For the UK Cleaning and Hygiene Industry

 

 

 

 

Purpose

• The APPG for the Cleaning and Hygiene Industry exists to promote the critical importance of the cleaning and hygiene sector to people in the United Kingdom. The sector provides essential cleaning and hygiene products and services, and is focused on the well-being of people, their health and safety, as well as the protection of the environment. The importance of the sector, and the essential and skilled work carried out by cleaning and hygiene operatives, is generally undervalued. The pandemic has highlighted it is more important than ever that the vital work undertaken by cleaning and hygiene operatives be properly recognised.

Aims

• To support ‘critical and essential worker’ recognition for a significant number of cleaning and hygiene industry staff; they play an essential role in the fight against COVID-19 by maintaining hygienic environments and protecting the health and well-being of people in all kinds of places and properties. Effective cleaning and hygiene regimes are critical and essential to restoring the confidence of the nation in returning to work and normality, thereby supporting the UK economy to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
• To support the delivery of an Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education recognised apprenticeship in cleaning science. To support the creation of a recognised accreditation for cleaning and hygiene operatives.
• To support the real Living Wage on the basis that a fair day’s work merits a fair day’s pay. Cleaning and hygiene operatives deserve a wage which meets their everyday needs and properly recognises their contribution towards the health and well-being of people and the management of the environment.
• To highlight the importance of employee well-being and mental health awareness.
• To continue drive the cleaning and hygiene industry and its supply chains in fully complying with the Modern Slavery Act.
• To highlight the cleaning and hygiene industry’s contribution towards the attainment of the Government’s sustainability and environmental targets, and the 2050 Net Zero emissions target.
• To highlight the importance of properly regulating cleaning and disinfection products.
• To highlight issues of product safety and the elimination of unregulated products making unsubstantiated claims.
• To highlight the impact of EU Regulations on the distribution and availability of products in Northern Ireland.
• To encourage the sector’s commitment to a green recovery by setting stretching targets to reduce waste: to eliminate the unnecessary use of single-use plastic and to create a circular economy for all types of packaging.
• To see the sector’s SMEs are treated fairly by having their invoices paid in full and on time.
• To assess how changes to immigration rules impact the cleaning and hygiene industry and to assist the Government in driving change.
• To consider how increasing automation and other technology based innovations impact the work undertaken in the cleaning Version 2.1 4 and hygiene sector and the skills required of cleaning operatives.

This is not an official website of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group.