PPC110 | News
“When people from different backgrounds and points of view work together, they create the most value for their clients, people and society.” PwC 2022
As part of BPCA’s ongoing commitment to helping members tackle recruitment and retention issues, the Executive Board has given the go-ahead for a new committee: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
BPCA President, Chris Cagienard, said: “The UK pest control industry lacks diversity. We are a little one-dimensional; an industry dominated by middle-aged white men.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with all the fantastic, middle-aged white men in the sector. Diversity shouldn’t mean doing away with who we already have. But, to be the best version of the professional pest industry we can be, we need to open up to and attract the best talent from all walks of life.
“We need to make our industry accessible to all.
“Many excellent potential recruits who could do so well in the industry are not even aware that we exist, let alone that we have excellent and fulfilling career opportunities available.”
The EDI Committee plans to work on a strategy to showcase the industry as a sustainable career.
Chris continued: “I strongly believe that, with the ageing population of many of our seasoned industry professionals, the opportunities available for young people who wish to apply themselves are greater than most industries have to offer.
“This is an exciting fact that we should be shouting about from the rooftops. But, to date, we have not done well in this area, leaving the pest control industry wide open to a skills drain as the older generation retires without passing on its collective wisdom.
“Recruiting the best talent from the whole of the market early in their careers will only be a positive influence on the industry.”
Dee Ward-Thompson, Head of Membership at BPCA said: “I have been involved with many organisations that have equality committees. I’m pleased that BPCA has now launched its own.
“BPCA not only wants to lead the way with EDI but also wants to help the whole sector recognise the importance of creating a diverse workforce that feels safe, cared for and valued.
“I admit that being a gay female in a male-dominated career did worry me at first. I even reconsidered taking my first role in pest management.
“I’m happy to say, hand on heart, that I’ve only ever felt welcomed and encouraged while working in the pest management industry.”
BPCA’s EDI Committee will look to provide strategic oversight and direction to the equality, diversity and inclusion work of both the Association and the pest management sector as a whole.
Overall, the aim of the committee is to encourage people into the pest management sector and let them see that it does not matter what background you come from – pest management will welcome you.
Join the conversation We’ve set up the BPCA Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee to help support pest businesses in recruiting and retaining a more diverse workforce. We’ll be sharing case studies of companies and employees who are trailblazing in this area and creating an inclusive recruitment campaign for those of you who wish to reap the benefits of a diverse workforce. Register your interest today. membership@bpca.org.uk
Opinion: Should I care?
Julia Pittman of BPCA member company Beaver Pest Control has stepped up to chair the new BPCA EDI Committee. We asked her why BPCA and the sector should make inclusion a priority.
Equality, diversity, inclusion. Aren’t they just the latest buzzwords? Let’s look at the current and future challenges we face, both as an industry and as business owners. Good people are hard to find, and we are people businesses. Recruitment and retention will continue to be critical to us all.
Why should diversity matter to us running pest control businesses? Take women as an example. There are 33.72 million males and 34.49 million females in the UK. Labour force participation is 75% for females and 83% for men, according to the PwC study published in March 2022.
In our industry, current estimates are 4% for females and 96% for men. That’s a lot of potential employees we are missing out on! The same argument applies to ethnic minorities, albeit in smaller numbers.
Aside from an increased pool of talent, studies have found that diverse companies enjoy 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee, and inclusive teams improve team performance by up to 30% in high-diversity environments.
Diversity is important to younger generations as well. And let’s face it, it’s these generations who will be running our businesses when we are old and grey! Diverse teams are better at decision-making.
A recent study found that gender-diverse teams outperform individual decision makers 73% of the time. Teams who were diverse in geography, gender, and age made better decisions 87% of the time.
Companies with more ethnic diversity were found to outperform competitors by 35% and are 70% more likely to capture new markets.
Are you finding it difficult to break into certain market sectors? I know we sometimes struggle. Perhaps more diversity could be one of the answers?
Join Julia at PPC Live in Harrogate for a discussion on the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.
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