Assessing Quality of Cleaning Vendors
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Joan Pereira’s inquiry into implementing measures to assess and review the quality of cleaning vendors. Minister Grace Fu Hai Yien explained that all cleaning businesses must already be licensed by the National Environment Agency and adhere to the Progressive Wage Model. A revised three-class licensing framework will be introduced on 1 January 2024 to help service buyers differentiate vendors based on their capabilities and resources. The highest Class 1 license will require higher paid-up capital, a clean legal track record, and a workforce trained in at least three Workforce Skills Qualifications modules. These measures ensure that cleaning businesses are better equipped with the necessary experience and resources to undertake larger contracts effectively.
Transcript
39 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Government will consider implementing measures to assess and review the quality of cleaning vendors.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Since September 2014, all cleaning businesses providing general cleaning services are required to be licensed by the National Environment Agency (NEA). The licensing requirements include a trained workforce and payment of Progressive Wage Model wages and bonuses to resident cleaners. Training requirements for cleaners have also been enhanced from 31 December 2022 to align with the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners' recommendations in 2021.
As announced earlier this year, NEA will implement the revised cleaning business licensing framework from 1 January 2024. The revised framework will have three classes of licences to differentiate cleaning businesses according to their capabilities and allow buyers of cleaning services to make more informed decisions when procuring such services. For example, the highest Class 1 licence requires cleaning businesses to ensure that their cleaning workforce is trained in at least three Workforce Skills Qualifications training modules, to meet a higher paid-up capital requirement and to have a good track record, including having no convictions under the relevant written laws. Attainment of the Class 1 licence will provide greater assurance that these cleaning businesses are equipped with more resources, experience and capabilities to undertake larger cleaning contracts.