The vital role of cleaners during COVID-19 has been recognised and celebrated on Thank Your Cleaner Day.
In Australia, and around the globe, cleaners have remained at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19, providing essential services and ensuring the health and safety of workplaces, employees, and customers.
Launched by the Building Service Contractors of New Zealand (BSCNZ), in partnership with Kärcher, Thank Your Cleaner Day was held on Wednesday, 21 October, 2020.
Now in its sixth year, the day aims to raise the profile of the industry as well as celebrate the role of professional cleaners.
Let’s show #cleaners the appreciation they deserve on #ThankYourCleanerDay for all the vital work that they do, especially in #COVID times. These often invisible heroes ensure that we all have safe and hygienic spaces to enjoy, work and live in.
Thank you today and everyday! pic.twitter.com/MfFpL9OzlC
— Cleaning Accountability Framework (@CleaningAccF) October 20, 2020
Since its launch, the event has continued to garner global attention from building service contractors and their customers, with the event now celebrated in more than 20 countries.
In 2019, Canada, US, UK, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Colombia were among some of the countries to have participated.
Building service contractors and their customers hosted events such as morning teas and barbeques on Wednesday, 21 October, for team members.
“Thank Your Cleaner Day takes on a whole new meaning this year,” said Sarah McBride, CEO of BSCNZ.
“Now more than ever we need to thank our essential workers for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 crisis. Through this pandemic commercial cleaners are now recognised for the critical role they play in keeping us all safe.”
Jo Clark, marketing manager Kärcher Australia, said the event is a day of appreciation.
“Thank Your Cleaner Day is a special day once a year to celebrate and acknowledge the vital contribution that professional cleaners make to our everyday lives. We know now, more than ever, that good hygiene is critical for slowing the spread of coronavirus across Australia.
“From Kärcher’s perspective, we are very proud and privileged to be the sponsor of this worthy Thank Your Cleaner Day campaign. We’d like to thank everyone who helped celebrate our cleaners – whether it was saying thanks in person, posting thanks on your social media, hosting a morning tea for your cleaners, or leaving your cleaner a drawing from the school kids.”
Today is Thank Your Cleaner Day! What are you doing to show appreciation for the cleaning professionals in your life? #ThankYourCleaner https://t.co/2zQvSmzKJe
— Kaivac, Inc. (@kaivac) October 21, 2020
Quayclean CEO, Mark Piwkowski, said the world cleaning industry has this year endured the most challenging working conditions in history and recognition of cleaners’ work on Thank Your Cleaner Day has never been as important or merited.
“The work of the cleaning industry has often been undervalued by clients and customers as cleaners are often invisible because of the hours they work,” said Piwkowski.
“Thank Your Cleaner Day draws a tight focus on the dedicated efforts of our staff and all cleaners who work relentlessly, often outside of normal working hours, to help keep working and living environments clean, safe and hygienic.
“Their important work has given workers, teachers, students and event attendees a high level of comfort during a most uncertain time in recent history,” said Piwkowski
The ACT school cleaning team have delivered over 270,000 hours of school cleaning since 1 February 2020 – a truly incredible commitment to the safety of our schools.
Thank you to each and every member of our school cleaning team! #thankyourcleanerday pic.twitter.com/uDyBcVMuVz
— ACT Public Schools (@ACTEducation) October 21, 2020
Tony Gorgovski, CEO of BIC Services, said the company’s frontline staff have played a vital role in helping to stop the spread of this virus throughout the community
“Managing the COVID pandemic has unearthed many a hero during this crisis – nurses, doctors, police staff and industry leaders, just to name a few.
“Wednesday the 21st of October is Thank Your Cleaner Day, and in my eyes, there has not been a greater hero during this pandemic. It’s these cleaners that have serviced our workplaces at the risk of their own safety that really deserve the recognition.”
Lauren Micallef, Oceania manager, ISSA, said: “The cleaning industry finds itself front and centre of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, recognises the hard work and commitment our industry has displayed in this time of need.
“On Thank Your Cleaner Day, and every other day, I encourage all businesses to show their appreciation for the continuous hard work done by all cleaning staff.”
Gareth Marriott, managing director of OCS Australia, said cleaners, once the invisible workforce, have become the “unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“Our once-invisible workforce of cleaners have become the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside supermarket warriors and the extraordinary work done by our health personnel.
“During COVID-19 we’ve all realised how critical cleaners are.”
We truly believe that our people are the ❤ of our business. We celebrate and thank all our ‘Frontline Heroes’ for keeping us, and our clients safe, each and every day during this challenging time. We value and support you. Happy Thank Your Cleaner Day.#thankyourcleanerday2020 pic.twitter.com/8Wi4fF33Q1
— ARA Indigenous Services (@araisservices) October 21, 2020
Today is Thank Your Cleaner Day!
Professional cleaners play a pivotal role in our society more than ever, depriving virus’ of their livelihood. In a clean, well-maintained environment, the risk of transmission is minimized considerably. #thankyourcleaner #cleaning #karcher pic.twitter.com/EZIRRUTunI
— CSSA (@cssauk) October 21, 2020
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