SINGAPORE - The National Environment Agency (NEA) held its inaugural Environmental Services Workforce Day on Wednesday (Nov 14).
Launched by Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor, the event celebrated the commitment and excellence of environmental services companies and employees.
Congratulatory certificates were given out to 280 employees from 30 companies, including customer-facing executives and workers in support roles, who had received long-service awards or been promoted in recent years.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was also signed at the event between the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), NEA, SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Environmental Management Association of Singapore, Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore, and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute.
The MOU reaffirmed the commitment of all parties to ensure that workers are ready for new jobs, kept relevant with new skills and resilient to new ways of working.
In order to achieve these goals, a workgroup will be formed to identify the necessary skill sets and training modules required for workers in the environmental services industry, as the industry transforms and leverages technology to increase productivity.
A new guide on uniforms for the environmental services industry was also revealed at the event.
The guide is a part of NEA's efforts to project a professional image of the environmental services industry. It will serve as a reference for companies when developing their policies on uniforms.
The NEA said that the guide was developed with three key principles in mind: safety, comfort, and appearance of uniforms' designs.
While the recommendations provided in the guide outline the basics for the proper wearing of uniforms and work attire, NEA encouraged companies to expand on their uniform policies beyond what is outlined the guide.
For example, companies have the flexibility to customise their uniform designs to align these with their corporate image and branding.
To raise awareness of the guide, NEA will incorporate a reference to it under the Enhanced Clean Mark Accreditation Scheme for licensed cleaning businesses, and the Code of Practice for general licensed waste collectors in the first quarter of 2019.
The need to provide proper and adequate uniforms for workers will also continue to be emphasised in the upcoming tender for Integrated Cleaning of Expressway Infrastructure in Singapore, targeted to be published in the second quarter of 2019.
NEA chief executive officer Tan Meng Dui said: "The initiatives launched today are the outcome of continuous collaboration with the industry and union to ensure that the businesses and workers are well prepared for the transformation journey, and to ensure a vibrant, sustainable and professional industry."
