Bidvest Noonan

A leading provider of facilities services and solutions

Our Business

Over €7,000 raised for our charity partner, Enable Ireland

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We are delighted to share that as a result of a recent fundraising event, we have donated just over €7,000 to our charity partner, Enable Ireland.

Bidvest Noonan’s ESG Director, John King, and colleagues in our Irish business organised a Golf Fundraising Event recently for Enable Ireland. The event saw people from around our business, suppliers, and customers, come together to raise funds in support of a great cause.

These funds will support the essential services Enable Ireland provides for children and young people with disabilities in Ireland. This is the first of a series of fundraising initiatives planned to support Enable Ireland by Bidvest Noonan

ESG Director, John King, has said:

“I want to thank our business, colleagues, suppliers, and customers for their generosity. We believe that Enable Ireland’s work is vital, and raising funds through these events goes a long way in supporting them to create a better future for children with disabilities, and ensuring they reach their full potential.”

National Fundraising Manager for Enable Ireland, Donal Kitt, said:

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Bidvest Noonan for their efforts on our behalf. Funds raised are going towards Enable Ireland’s Galway Services refurbishment to support 700 children and young people in Galway City and County.”

This year saw Bidvest Noonan announce Enable Ireland as its charity partner for its Irish business. This partnership will see Bidvest Noonan commit to using its resources to support Enable Ireland’s services for children and young people with disabilities.

60 Seconds with Keerthana Sreenivasan

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Next up in our 60-Second interview series is Keerthana Sreenivasan, Environmental Manager at Bidvest Noonan. Keerthana shares some of the advice that has inspired her professional journey.

How would you define what you do at Bidvest Noonan?
I am an environmental manager, my main focus is the reduction of GHG Emissions to comply with the Paris accords. I work with our leadership team to make the business more responsible, conscious, and sustainable.

What has been your best day at Bidvest Noonan?
I am relatively new to the company, and there is not one specific day I can pick, but rather a collection of small moments. The work I do every day drives me, challenges me, and inspires me. One of the first things to catch my attention was the company culture, from women’s representation in the senior management roles to the colleagues I interact with regularly; it has been an inspiring experience. 

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Here is one I got from my University professor that always comes to my mind; “Don’t be the smartest person in the room”. It is always exciting to learn from people around you and there is always something to learn if you just look around. 

How do you motivate yourself?
I have always been passionate about environmental sustainability and have wanted to work in this field and make a difference. For me, motivation comes from within, and also it is hard not to be motivated when you love what you do.

Who or what has inspired you the most?
A lot of people have inspired me, but if I had to pick one, it would be my Dad. He is a true representation of zero to hero story. He has been working for the last 40 years and still does his job with the same passion, if not more than when he started. 

If you had a motto, what would it be?
‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’ has got to be the most relatable one. I am never afraid to take chances, and you never know where it takes you. It always works out in the end.

Susan Howard has been promoted to Operations Director for Healthcare

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Bidvest Noonan has strengthened its Irish senior management team with the recent promotion of Susan Howard to Operations Director for Healthcare.

Susan, who joined the firm in 2003, has deep expertise and knowledge of the healthcare sector and will enhance the service and value delivered to clients. In her new role, Susan takes ownership of Bidvest Noonan’s national healthcare portfolio in Ireland, covering both cleaning and security services.

Speaking on her promotion, Susan said: “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to lead our healthcare operations for our business in Ireland. I look forward to building on the platform the business has created in recent years and ensuring we have the expertise available to support all of our clients.”

Managing Director, Anthony Harman commented: “I am delighted that Susan has took up the role as Operations Director for our healthcare division. The need for a clean and safe environment in the healthcare sector is more important than ever before, and I have no doubt Susan is the right person to lead both our cleaning and security teams. With an experienced team around her and long-standing relationships with clients across Ireland, I have no doubt her tenure will be a success.”

The appointment follows Bidvest Noonan’s ongoing investment in its healthcare operations. Last year, the organisation appointed Emma Power as its Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Specialist to further develop its subject matter expertise in the sector.

60 Seconds with Phil Payne

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Phil Payne, Group Director of IT Customer Experience, joined us on our 60-Second interview series. Phil tells us about his role at Bidvest Noonan and shares insights he has learned throughout his life.

In one sentence, how would you define what you do at Bidvest Noonan?
I am here to own the engagement between IT and the business, ensuring that we support any issues or requirements that come up as part of delivering on the corporate vision.

What has been your best day at Bidvest Noonan?
We recently got my whole team together in person for the first time. Although one person was unable to travel, just getting everyone together and seeing them interact with the wider IT team has given me confidence we have the right people to deliver great service to the business.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Over my career, I’ve been given lots of excellent guidance and advice, but I think the best bit of advice I’ve ever been given is just to manage expectations. IT can go wrong, people understand that, but typically, as long as you’re managing expectations and communicating well, they will be more forgiving!

How do you motivate yourself?
I always try to focus on the “bigger picture” – whether it’s work or home life. I try to focus on what really matters and not get bogged down by any knockbacks along the way – as long as I learn my lessons as I go.
Outside of work, I am married with two kids. Spending time with my family is my favourite thing to do, although that’s not always relaxing!

Who or what has inspired you the most?
Don’t tell her I told you, but probably my wife! Not only does she have to put up with me, but the way she goes about her life and juggles work, exercise, friendship, and parenting inspires me to be a better person. Without her support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

If you had a motto, what would it be?
I can’t think of a catchy tagline, but if I could, it would be around always treating others how you wish to be treated, being empathetic, and not jumping to conclusions without having all the information available to you.

The Importance of Training in the Healthcare Sector

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We caught up with Brigid Ryan, Operations Manager for the Healthcare sector. Brigid shares her career journey and her perspective on how Bidvest Noonan has been so successful in the sector.

How did you get started in the industry?

I started working at Bidvest Noonan in 1999 as a Mobile Area Manager. Prior to joining Bidvest Noonan, I had worked as a Healthcare Professional and I was able to use this experience to progress to the role of Operations Manager in our Healthcare Division. My first contract was at one of Cork’s busiest hospitals, and now as Operations Manager, it remains one of my key accounts to this day. It grew from there, and I have had many other healthcare partnerships since.

What sets us apart in the industry?

We were one of the first companies to introduce rigorous site auditing. I remember explaining the concept to our clients at the time. It was basically a way to provide evidence of the quality of our service and to provide a history of consistent quality of service.  Many standard practices that the industry takes for granted now were innovations that we were the first to introduce.

What is unique to working in healthcare?

I believe it is the nature of the working environment and the level of training and IPC knowledge required to perform our work in a healthcare facility. Our people are working in very challenging environments surrounded by vulnerable patients, busy staff, and visitors. Our teams have constant interaction with people while working and this can be both rewarding and challenging. Our work plays a key role in breaking the chain of infection in a healthcare environment. That is why our people must complete a wide range of infection, prevention, and control training to ensure a safe, clean environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

Is Infection Prevention and Control important to the sector?

It is hugely important, and I believe we have extensive expertise in this area. Our Healthcare Division now has an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) nurse specialist on the team. Through this investment, we have been able to expand our IPC expertise and continue to improve the service we provide. We have been able to further support our site-based teams by empowering them with the knowledge to ensure that Infection Prevention and Control is at the heart of our cleaning activities on site.

Photo of Bidvest Noonan Cleaning operative in an hospital

Bidvest Noonan partners with Enable Ireland

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Bidvest Noonan, Ireland’s market-leading facilities services provider, and Enable Ireland Disability Services, have launched their new charity partnership for the next two years. The agreement will see Enable Ireland become Bidvest Noonan’s official charity partner.

Bidvest Noonan has committed to using its considerable resources to support Enable Ireland’s services for children and young people with disabilities. The business will work with Enable Ireland to raise funds for crucial projects across its children’s service centres.

Commenting on the new charity partnerships announcement, Bidvest Noonan’s ESG Director, John King, said: “We’re proud to launch this charity partnership with Enable Ireland. We believe that Enable Ireland’s work is vital, and we are delighted that Bidvest Noonan can help support them to create a better future for children with disabilities in Ireland.”

Further to the announcement, Enable Ireland’s National Fundraising Manager Dónal Kitt said: “We’re delighted to launch this partnership with Bidvest Noonan which will support our essential services for children and young people with disabilities. After a challenging number of years, we look forward to working with Bidvest Noonan on a number of events and activities to raise funds for crucial projects in our children’s service centres.”

About Enable Ireland

Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with disabilities and their families in 15 counties. Covering childhood to adulthood its expert teams work with the individual and their family on a plan for each life stage. Its services for children and their families cover all aspects of a child’s physical, educational, and social development from early infancy through adolescence. They offer a range of services to adults with disabilities which include day services, training, personal development, supported and independent living, and social and leisure activities.

About Bidvest Noonan

Bidvest Noonan is an award-winning and highly accredited customer-focused services group. They employ over 27,000 people across the UK & Ireland. The business is a market leader for a wide range of facilities services across the UK & Ireland. These services include cleaning, security, reception, decontamination, electronic security, industrial services, and many more. Its success has been achieved by designing and delivering facilities solutions that provide exceptional quality and value for customers.