industry news Kimberly-Clark partners with ISSA in cleaning scholarship programme
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n order to address the needs of cleaning professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, KimberlyClark Professional announced a new scholarship programme to assist smaller cleaning organisations to provide critical training on infectious disease prevention and control measures for their employees. The programme is in collaboration with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association, and the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA. “Cleaning professionals are working tirelessly behind the scenes to help other essential businesses run safely,” said Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America. “They are heroes on the
front lines, putting their own health and safety at risk. So, while they’re looking out for others, we want to ensure that someone is looking out for them. This scholarship programme is about providing access for these essential heroes, especially those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to get this training, to gain the knowledge they need to work safely and confidently.” The GBAC Fundamentals Online Course is focused on prevention, response, and control measures for biohazards in the workplace with a special emphasis on infection and contamination control measures for infectious disease outbreak situations such as COVID-19.
Through Kimberly-Clark Professional’s US$500 000 donation, more than 10 000 cleaning professionals across the globe will be able to complete the GBAC Fundamentals Online Course at no cost. Smaller businesses, who may not have otherwise been able to fund this training for their employees, are being given priority placement in the programme. In addition, the programme has the goal of 50 percent of scholarships going to females and will support a mentorship programme in partnership with the ISSA Hygieia Network, the first women’s network for the global cleaning community dedicated to the advancement of women in the cleaning industry. As part of the scholarship programme, recipients can sign up to be mentored by volunteers from Kimberly-Clark Professional. For more information visit: www.issa.com/kcp-scholarships
R400 million fund launched by Bidvest to support laid-off workers
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SE-listed services, trading and distribution group Bidvest announced during April that it had allocated R400 million towards employee relief initiatives through a newly formed Bidvest Group COVID-19 Employee Fund. Bidvest Group, which employs 100 000 people in South Africa, said in a statement that it had put in place a raft of measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on its staff. Bidvest Group Chief Executive Lindsay Ralphs said the funds would be used to support the income needs of staff who had been unable to work during the level 5 and level 4 lockdowns. Executives will
also be taking a 40 percent pay cut and board members will be taking a 30 percent pay cut. “Like the rest of the world, South Africa is going through an unprecedented crisis,” said Ralphs, “and even diversified groups like ours are not immune to the economic fallout. As one of the largest employers on the JSE Top 40 Index, we nevertheless recognise that our people are our most valuable asset and we are making financial arrangements that will help us shield them against the impact of the crisis.” Employees who have been able to work during the lockdown period will receive their salaries in
accordance with standard business practices. The company said the categories of staff who have been unable to work during the lockdown, and who might still not be able to work after regulations eased on 1 May, would be supported through the fund. These included job grades from general workers through to supervisors and managers. These employees will each receive an ex gratia payment of R2 000 from the Group COVID-19 Employee Fund to assist them with immediate needs and to supplement any UIF TERS allowances being offered by the government.
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