Cleankill has become the first pest control company in the UK to gain the Investors in People Silver accreditation.
No other pest control companies have achieved either Silver or Gold Investors in People. Three years ago Cleankill achieved the Bronze level – the first company it its sector to do so – and decided to build on that success by aiming for the next level.
Cleankill impressed the Investors in People assessor by comfortably reaching the required level with a score of 86 across a suite of criteria – well above the score of 76 required. Cleankill is now among only 13 per cent of companies in the UK with either a Silver or Gold Investors in People accreditation.
The assessor praised Cleankill staff for continuing with their aim of offering a ‘big company’ level of professionalism and quality while keeping a small-company ethos.
Assessor Anne Hyde explains: “People across all levels of the business have a good understanding of the ethics that underpin the business. These range from honesty to customer excellence and from innovation to teamwork. We also liked the fact that the organisation’s role in the community is also a key aspect of how Cleankill operates and includes charitable fundraising and giving practical support to local groups.”
In the report Cleankill was praised for its open culture and the sharing of knowledge, information and expertise on an ongoing basis with staff having high levels of autonomy and being empowered – and trusted – to deliver their day-to-day work at customers’ premises. The report also highlighted the many opportunities, including industry qualifications, that are used to both develop people in their current roles and, where appropriate, support people to progress within the organisation.
Cleankill Managing Director Paul Bates said: “Achieving Silver is our proudest achievement since the company was launched 20 years ago. We firmly believe that being involved in Investors in People has helped us go from strength-to-strength, especially in the last few years. We are fast becoming an ‘employer of choice’ in the industry and have become a credible alternative to household name companies such as Rentokil.
“This fantastic success builds on our initial IIP accreditation back in 2005 when we first achieved the basic standard. Since then, IIP have introduced three additional levels above their standard which are Bronze, Silver and Gold. In 2011 we went beyond the standard and achieved Bronze and have now progressed further with the Silver Award.
“People across all levels of the business share in Cleankill’s success, including through the financial incentives and non-financial rewards, and have contributed to our success. As a result of their ongoing involvement in the business, people are both proud to work at Cleankill and are committed to the continued success of the organisation.”
The assessment process involved interviews with staff at Cleankill’s South Croydon headquarters about issues like training, work-life balance and communication.
Paul added: “The latest assessment proves that our team is one of the most experienced and best trained in the country. Around a quarter of the UK workforce are employed by organisations that are accredited to Investors in People - or working towards the standard. But only six per cent of organisations that are Investors in People accredited have achieved Silver and eight per cent Gold. This means Cleankill belongs to a very select group.”
The Investors in People news follows hard on the heels of other excellent assessment scores. Cleankill has proved the quality of its COSHH assessments by passing recent ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and Achilles assessments with flying colours. In the past two years Cleankill has won many awards including a Barclays Bank sponsored award for customer service, a South London award for the quality of its green business ethos and a Handelsbanken award for best medium-sized business.
Cleankill is an award-winning, specialist provider of pest control services to retail, commercial and industrial properties throughout the UK. From offices in Kenley, South Croydon, and Seaford, East Sussex, the company deals with ‘distress’ pests such as wasps and fleas, as well as offering preventative maintenance against public health pests like mice, rats, cockroaches and flies. Cleankill can also clear and proof buildings against pest birds.
Cleankill has been solving pest problems for commercial and domestic customers for more than 20 years. Using the most up-to-date pest control techniques and technology, the company keeps its customers pest free and makes sure it is at the forefront of the industry when it comes to the use of pesticides and non-toxic pest control methodology.
As an Investor in People, all Cleankill’s staff are highly trained and offer an exceptionally fast and efficient level of service. The company is a proud member of the British Pest Control Association, as well as being approved to ISO9001 and ISO14001. Cleankill is also fully accredited to the Safecontractor, Exor, Constructionline and Achilles Health and Safety Accreditation Scheme and aims to be recognised as a market leader for innovation and new pest control techniques. You can follow Cleankill on Twitter or Facebook