The Cleaning Accountability Framework (CAF) has awarded 311 & 313 Spencer Street in Melbourne a 3 Star rating after the precinct was nominated by building developers and owners, Cbus Property, Keppel REIT and Invesco Real Estate. CAF Certification is an independent assessment of a building or precinct’s cleaning supply chain against CAF’s rigorous 3 Star Standard with the aim of ensuring decent work for cleaners.
Adrian Pozzo, Cbus Property’s Chief Executive Officer, said that “this certification ensures all cleaners at 311 & 313 Spencer Street enjoy appropriate work conditions with fair pay, safe and secure work, and a voice in their workplace and supply chain. CAF Certification is an important part of Cbus Property’s mission to address modern slavery risks in our supply chain and demonstrates our commitment to maintaining high ethical standards on all of our projects and investments, while working with suppliers whose values align with our own.”
Key to the successful certification was the collaboration of stakeholders, including Knight Frank, Consolidated Property Services, the United Workers Union (UWU) and the cleaners at 311 & 313 Spencer Street.
Knight Frank Australia’s National Head of Asset Management Services, Lisa Atkins, says that they are “proud to assist in the delivery of the CAF 3 Star rating for 311 and 313 Spencer Street for our valued clients and partners, Cbus Property, Keppel REIT and Invesco Real Estate.”
“We recognise the important contribution made by our cleaning teams, and the achievement of this certification demonstrates Knight Frank’s commitment to fair work conditions for our cleaners and a best practice approach to management of modern slavery risk in line with our own corporate policy.”
Francys Morillo of Consolidated Property Services says that they appreciate “working in partnership with a client who is extremely supportive of the cleaning team and values the complexity and importance of the work our team members perform, allowing all of us to work with certainty and security in the midst of COVID uncertainty.”
“Closer working relationships across the entire supply chain provide a working environment for our team members that allows for better communication and ensures that their entitlements are protected, and cleaners are respected.”
A critical aspect of CAF’s assessment process is worker engagement, where CAF and UWU meet with the site’s cleaners. Consolidated Property Services ensured a high number of cleaners completed the pre-meeting survey and attended the worker engagement meetings. Knight Frank was also very helpful in facilitating seamless access for CAF and UWU to the site and provided a conducive meeting space.
As part of the worker engagement meetings, cleaners nominate co-workers to become CAF Representatives. Two highly engaged cleaners, Camilo Grijalba and Tony Calderon, have since taken on the role of CAF Representatives and have been receiving education on the CAF 3 Star Standard from the UWU and on how to facilitate communication between their co-workers and CAF regarding CAF compliance.
Photo: 311 & 313 Spencer Street cleaners participating in a Worker Engagement meeting.
When asked about becoming a CAF Representative, Tony Calderon said that he was “very happy to be the representative for my co-workers and very happy to be able to discuss and be heard about the cleaners’ thoughts and issues in our job and have those issues resolved; it would never happen without this building being CAF [certified].”
Poonam Datar, CAF CEO, says that achieving CAF Certification “is a great step towards supply chain transparency and accountability. CAF takes a whole of supply chain approach – and it works. As a result, the procurer has some level of assurance that the contract price is sufficient to enable the contractor to pay their cleaners their lawful wages and entitlements. CAF will continue to provide guidance and support to help supply chain stakeholders understand their role in maintaining decent work conditions – from the investor through to the cleaner.”