ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

The European Federation of the Cleaning Industry (EFCI) is undergoing major change, with the election of a new president and a restructuring at its Brussels office. ECJ hears from Lorenzo Mattioli about his priorities for the coming year.

2022 has been a year of profound change for EFCI, the European Cleaning and Facility Services Industry, as the association has elected a new president and renewed its structure in Brussels. We discuss with the president, Lorenzo Mattioli, his views for the sector and priorities for his mandate.

Lorenzo Mattioli was nominated by EFCI general assembly in June 2022, succeeding Juan Diez de los Rios. In parallel to his European function Mattioli has been serving as president of ANIP Confindustria, the Italian association representing cleaning companies, since 2014. In this role, he has initiated the creation of a new association for the unitary representation of the different branches of the facility management industry (cleaning, food services, pest control, security, textile rental), Confindustria Servizi HCFS.

An essential function, lacking the necessary recognition

As we could all directly experience, during the pandemic the role and impact of cleaning in our lives has become visible, probably for the first time, on a societal and collective scale. However, now that theemergency has subsided, our companies and their staff have become rather invisible, a sort of commodity that we all give for granted, but that is never really valued for what it does. Yet, our sector remains one of the pillars on which the wellbeing of our communities is granted and the continuity of our economic activities is granted, on a daily basis.

The ‘red thread’ that will inspire his presidency, Mattioli explains, is precisely this – exposing the centrality of the work provided and give the companies and people the visibility they deserve. At EU level a discussion was launched with EFCI’s union counterpart, UNIEuropa, on this specific point, agreeing on a declaration on daytime cleaning that focuses on the need to make the work
of cleaners more visible (in addition to greener, more attractive, better work-life balance), but there is still a lot more to do.

“I have always attributed a lot of importance to industrial relations, and to the necessity to develop constructive, positive and non-confrontational relations with union organizations”, adds Mattioli. “As EFCI is a recognised EU social partner, I am determined to make the most of the opportunities social dialogue at EU level offers to accompany the evolution of legislation in a way that benefits all its actors, companies and workers alike”.

A variety of policy domains relevant for the sector

The list of policy areas in which the cleaning and facility sectors have a say is wide, ranging from labour shortages and technological development to work-life balance and attractiveness, from the impact of greening on the sector to the specific dimension of the integration of newcomers into the labour force, a distinctive feature of the cleaning sector in all EU countries.

“Being employed by our companies means for a lot of people signing their first formal labour contract, entering the regular job market and enjoying labour rights in a way that lays the foundations for a successful integration into society”, points out Lorenzo Mattioli.

“We need to modify policy makers’ and stakeholders’ perception of the sector, to put in the right perspective the societal role it provides, the increase of its technological dimension and the many structural transformations it is undergoing - including its shift towards a more structural interconnection with the wider branch of facility management.”

Increasing the representativeness of the association in Brussels

To achieve these goals, EFCI will have to adopt new working approaches and enlarge its scope. According to its president, EFCI has to attract new member organisations, to include a wider range of countries, bringing to the Brussels scenario the variety and complexity of the industry in Europe. And to increase its attractiveness and capacity to provide services to its affiliates, a stronger engagement in public advocacy is to be enforced.

“We have redefined our internal structures and organisation, and with the nomination of our new director general we are implementing our new course,” Mattioli concludes. “Reaching out more regularly and intensely to both policy makers and partners, in Brussels and in the member states, is my first operational priority – something we have already put in motion”, concluded Mattioli.

New director general

Since December EFCI has had a new director general, Matteo Matarazzo is an Italian national and started his career in EU affairs in 2010 working for the European Commission. With a long experience in EU social affairs, he has worked as the director of a EU social partner organisation representing the managerial workforce prior to joining EFCI.

“I am very excited to be working for the EU cleaning and facilities industry, a sector that is much more relevant to the EU economy than public opinion usually thinks. I look forward to putting all my skills and enthusiasm to the service of the industry and its stakeholders,” commented Matarazzo.

www.efci.eu