ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

ECJ correspondent in Italy Anna Garbagna reports from the recent LIFE 2018 conference for FM.

The third edition of the Labour Intensive Facility Event LIFE 2018 in Capri was a great success. The event for facility management professionals also had guests from institutions and testimony from Italian and European businesses. The meeting was promoted by ANIP-Confindustria (the Confindustria association which gathers companies in the cleaning and integrated services sector).

The subject for debate was ‘Service industry: a net of companies at the service of people’. As explained by the president of ANIP-Confindustria Lorenzo Mattioli: “The new idea is the concept of the supply chain and citizens’ involvement in improving the industry of services, a sector which in Italy grew considerably from a turnover of €18 billion in 2003 to around €35 billion in 2016.

“As market data show, the sector widened and diversified over the years: integrated services represent around 60 per cent, cleaning services around 30 per cent and only 10 per cent for other kinds of services. This new scenario requires a renewed approach by Italian operators towards the market, rules and opportunities in order to meet the challenge posed by the modernisation of the country.”

The programme of LIFE 2018 and the topics covered enabled the creation of a road map for a modern and qualified industry of integrated services, in which companies, institutions and citizens will be involved. The first day of the event was dedicated to the facilities network, while the second day saw the discussion of the sector with European, national and regional institutions and industries to consider political, economical and commercial aspects faced by the sector.

Topics which were subject to further examination, together with the more specific ones were: the network of companies in the facilities sector; fair competition (where companies and citizens work together as players in evaluating the rating of quality and perception of service) and accountability; Sustainability 4.0 and the new framework law on services.

Mattioli explained that the agenda did not only include the topic of the procurement code, which highlighted the introduction and reinforcement of the concept of services as equal as the concept of  jobs, but also the subject of reducing the number of procuring entities and how  to marginalise procurement based on lowest possible price - rewarding instead best value offers. It was also essential to understand the effects of the new rules in the area of employment for a sector which is at strong social level.

A clear message emerged from LIFE 2018: “There is the need for a path shared with citizens who are our end users, companies and social bodies to formulate a draft  framework on services which defines, guarantees and creates conditions for the expansion of the whole sector.

“In order to achieve these objectives we are ready to make this into a citizens’ initiative.  This requires 30,000 signatures and we are sure we are able to reach this goal,” Mattioli declared, and the institutions have shown the will to commit for the sake of the sector.