I’ve been in the cleaning industry since August 2005 and just with the one company, ISS Facility Services. Back in the day, after being with ISS for a few months, the first external course I went on was a BICSc Assessor’s course, which was a week’s residential course and the knowledge gained stood me in good stead for the development of my career in our industry.
During the last 14 years, I’ve had a range of duties including in HSQE, Compliance and Operations roles, leading to my current position heading up the Cleaning Excellence Department for ISS in the UK. A role I’ve enjoyed immensely since early 2017. The areas my team focuses on can be broken down into seven:
I have two key interests:
Jill has 38 years’ experience in cleaning and facilities management currently as Facilities Manager, Cleaning Services at the University of Leeds, over the years she has managed facilities and cleaning services to varying complex establishments including hotel, nursing home, local authority, schools, colleges, shopping centre, airport and now Universities.
The University of Leeds has a complex in house facilities operation that includes over 300 cleaning operatives and 76 buildings.
She is passionate about promoting cleaning as a professional industry and always strives for continuous improvement and creative solutions through new innovations and development and as such keeps up to date with the industry and is currently an executive committee member of BACHE (British Association of Cleaning in Higher Education).
One of the key factors in the success of improving cleaning services throughout her career has been by implementing effective training through becoming accredited BICSc training and assessment centres and is totally committed to BICSc aim of raising standards of education, building awareness of the cleaning industry through professional standards and accredited training.
Lorraine is a cleaning and service matter expert with over 30 years experience within the industry. Her career has involved a mixture of senior operational and business development roles all in outsourced cleaning and facilities management sectors but particularly specialising in the technically complex healthcare and education sectors.
Lorraine was the only member of the private sector invited by Graham Jacobs of the NHS Workforce and Facilities to be part of the select steering group that developed the cleanliness section of the government’s Department of Health new PLACE ‘Patient Led Inspections Initiative’ which replaced the annual PEAT inspections. Following this work, she was invited to work with the DoH/AHCP PAS 5748 steering group (known as the Rotherham Group) which reviewed the PAS 5748 guidance published in 2011. This work was recognised when BSI submitted it for public consultation, and it was subsequently incorporated and adopted into the revised PAS 5748 (2014) edition.
Lorraine was a founder member of the ‘BSA Cleaning Advisory Group’ which advises and lobbies the government on cleaning related matters; this work has resulted in the launching of ‘The Responsible Cleaning Operator Scheme’ 2015 which was nationally acclaimed and endorsed by the UK Cleaning sector.
Yvonne has been working within the FM sector since 1995 starting as a pot washer and cleaning operative with Compass. After progression through the ranks in 2000 Yvonne became the General Manger for a large Healthcare Trust with Medirest, quickly progressing to Regional Operations Manager. In 2007 she gained further knowledge and experience working for Balfour Beatty as Head of Soft Services for Healthcare, Education and Blue Lights. In 2012 Yvonne joined G4S as a Soft FM Solutions Specialist working within in all sectors creating innovative service delivery models. In September 2015 Yvonne joined OCS as Head of Cleaning covering the UK, Ireland and Middle East a position she is very passionate about, Yvonne is responsible for ensuring the OCS model is delivered to the highest standards, using the latest technology and innovation and a bespoke training programme for their cleaning operatives.
Andy has worked within higher education since 1994. Andy became a member of BICSc in 2002 at a time when he was working as a Housekeeping Manager at Warwick University. Andy has consistently encouraged the delivery of BICSc standards.
Between 2010 and 2014 Andy was part of the Estates team at Warwick University where he continued to deliver BICSc training and assessment. During this time he was appointed as Cleaning Services Manager at Aston University in Birmingham. In 2016 he became the Facilities Officer and is now responsible for cleaning, portering, postal services and the campus wardens.
Andy has a CIPD qualification in Human Resources and during 2018 he also completed the BIFM level 4 certificate.
Andy will bring years of experience and knowledge to Council and is passionate about his new role as part of BICSc Council.
The cleaning industry is Andrew second calling after serving 16 years in the UK Armed Forces, so although a relative newcomer to the sector he brings a wealth of knowledge in regards to learning & development, team dynamics and behavioural change.
In 2015 he joined the ISS Cleaning Excellence Team and in doing so was exposed to so some of the most knowledgeable and experienced cleaning professional in the business, this accelerated his understanding and appreciation of the sector, as well as the obstacles that hold it back.
He is currently employed on the ISS PwC account as the Senior Operations Manager where he is responsible the 6 sites that makes up the London region as well as overall responsibility for Learning & Development, Standards, mobilisations as well as the Health, Safety and wellbeing across the 23 sites.
Andrew cares deeply about education, wellbeing and creating pathways for individuals who want to progress within the industry.
Soo has worked in the cleaning and FM industry for over 30 years, working her way up from a cleaning operative in local schools when her children were little to her current position as Technical Director for Birkin Services.
Soo first became associated with BICSc in 1992 when her then employer, OCS, placed her on a BICSc training course at SC Johnson Wax at Frimley Green. From that moment on Soo was hooked and started using BICSc best practice and applying the standards on every account she worked with. In 2001 she took her BICSc association one step further and completed more BICSc COPC skills with SC Johnson Wax (now Diversey Sealed Air) at Frimley Green and continued with her qualification to become a BICSc assessor.
Since 2001 Soo has trained more than 300 managers, supervisors and cleaning operatives in PBICSc and CPSS skills and has opened four ATP training hubs for her employers, along with developing in-house induction training programs for her staff to lead them into BICSc Licence to Practice and CPSS 2.0.
Soo has continued her education with BICSc and has now qualified in delivering training and assessment for Accommodation Skills within the CPSS skills suite. In 2011 she was elected onto the BICSc Council.
Five out of five council meetings attended in 2017
Lorraine has been a member of BICSc for over 16 years. She is also the current Chairman of the Employers Group for Cleaning Industry Apprenticeships.
Lorraine came to cleaning from a career in catering; BICSc was the first course she completed, and from the first day of chemical competency, she was hooked and wanted to train and assess to BICSc standards.
At the time there was no local branch meeting, so with help from BICSc headquarters, in 2005 Lorraine restarted the London & Home Counties region. It is now thriving with many events throughout the year. In 2013 she was honored to be made a Fellow of the Institute. 2013 was also the same year Lorraine became a member of the Worship Company of Environmental Cleaners and achieved the Freedom of the City of London.
In 2012 Lorraine became Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner, training first aid, IOSH and NEBOSH courses along with all other health and safety courses. She has a passion for training, mentoring and coaching people, and therefore it has been a natural progression to turn this devotion into a career.
Health and safety and the environment is Lorraine’s specialty, and she currently represents BICSc on the Cleaning Industry Liaising Forum, a committee set up by the Health and Safety Executive to oversee health and safety in the cleaning industry.
Lorraine has worked in the service industry, across many sectors and has a broad portfolio of experiences including overseeing companies in achieving accreditations in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Investors In People, and other safety accreditations
Three out of five council meetings attended in 2017
Melanie has worked in the cleaning industry since 1983, initially supporting her way through college by cleaning, then progressing through various industry sectors such as food manufacturing, commercial cleaning, and industrial cleaning, before moving into facilities management.
On joining VINCI, Melanie encountered a facilities management company who subcontracted out all of their services. The lack of training, support, and passion towards cleaning by the subcontractors and VINCI Managers inspired her to create a framework to enable VINCI to self-deliver. Melanie focused on innovation and recognition of achievements both internally and externally. Three years on VINCI now employ over 650 cleaning operatives.
BICSc gave the recognised standard and became the core element in VINCI’s delivery, utilising its methodology in their RAMS. VINCI now have a rolling programme of BICSc accredited training to ensure that all managers, supervisors, as well as cleaning operatives, are trained.
Melanie is a passionate supporter of BICSc and believes that she can contribute to its future, as a client in being objective, giving an FM business perspective and assisting in the development of a sustainable strategy to ensure an economically viable future and to remain a prominently recognised force in the delivery and advancement of cleaning.
Four out of five council meetings attended in 2017
