Many of you will know me as CEO of Birkin Group, but I have now also been appointed as chairman of the CSSA. Doug Cooke, having completed two terms of office as our chairman, decided to stand down and in addressing the CSSA Directorate proposed that, as the current deputy chairman, I should be his successor - which was unanimously supported by the directors.
I am firmly focused on the future of our industry and passionate about increasing membership by enhancing the impact of the association. The CSSA is run by the industry, for the industry and, as an owner operator myself, I acknowledge the very real challenges being faced by companies operating in these uncertain times.
I have a number of key objectives for the coming year. Firstly, the board and I are keen to ensure we truly understand the needs and requirements of our membership to enable us to generate positive impact that creates true value. CSSA membership is an investment and we are determined to be the guiding light for everyone that connects with us so we have a range of exciting ideas about how we will expand the offer.
The board and I have already met to ensure that we are aligned in our vision and purpose. We remain as motivated as ever to help our members grow, comply, change, and innovate. We will create a better industry for all of our members, the customer and the public. We bring the UK cleaning and hygiene industry together to collaborate, socialise and share best practice and, in doing so, raise the bar for everyone involved.
Key initiatives under consideration include:
Enhanced 2023 calender for key member events such as: The CSSA Innovation Showcase at The Cleaning Show; CSSA 2023 Economic & Industry Outlook; Savoy Annual Luncheon; Autumn Open; Committee refresh with Rising Stars sponsorship to raise the profile of the next generation; Environmental, social and governance workshops; as well as technology and innovation interactive sessions.
We will connect our members with subject specialists to provide key support when it matters most. Additionally, we are passionate about positively engaging with our fellow industry bodies and will be looking to further build upon the strong foundations already in place to strengthen our industry voice.
The impact of technology and innovation is ever prominent and we recognise the fact that we have a significant role to play in providing practical advice that really makes a difference.
I am incredibly proud to be taking on the role of chairman and look forward to getting stuck in. I will be providing regular updates on progress via this column so keep an eye out for subsequent articles.
www.cssa-uk.co.uk
About the contributor
Paul Ashton
Chairman
CSSA