In facilities management, ensuring high cleaning standards is of the utmost importance. Clean and well-maintained facilities contribute to a positive and healthy environment, whether it be at school, creating a conducive working environment, or improving the experience of visitors at a sporting venue.
Recently, to ensure these high standards are met and understood across this huge sector, major professional bodies have taken a significant step towards agreeing on the common definition of “statutory” in the context of workplace and facilities management.
Here, we delve into the details of this new definition, highlighting the significance and implications for the future of facilities management.
A collaborative effort to define new standards in FM
The new definition is a significant milestone, marking a collective effort of industry leaders, including the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), SFG20 (part of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA)), Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), and Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Their collaboration has paved the way for a clearer understanding of how this new change will be defined, providing much-needed clarity and guidance in the industry.
The agreement was facilitated by IWFM’s Procurement and Contract Management Special Interest Group (SIG), a group dedicated to driving up FM standards in contracts. They noted that the lack of a common methodology for compiling specifications for statutory inspections allows for great variability in what good looks like for complying with statutory requirements, at times resulting in properties potentially being non-compliant from a statutory inspection perspective. As noted in the IWFM‘s website statement following the change, Chris Reeves, Procurement and Contract Management SIG Chair, IWFM, commented:
“By bringing together and collaborating with other organisations and professional bodies, each with their own perspective and expertise, we have been able to create a common definition which should be of great benefit to all.”
How will it impact the FM sector?
The term “statutory” denotes anything required by primary legislation, such as Acts of Parliament, and secondary legislation, such as Statutory Instruments (including Regulations).
In the context of facilities management, achieving statutory compliance often requires following primary and secondary legislation, government guidance, Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs), industry standards, and guidelines. These provide a framework for meeting statutory requirements and help in driving up facility management standards.
When it comes to high cleaning standards in facilities management, understanding and adhering to statutory requirements is crucial. For example, in the absence of a traceable reference to legislation related to cleaning standards, industry standards and guidance such as those by trade associations and professional bodies can assist in discharging duties under the statutory requirements.
Clear guidelines and benchmarks outlined in the agreed definition of ‘statutory’ now provide facility managers with the necessary reference points to ensure compliance and maintain high cleaning standards within their facilities.
By understanding the common definition of ‘statutory’ and its implications in the context of cleaning standards, facilities managers can streamline their processes, address potential non-compliance issues, and uphold high cleaning standards across their facilities.
Meeting high standards: it’s in our DNA
Delivering a high standard is ingrained in every service we provide at the Tudor Group.
We pride ourselves on ensuring we meet the high standards we set for ourselves with every client across all our contracts. Our commitment to meeting high standards is underpinned by industry-leading standards upon which our services are delivered, such as ISSA and FWC (Federation of Window Cleaners), ISO 45001, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001, to name a few.
The feedback we receive from clients and the longevity of some of our contracts speaks volumes: we consistently deliver the same great service, often winning additional work from a quality service we’ve offered to a client. Notably, we recently won a contract for cleaning across six more sites for MAPP, following an excellent service we delivered across existing sites.
At the Tudor Group, we welcome changes and are dedicated to maintaining the high standards we set for ourselves. Fabien Caqueret, our Managing Director, reaffirms our commitment:
“Whether it’s meeting the latest industry guidance, legislation, or standards, at the Tudor Group, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail. The new common definition of ‘statutory’ will have a role to play in the drive towards standardising the quality of cleaning practices and enhancing compliance in the facility management industry. We welcome the change and believe it will support the high standards we already set ourselves every day.”
To find out more about how we meet industry standards or how we deliver a high-quality service, get in touch to discuss how we can help meet your specific requirements.
