ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

The programme for this year's World Federation of Building Service Contractors (WFBSC) congress, which takes place in Berlin from September 18-20, has now been finalised. The theme is Cleaning in a Digital World.

Hosting the congress is the German contract cleaning association BIV - the event will take place alongside the CMS exhibition from 19-22.

The congress will be opened by EU commissioner Günther Oettinger, with other opening speakers including WFBSC and BIV president Thomas Dietrich, Berlin mayor Ramona Pop and EFCI president Yvan Fieremans.

The internet activist and former Wikileaks spokesman Daniel Domscheit-Berg will share his perspectives concerning the opportunities and risks involved in digital networking. Changing business strategies in the digital age will comprise part of his focus along with the challenges presented by internet platforms and the impact of the internet on facility management service related processes, management issues and general working conditions.

Thomas Dietrich will challenge participants from Germany and abroad to work together at the congress toward finding answers to the questions their various enterprises pose concerning digitalisation.

Among the topics addressed will be the question as to what consequences digitalisation will have upon service processes and performance, the extent to which the significance of knowledge acquisition and usage of stored data will continue to develop, but also the shape that working with clients might take in the future.

All delegates are invited to attend the opening ceremony at the Hotel InterContinental on September 17, to take part in Premium Sponsors' Night on September 18 following a boating excursion, to attend the Purus Innovation Awards ceremony at the CMS evening on September 19 and to enjoy the gala dinner at the Palais am Funkturm on September 20.

Participants can register at a preferential rate until July 27: €1200 for delegates and €500 for accompanying persons. From July 28 the rates will increase to €1500 and €600 respectively.

Full details of the programme and registration can be found online: www.wfbsc2017.berlin

For information on the CMS exhibition click here