ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

German correspondent Thomas Schulte-Marxloh reports from Bonn on a forum about the future of facilities management.

In September the Federal Trade Guild Association (BIV) and the German magazine Rationell Reinigen set the stage for a forum in Bonn about the future of facility services. Although the convention mainly offered future prospects, it also reflected on current issues and challenges.

Markus Asch, chairman of the machine manufacturers' association VDMA, gave a lecture on sustainability, considering the demographic shifts which will result in a higher quota of senior employees and thus new challenges regarding the operation of machines and equipment. However the ecological aspects of a sustainable economy like energy efficiency, life cycle costs
and other factors covered by the term ‘blue competence’ also mean a challenge for
both - the machine industry and the customers.

PR expert Klaus Schardt, managing director of Kontext, addressed another success factor in business. Public relations is becoming increasingly important and companies have to consider which media to choose and how to operate in order to achieve the best results. Schardt gave many examples of successful PR work.

Fighting minimum wages

The speech by IT security expert Götz Schartner dealt with digital crime and industrial espionage. It was rather scary how easily data stored on mobiles, laptops and company networks can be accessed from outside and how easy it is to cause significant damage by unauthorised usage or abuse of data. He also gave advice on how enterprises can take immediate action against this.

A panel discussion, entitled ‘Free Movement of Employees and Services – an Interim Result’, was the last topic of the agenda of the first day - with participants from Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

On the second day journalist and consultant Alexander Niemetz explained his view of the so-called euro crisis: 'World Economy and Development of the Euro – Impact on the Industry’. Afterwards Johannes Bungart, managing director of BIV, explained the association's point of view regarding ‘mini-jobs’ and minimum wages.

For years the association has been fighting for minimum wages in the cleaning business and also wishes for changes in the regulation of mini-jobs. Participants could then choose between six sessions: ‘Efficient Purchase Pays Off’, ‘Facility Service Provider on the Internet’, ‘Burn-out Prevention as a Duty of the Management’, ‘Service Potentials for Contract Cleaning Companies through Focus on Healthcare’, ‘Exchange of Experiences Regarding E-assignment’, ‘Recruitment in Times of Demographic Change’.

The last speaker was Heinz Buschkowsky, mayor of Berlin-Neukölln, on the importance of integration. "A prosperous life can only be achieved by integration, highly trained and qualified employees”.