Amenity Standard March 16, 2020

The Amenity Standard is a mark of trust for the amenity industry, to give members of the public peace of mind that amenity spaces are managed in line with best practice. The Amenity Standard covers contractors who work in parks, green spaces, roads and road verges, railways, airports and other critical infrastructure as well as commercial green spaces like sports pitches and golf courses.

Comparable to the “Red Tractor” in agriculture, the Amenity Standard is a quality mark that covers a variety of different industry accrediting bodies operating across all sectors of amenity, giving the public a single trusted standard to show that best practice is being followed in their amenity spaces.

A successful launch event for the Amenity Standard was held in Scotland with MSP Mairi Gougeon (Minister for Rural Affairs and Natural Environment) giving an excellent keynote speech and speakers from HSE, trade body the Amenity Forum and other industry figures providing further information on the current state of play in the industry.

An upcoming event in Wales later this year will see the standard launched officially in Wales, too.

Contractors are keen to embrace the standard and local authorities and other contracting organisations are already taking steps to include the Amenity Standard in tender and compliance documents. We hope that the public at large will also respond positively to this initiative and the key aims of improving and maintaining public spaces and other amenities in the most responsible way possible.

It is important that those of us in the industry increase the uptake of the message behind the Amenity Standard – which is principally that amenity contractors should be audited on their compliance with legal and best practice compliance for the industry (including our legal obligation to use integrated pest management and minimise the use of pesticides in all cases).

JKSL supports the Amenity Standard and, as a member of both the PCA and the Amenity Assured standard, we are proud that Japanese Knotweed Solutions Limited is now audited to the Amenity Standard.

Chris Oliver
Operations Manager, Japanese Knotweed Solutions

 

NOTE: Through his work with the Amenity Forum’s Education and Skills Committee, Chris sits on the Operations Committee of the Amenity Standard.