Stuart O'Brien, Author at Facilities Management Forum | Forum Events Ltd - Page 85 of 87
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Stuart O'Brien

ISS

ISS and Barclays extend global facilities contract until 2022
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Integrated Service Solutions (ISS A/S) has provisionally signed terms to extend the extension of its contract with Barclays, providing the company with its global integrated services until 2022.

The Denmark-based global leading facility’s services include cleaning, support services, property services, security services and facility management services. The original contract of 2012 between the two companies was estimated to be in the region of £300 million a year.

Integrated FM services will be delivered to over 1,600 sites across the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific, US and Middle East, with the partnership described by ISS as its “largest contract.”

ISS will also design and implement a new Management Information System, insight@ISS, which will allow information to be collated and analysed from around the world to inform and support senior management decisions, with the system providing both Barclays and ISS real time data on the performance of the Bank’s global facilities management services.

Jeff Gravenhorst, ISS’s group CEO, said: “We are proud and honoured about the opportunity to extend the agreement with Barclays, which is a very special customer for ISS. The extension is testament to the level of trust and the partnership we have built with Barclays over the last five years.

“Everyone at ISS who is involved in this extension is fully committed to continuing the growth of this relationship and collaborating further to exceed Barclays expectations.”

A separate company announcement will be issued by ISS once the extension contract has been signed.

www.uk.issworld.com

Serco

Serco wins 10 year Rushmoor Borough Council waste management partnership
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Serco has been selected by Rushmoor Borough Council to manage waste and recycling collection, street cleaning and grounds maintenance in a new ten-year partnership, coming into effect from 31st July.

All staff of the current provider will have the opportunity to transfer over to Serco. The estimated total contract value to Serco is £38 million over the ten year period, with an opportunity to extend the contract for a further 10 years, subject to the mutual agreement of Serco and Rushmoor Borough Council.

Serco will also invest in growing and developing a commercial waste and recycling service as part of the contract, helping to generate financial benefits for the partnership.

As part of the partnership, Serco will also deliver a range of service innovations tailored to meet the needs of local people, including:

  • Introducing new free kerbside collections of small electrical items, responding to local residents’ feedback on additional items they would like to see collected.
  • Launching a ‘Love Clean Rushmoor’ smartphone app enabling residents to report environmental issues such as fly-tipping or broken street furniture.
  • Creating a new community plant nursery at Manor Park, providing a building for community use and gardening education.
  • Partnering with the Trussell Trust charity for recycling of old appliances and furniture. The Trust will sell reusable items to local people in need, using the proceeds to support their Farnborough foodbank.
  • Investing in new ‘Fido’ dog foul cleaning machines and pressure washers to tackle pigeon droppings.
  • Extending town centre street cleaning hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, supporting the evening economy.
  • Reducing carbon emissions from waste vehicles by 30%, thanks to investment in hybrid technology, sustainable biofuels and on-board carbon reduction technologies

Robin Davies, Serco’s Business Development Director for Environmental Services, said: “We are very proud to have been chosen by Rushmoor Borough Council to deliver and improve these vital services for local residents. All of our plans have been developed by listening to local people, so that we can provide a first-class service that really meets the local community’s needs.

“We’re excited about working in partnership with the Council to put our plans into action, drawing on our experience delivering a broad range of environmental services right across the UK.”

Councillor Martin Tennant, Rushmoor Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Service Delivery, said: “From listening to our residents, we know that a weekly rubbish collection is very important to them. So we are really pleased that as part of the new contract, these will continue, as well as many other exciting improvements, at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

“We are looking forward to working with the team at Serco and building a relationship with them over the next ten years.  We are confident that the new contract will deliver on both quality and cost – helping us to create a cleaner and greener Rushmoor and working with residents to increase recycling.”

www.serco.com

Smart Office Buildings

Smart office buildings are the next big trend, says new report
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A new British Land report co-produced with Worktech Academy has detailed the rise of the smart office building within the next 12 month period.

The report explains that key pieces of smart office structure are already available, including intelligent building management systems, location-aware beacons and sensors, and workplace apps.

Over the next 12 months smart buildings will start to communicate with each other properly as open protocols come on stream.

By 2020 the report predicts that the physical infrastructure of an office building – including what office workers themselves carry or wear – will be part of one complete smart system, generating and autonomously acting upon all kinds of data.

The smart office building uses internet-enabled technology to gather data and bring all off its key operating systems under one central control, creating a better workplace by bringing a range of different elements together.

The benefits detailed within the report are an enhanced user experience that helps to increase productivity, attract and retain talent, support wellbeing and promote corporate brand values.

Smart buildings also have the advantage of reducing costs and lessening environment impact by using space more efficiently.

The report continues: “What makes the smart office so potentially significant for occupiers is the impact on human performance at every level – operational, environmental and strategic. Smart buildings are easier to run and maintain, and they can adapt to change. They thus offer real benefits to occupiers of every type.

“The smart office can be described as a journey, not a destination. Smart technologies are evolving all the time and the picture never stands still. But something important is coming into focus right now, and companies are beginning to understand the benefits of smart buildings; not just saving on energy bills, but also producing an environment that can be optimised for the tasks their particular business and employees need to achieve, which in turn leads to greater wellbeing and productivity and, ultimately, boosts talent attraction and retention.”

www.worktechacademy.com

Help shape Occupational Safety & Health Forum – And win £250 of vouchers!
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The Occupational Safety & Health Forum is an amazing opportunity for collaboration between industry professionals and those looking to provide the latest and greatest products to the market.

It all takes place on February 7th 2018, bringing the Health & Safety industry together for one-to-one business meetings, interactive seminars and valuable networking opportunities.

To help us create the best event possible, we’d love to ask you a few questions about your role in the industry, your thoughts on its key issues and your priorities for 2018.

It’ll take just a few minutes to complete via an online form – plus you can enter a prize draw at the end for the chance to win £250 of John Lewis vouchers!

Simply click here to take part.

For more information about the Occupational Safety & Health Forum, email Lisa Rose on l.rose@forumevents.co.uk or call her on 01992 374077.

Thank you for taking the time to help us shape the key event for your industry!

Letter writing – Is it time to reignite a lost art?
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With some 41 States in the US saying that cursive writing need no longer be taught in schools, is this the death knell of a method of communication that has changed the world? Write a letter to someone today, says Forum Events Director Paul Rowney…

Imagine what history would be like if the likes of Churchill, Roosevelt, Hemingway, Orwell… had not written letters to their friends, relatives and work colleagues? Not only would we know a lot less about many major historical events, but we would also know precious little about these famous personalities, their characters, their feelings, the way they thought that them such political, literary or philosophical powerhouses.

But who writes letters nowadays? Not many people it seems. According to an item in the Huffington Post from 2011, “Last year the typical home received a personal letter about every seven weeks, according to the annual survey done by the post office. As recently as 1987 it was once every two weeks.”

So when did you last write a letter? As in putting Pen to Paper, not an email or an update on Facebook, but a personal one to one correspondence that went in the mail?

Here’s why you should consider resurrecting what could soon be a lost art.

First, because you are writing specifically to one person, you can say more intimate, relevant and interesting things, solely for the benefit of the recipient. It makes you feel good, and them feel special.

Second, because it takes time and thought to write a letter, those two things are what makes them so unique. You have taken some time out of you ‘busy schedule’ to do something for someone else’s pleasure. That time has been spent putting ideas, thoughts, feelings on paper in a structured, considered way. Not a bad self-discipline and one immediately recognised by the reader.

Third, it’s not cheap, the paper, envelopes (your time), postage, all costs. But then anything worth doing well normally involves some extra time and money. It’s an investment in your relationship with the recipient that will repay itself in many ways.

Fourth, people keep letters, they represent reminders of you, and the ones you receive keep your senders’ memories, and personality as a permanent reminder and record for you and posterity.

Fifth, they show you care and that you’re thinking of them and sharing with them your (at times) innermost thoughts, concerns, problems and happiness. It’s the next best thing to being with them. And because they are tangible the effect is long term and irreplaceable.

Sixth, when you do write, use a pen, not a computer. It’s more work but it sparks the creativity in you-and makes sure your handwriting skills are kept up to standard. With many schools now no longer teaching ‘cursive writing’, we may be the last generation that knows how to write and read handwriting, so keep this skill alive.

Seventh, start today and be astounded at the response from your recipient when they receive your unexpected letter. Especially if they are of the ‘older’ generation. They will be thrilled. Equally you’ll be delighted when amongst all the junk mail and bills you see an envelope with writing on it from them! When was the last time you saw that?

Then for all the above reasons, you’ll sit down and relish not just the contents of the letter, but the fact someone has taken the time, effort and thought to craft a communication solely for your benefit and enjoyment.

Just like everyone appreciates a birthday present that the giver has clearly gone to much trouble to personalise and buy because they know ‘it’s just right for you’. So receiving a handwritten letter conveys that same sense of individual concern and personal concern we all want, but seldom get.

Guest Blog: Lindsay Atherton – #SheAgainstSCA
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Defibshop Sales Manager Lindsay Atherton discusses Sudden Cardiac Arrests, and how they have spent International Women’s Day.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a condition of which no one is immune from; regardless of age, lifestyle of gender, no one can fully prevent or foresee an individual from suffering a cardiac arrest.

International Women’s Day took place on the 8th March 2017 with many organisations using this opportunity to campaign to see a positive change within politics, economics and social aspects for women.

On this day, defibshop.co.uk used the opportunity to raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in women, the statistics surrounding this and what precautions can be taken to help increase chances of survival.

First, let’s take a look at the facts; did you know that Sudden Cardiac Arrest kills 4 times more women than breast cancer? In addition to this, women are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack under the age of 50 than men with only 60% of women receiving the basic life support they need out of a hospital environment, in comparison to the 70% of men which receive treatment.

Not only are these statistics incredibly concerning, but also vastly unknown to many. We’re a nation that’s always incredibly concerned of our well-being, social status and position in politics; but when it comes to our health, what can we be doing to help make a life-saving change?

The answer is simple, an increase in education and defibrillator access.

Since 1994, there has been a steady increase in the amount of women dying each year from heart disease with the gap between men and women’s survival continuing to widen. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of cardiac arrest, which is why with proper education to encourage small lifestyle changes such as reducing the amount of processed foods we eat, quitting smoking and including exercise into our daily routine; we can start to see a difference.

As the definitive treatment against Sudden Cardiac Arrest, quick access to AEDs has never been more important. With chances of survival decreasing by 10% with every minute that passes, these life-saving machines MUST be made available in every possible public location to help increase our chances of survival.

When CPR and defibrillation is administered within 3-5 minutes of collapse from SCA, chances of survival increase from 6% to 74%. Survival chances can even reach a massive 94% if delivered within the first minute.

One woman, who is very much aware of the importance of quick AED access, is defibshop Brand Ambassador Zoe Gillings-Brier.

As Great Britain’s number 1 Snowboard X athlete with seven World Cup podiums, three winter Olympic Games and many multinational titles to her name, we couldn’t think of a better person to highlight just how important good heart health and the availability is to all women.

Zoe first became aware of Sudden Cardiac Arrest when she saw how the condition was affecting other athletes as they participated in the sports they love.

Zoe reached out to defibshop to learn more about how she could protect herself and her team mates against this fatal event and was soon equipped with a life-saving defibrillator which she could keep with her whilst training and also take to competitions to provide protection not only to her own heart, but her fellow competitors, her team and spectators too.

“I carry an AED everywhere I go when I’m training and I even carry paediatric pads in my carry case, just in case a child was to suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. In an emergency situation we’d be confident in helping with the life-saving shock and the CPR needed too, thanks to defibshop and imperative training’s expert training.

“The message defibshop conveys in their day-to-day work is amazing. To be able to help raise awareness with them for such an important cause definitely gives me a huge sense of pride.”

It’s an unsettling thought that we are all venerable to cardiac arrest, no matter how much we look after our health. Simply put, the only way we can make a difference in how many women are dying from sudden cardiac arrest is to increase the amount of emergency equipment available in the form of defibrillators.

With an increase in awareness in the steps to take in the event of a cardiac arrest, we can help encourage the urge to act in the event of an emergency and ultimately save many lives which otherwise would be lost. This International Women’s Day, we raised awareness of cardiac arrest in women using the hashtag #SheAgainstSCA, but there’s still time to get involved! Find us on twitter @defibshop to help us spread the message.

Bonasystems

Industry Spotlight: No slip-ups at Bonasystems
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Bonasystems is the UK’s leading provider of specialist floor care chemical products and associated services.

Bonasystems was established to sell products and services which substantially improve personal safety, reduce injury and save lives by driving high standards of cleanliness to prevent slips, falls and trips.

Supporting Health and Safety compliance across multiple industries, Bonasystems’ line of products offer our clients peace of mind by reducing the likelihood of risk and injury, and by improving the physical appearance of work and leisure environments.

The company claims that its experience speaks for itself. The management team is heavily involved in the industry and committee members of the UK Slip Resistance Group, working to reduce the number of accidents related to floor cleaning.

Experts from Bonasystems will be on hand at The Cleaning Show at London’s ExCel next week (March 14th-16th) to lend advice on preventing slips and trips in the workplace.

www.bonasystems.com

NHS

Misco UK inks new deal with NHS
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Leading IT technology reseller Misco UK has been awarded a place on four Lots of the NHS Link 2 Framework for the supply of IT hardware and services.

The agreement will see Misco UK supplying desktops, tablets, Green IT, printers and scanners to the NHS and other public sector organisations over the next 24 months.

NHS Shared Business Service (SBS) Members and Associate Members will benefit from the availability of a wide portfolio of IT and hardware solutions for both office and clinical environments specifically tailored to their needs.

Set up in 2004, NHS SBS, a joint venture between the Department of Health and Sopra Steria, has already delivered audited savings of almost £400m to NHS clients.

In addition, the sharing of costs for programme management and procurement support, as well as a collaborative approach, means that public sector organisations will experience further cost-savings and reduced prices.

With no need to run their own tendering process, trusts will enjoy a flexible framework that allows for ‘spot-buying’ as well as longer term strategic purchases, with assurance of supply for all IT hardware being covered under the agreement and fully OJEU compliant.

Lee Dutton, executive sales director at Misco, said: “This award across four Lots is the first time Misco has been on the UK’s largest NHS framework and underlines our commitment to supplying tailored services and solutions to NHS institutions across the country. The framework is designed to allow those within the public sector to maximise their investment in IT whilst benefiting from the best deals available to them. We look forward to helping these organisations increase their operational efficiency and reduce costs as we guide them in planning for the future of their IT estate.”

www.misco.co.uk

London Bridge

London becomes world’s third most expensive city for office space
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The UK’s capital is among the top three most expensive cities in the world to rent office space, with New York topping the list and Hong Kong a close second.

Beijing comes in fourth position, just ahead of Shanghai. The figures were compiled by Kit Out Of My Office which analysed a report published by Colliers on office rental prices throughout the UK and the rest of the world.

The report looks at the cost of leasing office space of 10,000 square feet and associated business costs, such as service charges, property tax and internet access, over a 10 year rental agreement.

However, the report also points out that for businesses looking to relocate or start up in London, initiatives and grants were available, such as the Enterprise Investment Schemes and R&D tax credits.

The report goes on to add that London “cannot be instantly dismissed as it is Europe’s most accessible city, thanks to excellent transport connections, with over eight million Londoners and world-class universities for you to choose your workforce from.”

Stoke-on-Trent toped the survey as the cheapest place to rent office space in the UK, at £10.25 per square foot, three times cheaper than Manchester at £29.75.

Sara Williams, chief executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our office space facilities are extremely competitive compared to the national average prices but we do not compromise on quality. “When you combine our geographic location in the heart of the country and easy access to the motorway, with the competitive office rental prices, this can only be good news in terms of attracting companies to the city.”

Picture Credit: Paul Kennedy Photography

British Cleaning Council

UK’s cleaning industry set to grow, reveals BCC
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A survey compiled for the British Cleaning Council (BCC) by market researcher Firedog Research shows that the cleaning industry contributes more than £24 billion into the UK economy, and is also one of the biggest employees of people, with over 70,000 actively working within the sector.

Wage growth is also higher than the national average, with a growth of 6.5 per cent compared to the national average of 2.3 per cent.

New businesses increased from 4,380 to 4,910 between 2015 and 2016, along with turnover – up by 21 per cent since 2010. Businesses that ceased trading rose from 3,600 to 3,725 between 2014 – 2015, an increase of 3 per cent. However, this figure is much lower than that of national average for companies going out of business, at 9.4 per cent.

Currently, workers across the cleaning industry have lower levels of qualifications than those in other sectors, with a third of the workforce without a BIFM Level 2. However, the latest Working Future Projections shows that there will be a move towards staff holding higher qualifications going forward, with 50 per cent expected to be qualified at Level 4 and above and a fall of four per cent of those people holding no formal qualifications.

Simon Hollingbery, British Cleaning Council Chairman said: “There’s very encouraging signs in the turnover and growth figures, and we need to keep working hard to make sure people in the industry get those higher qualifications.”

www.britishcleaningcouncil.org