 people operating throughout the UK and Ireland.

 www.grahamassetmanagement.co.uk

Experts urge politicians to scrap H&S deregulation
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In an open letter to the Prime Minister, over 70 leading organisations and experts from the UK’s safety and health profession have urged the Government to scrap its plans to deregulate of health and safety legislation.

 Published on the Occupational Safety and Health website, the open letter to the Prime Minister recognises the public reactions to the Grenfell Tower blaze and the tragic consequences.

 “The occupational safety and health community is deeply saddened and disturbed by the Grenfell Tower fire and all the lives it claimed. We believe it is totally unacceptable for residents, members of the public and our emergency services to be exposed to this level of preventable risk in modern-day Britain.

 “However, for many years, Ministers and others with influence over them have called for regulations, including in health and safety, to be axed as a matter of principle. Arbitrary rules were imposed to establish deregulation of health and safety, such as a requirement to abolish two health and safety regulations (and more recently, three) for any new one adopted.

 “This mind-set has meant that, even when it was recommended and accepted that mandatory fitting of sprinklers would make homes or schools safer, this was rejected in favour of non-regulatory action. In practice, this approach favours inaction.

 The letter adds: “At this crucial time of national reflection and sorrow, we urge all politicians to re-emphasise the need for effective health and safety regulation and competent fire risk management. These are fundamental to saving lives and sustaining our communities.

 “We believe it is vital that this disaster marks a turning point for improved fire safety awareness and wider appreciation that good health and safety is an investment, not a cost.”

 The full letter can be read here.

IN PICTURES: Beth Tweddle at the Sports & Leisure Forum
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Last week 45 senior professionals representing Gym Chains, Leisure Centres, Spas, Hotels, Local Authorities, Sports Trusts and more attended the Sports & Leisure Forum to meet with key suppliers to the sector, network with peers and learn.

The event was opened by British Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, who gave an inspirational keynote address that traced her careers from her first steps in gymnastics, through London 2012 to her latest role of director at Switch The Play/Total Gymnastics.

Here are a few pictures from the day (click each image to enlarge):

For more information about the Sports & Leisure Forum, including how you can attend next year as either a delegate or supplier, contact Gillian Small on 01992 374073 or email g.small@forumevents.co.uk.