THE CLEANING & HYGIENE SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION

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 is a powerful business tool for its members and a valuable information resource for its associates.

THE CHSA MANUFACTURING STANDARD ACCREDITATION SCHEMES

Clearly implicit in the CHSA mission statement is the Association’s intent to raise the industry standards whilst assisting its members in providing their customers with ‘value for money’ in their cleaning and hygiene product requirements.

The Association provides a unique relationship between manufactures, engaged in product development and production, and distributors like Futures Supplies who supply product to the end user – the all important customer.

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 both CHSA members and their customers an informed choice when buying such products, the Association has introduced three ‘Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Schemes.


Soft Tissue	Standard Plastic Refuse Sack	Standard Cotton Mop Standard

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 manufactures 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 manufactures 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 members of the CHSA and supporters of this scheme, source products manufactured by companies who are scheme members and as such Futures Supplies provide its valued customers 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 manufactures 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 meters 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 Super Heroes do!

With Government support and Trading Standards backing and to highlight the problems faced in the industry, the CHSA has introduced three new ‘Super Hero’ characters to ‘Beat the Cheats’.


Tissue Man	Sack Man	Mop Man

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.

CODE OF PRACTICE

The eligibility criteria for membership of the Cleaning and Hygiene Suppliers Association, as set out in its Articles of Association, require a member to be well established in the cleaning and hygiene industry and to maintain a high standard in the conduct of its business. By adhering to this Code of Practice members demonstrate their high standards in the conduct of their businesses and their continuing eligibility for membership of CHSA. Failure to observe the Code of Practice may cause the member to be expelled from membership.

All members of the Cleaning and Hygiene Suppliers Association accept this Code of Practice and agree: -

To conduct business dealings in a fair and proper manner.
Not knowingly, recklessly or negligently to be party to any improper business practices of any customer or supplier.
To offer for sale sound quality cleaning materials, chemicals, specialist machinery equipment to enable customers to achieve their required levels of hygiene and cleanliness.
To stock a comprehensive range of materials and equipment in sufficient quantities to meet reasonable short notice requirements.
To provide proper training for sales and back-up staff to enable them to give professional advice on the use of materials and equipment offered for sale.
To take all reasonable care to avoid false or exaggerated claims verbally, in literature or in any other way.
To take all reasonable care to procure that the packaging of products supplied by the member (whether as a manufacturer or a distributor) contains accurate and permanent labelling as to the quantity and dimensions of the contents.
To refrain from making inaccurate, misleading or deliberately malicious statements concerning a competitive product or service.
To ensure that customers are kept advised of the effect of changes in product formulations likely to lead to different in-use handling or Health and Safety instructions.
To investigate any complaint raised by a customer and if the complaint is justified to take all necessary action required to rectify the situation.
To accept the Council of the Association, or suitable person appointed by Council, as arbitrator when so requested and to abide by the decision of such arbitration.
To maintain adequate insurance cover for Product and Public Liability.
To observe this Code of Practice. E Mail us for further details at info@futures-supplies.co.uk or visit the CHSA website www.chsa.co.uk

THE CLEANING & SUPPORT SERVICES ASSOCIATION

The CSSA is far more than a trade association - it is a guide to quality and reliability in the UK cleaning and support services market. Its dedication to training, marketing and the representation of its members' interests has already made it one of the most respected trade organisations in the country.

The Cleaning and Support Services Association aims have been carefully formulated to benefit both the industry and its member’s customers.

The Association offers its members a wide range of benefits and expert services, including:

Increased credibility, resulting from customers' recognition that an Association member can be relied on to operate to the highest ethical and professional standard.
The ability to draw on a range of centralised services, including the latest information on legislation, industrial relations, and employment law - plus free legal advice, by telephone or any business or domestic problem.
Extensive training services, including a comprehensive free loan video library, publication, conferences and consultancy support for members' marketing activities, including use of the CSSA logo, to provide endorsement of a company's quality of service and administration.
Powerful representation of industry views - not only to Government within the UK, but also to the European Community, via direct CSSA lobbying and through membership of key trade bodies like the CBI and EFCI.
A wide range of publications covering employment issues, COSHH and a host of other vital topics for the trade, such as Investors in People, NVQ's/SVQs, etc.

The benefits of belonging to the CSSA do not stop at the immediate services it offers its members. The Association is also leading the way in terms of sector training. Through its association with the Government recognised National Training Organisation (NTO), the CSSA has a responsibility to help its members:

Receive up to date and relevant information on training matters, tapping into an invaluable source of advice and guidance on training solutions to business problems.
Access training courses, publications, consultancy and conferences.
Benefit from sector funding for training, which individual companies would find difficult to obtain.
Share ideas, concerns and good practice.

In return, members who take up these opportunities can expect to see a reduction in time losses resulting from absenteeism, and staff turnover, improved quality and competitiveness resulting from more competent staff and cost reduction and higher profitability.

For members of the CSSA, this adds up to a major opportunity to improve their expertise through effective training and relevant qualifications. While for the customer, this means an even better and more efficient service.

Code of Practice
Membership of the Cleaning and Support Services Association is not an automatic process and all members are required to strictly adhere to the following guidelines in ethical, professional, commercial and operational conduct and practice.

Standards and Accountability CSSA members will ensure that all work is completed to a high standard by well trained staff. Equally, they will be responsible for the conduct and acts of their staff in all matters which occur on their clients' premises in the performance of a contract.
Health and Safety Members can provide their clients, by agreement, with a Health and Safety Statement, clearly explaining company policy and covering all relevant statutory requirements. Members will similarly ensure that their employees are made aware of all relevant health and safety regulations.
Insurance Cover Members will always be adequately insured, including Employer's Liability and Products' Liability Insurance. Association members must have the following minimum limits of indemnity:
1. Employers liability £10,000,000 in respect of any one occurrence and must also comply with the current Employers´ Liability legislation.
2. Public liability £2,000,000 any one occurrence.
3. Products´ liability £2,000,000 any one occurrence and in any one year.
Employment Practices CSSA members will abide by all current employment and industrial relations legislation, with the Association undertaking to update members regularly on all matters relating to current employment practice. Members´ employees will also have the right to belong to a trades union or other professional representative body.
Quality of Materials and Machinery Members will, at all times, employ good quality materials and, where machinery is used, ensure that it is properly maintained.
Quotations to Clients Members will supply free quotations (unless specifically agreed otherwise) to clients, without obligation on their part. They will include all resources decreed necessary by the contractor to carry out the service in compliance with contract specifications.
Fair Competition Members will engage in free and fair competition when tendering for contracts and not involve themselves in any form of price fixing or collusion.
Clients' Personnel Members of the CSSA will not engage any member of a client's staff without that client's prior approval. In the event of a contract being terminated, this undertaking will last for three months from the date of termination.
References Members will use their best endeavours to ensure that all personnel they employ will have supplied satisfactory references before being engaged.
Termination of Agreements Members will ensure clearly defined and agreed conditions relating to the termination of any agreements with their customers.
Arbitration All CSSA members will agree to arbitration (provided free by the Association),), if so required by the client, in the event of a dispute between the client and an Association member.
Conduct of Association Members of the Association who bring the Association into disrepute will be subject to disciplinary action.
To observe this Code of Practice.

For more information on the CSSA e mail us at info@futures-supplies.co.uk or visit the CSSA website at www.cleaningindustry.org

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; CSSA; 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 held at the NEC in Birmingham every two years, 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 British Cleaning Council also organises the "Clean Britain Awards" scheme. The competition final coincides with The Cleaning Show, next taking place at the Birmingham NEC on 10th March 2009.

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 British Institute of Cleaning Science

Trade associations provide a vehicle for best practice, industries 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 our 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 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