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Perspective Summer 2022 - IOI

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July 2022PerspectiveTransforming our businessDelivering improvements for our people and customersTechnologies to save on water consumptionHow we are working to reduce our water usage at every opportunityInside Bidvest NoonanInvesting in L&D and enhancing our Security Operations CentreLeading the way in social responsibilityHow we are supporting local employabilityThe journey of our ED&I CouncilSharing our ED&I achievements including our recent Bronze Diversity Mark awardOur environmental performanceHow we are supporting our clients’ environmental goals

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE2Contents0406Sharing our VisionOur people explain the meaning and significance of our vision to them08Setting the standardfor security trainingFigen Murray, OBE, visited us to learn about its FPoS Training10LGBTQIA+ inclusion and the security industryThe security industry came together for the first time to celebrate pride12Technologies to save on water consumptionWorking to reduce our water usage at every opportunity14Growing our Front of House businessPhilip Dearden joins Acuity’s leadership team16Inside Bidvest NoonanHow we are investing in L&D and enhancing our Security Operations Centre1820The journey of our ED&I CouncilSharing our ED&I achievements including our recent Bronze Diversity Mark awardresponsibilityHow we are supporting local22 Leading the way in social employability24Encouraging diversity inthe workplace1806Transforming our businessDelivering improvements for our people and customersGoing the extra mile for innovationThe role industry events play in helping us uncover new ideasPreparing our teams for new heightsOur leadership teams came together to discuss plans for the future of our business26Our environmental 28 Discussing the impact of hybrid working on diversity30 performanceHow we are supporting our clients’ environmental goalsFrom Security Ocer toDirector of OperationsNick O’Connor share’s his inspiring journey12

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3BIDVEST NOONANTransforming services in the transport sectorWhat helps us deliver the best service for commuters142634Maintaining sustainable built environments36Repositioning hard engineering services for green workplacesStories from across our business40For information regarding the articles in this magazine or to submit your story, contact marketing@bidvestnoonan.comwww.bidvestnoonan.comSupporting the38 Life Sciences sectorBuilding great security teams in the Life Sciences Sector

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5BIDVEST NOONANSharing our VisionOur people explain the meaning and significance of our vision to themOur business achieved so much last year that we needed to revisit our vision statement. Following weeks of discussions and deliberation, we announced our new vision statement in January:Our vision is to be so important to our customers, so valuable to their business, and provide experiences so good, we are always their partner of choice. This vision reflects a shared and long-held belief that our ability to build, maintain and grow strong customer relationships is critical to our success. It was designed to be used. It contains three important ideas to guide our decisions and actions.We are delighted to see that our vision has been embraced by so many across our group. Recently, we filmed colleagues from across our business explaining the meaning and significance of our vision. Please take a moment to watch our video below:

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE6Figen Murray, OBE, joined the Bidvest Noonan team at Battersea Power Station to share her expertise and learn about Bidvest Noonan’s advanced security training. Describing Bidvest Noonan’s security strategy as “What the industry standard should be for places where large crowds gather,” she praised the eorts of the team at the Battersea site.During her conversation with the team, Murray praised the First Person on Scene – International (FPOSi) training and medical strategy after seeing it in action. Provided by medical professionals, this training equips quick reaction teams to assess and treat people suering from serious medical emergencies. The Battersea team are amongst the few security teams who have received this pioneering training.Murray told us: “It was an absolute privilege to be shown around Battersea Power Station by Bidvest Noonan. I feel thrilled that a lot of the sta here have undergone the ACT awareness training and that many have also done lifesaving first aid training. The entire management team is deservedly, incredibly proud of what has been achieved so far. The whole complex feels like a living, breathing safe community, where I will have no hesitation whatsoever to bring my family for a shopping trip and meal out.”Figen Murray is the mother of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the devastating Manchester Arena terrorist attack on May 22nd, 2017. Martyn was only 29 at the time. Following the attack, Murray has made it her life’s mission to promote peace and positive Setting the standardfor security trainingFigen Murray, OBE, visited Bidvest Noonan to learn about its First Person on Scene Training

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7BIDVEST NOONANchange in Martyn’s name. To this day, she has spoken to more than 15,000 secondary school pupils across England to raise awareness, be resilient to extremist influences and encourage them to shape a better world. After graduating with a Masters in Counterterrorism in 2021, Murray has been campaigning to legislate security provisions for large group gatherings, labelled ‘Martyn’s Law’. Her dedication and work in counter terrorism saw her awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List. Murray talked about the Government’s CONTEST strategy to Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare within the context of the proposed Martyn’s Law, and the critical need for dedicated security people and systems in areas where large groups of people gather. Managing Director, Liz Cummins, commented, “It was a privilege to welcome Figen Murray to Battersea Power Station and hear her speak of Martyn, and how she led the campaign to change legislation to ensure all of us are safer when out at public venues.The environment we were in as we discussed our own focused approach brought to the fore families, friends and colleagues that we have a duty to protect, and which we continue to do so.Figen resonated with me more than I could imagine when she spoke of her commitment to creating a kinder society, one that understands how tolerance and understanding has a rightful place over hate and fear. Her focus goes beyond our security industry and reaches out to early years and building resilience and knowledge of threats, both physical and learnt. I have reflected on Figen’s last message, ‘a small act of kindness oers so much to humanity and society’ – something we all have a duty to act on.’’Simon Rogers, CEO at Turret Training Ltd said, “The FPOSi trauma course delivered to Bidvest Noonan’s security teams covers everything from minor medical emergencies to multiple casualties with serious injuries. Each Security ocer who attends has volunteered and their passion, care and hard work really demonstrates the quality of personnel on the estate.”Jonny Kempster, Key Account Director at Bidvest Noonan added: ‘’What a pleasure to finally meet with and hear Figen’s personal story and everything she has achieved. It was clear that we are aligned when it comes to safety, security, and trauma response. We look forward to meeting her again soon.’’ “ I have reflected on Figen’s last message, ‘a small act of kindness oers so much to humanity and society’ – something we all have a duty to act on.Liz Cummins,Managing Director, London Security Solutions

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE8We are doubling down on Learning andDevelopment (L&D) with the appointment ofAlan O’Connor as Head of Learning andDevelopment for our security business in Great Britain.Operating from our training facility in CentralLondon, Alan and his passionate team alsouse the best tools available in hybrid, virtualand in-person learning to deliver their trainingprogrammes to teams across the UK.Alan’s mission is to provide the highest qualitytraining to enable our people to succeed intheir roles, deliver outstanding support to ourcustomers and progress in our business.Having started out his journey in the industryas a training manager and served as head ofsecurity at various levels, Alan hasdistinguished himself as an expert trainer.From 2004 to 2007, he worked as a securityconsultant in Iraq while performing ascommander of a multinational closeprotection team. Here, he was responsible forHostile Environment Awareness Training(HEAT) for clients and new employees andworked closely with the local military andpolice forces for intelligence gathering.Alan has enhanced training across thebusiness’ operations, ensuring colleagueshave access to the best-in-class trainingprocess, resources and expertise. The L&Dteam extends their training support to sitesand clients across the UK. Alan’s vision forthe future is to run an L&D strategy thatenables people to reach their full potentialand to be successful in whatever they do.Inside Bidvest NoonanDoubling down on L&D to deliver even bettersupport to our customersAlan O’Connor, Head of Learning and Development

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9BIDVEST NOONANBidvest Noonan’s Security Operations Centre(SOC) in London provides strength andresilience to our operations in Great Britain,enhancing the support we provide tocustomers. Our SOC has been designed witha forward-looking vision in mind. The SOCcombines industry best practices withinnovative technologies to keep ourcustomers one step ahead of security threats.Jonathan Moore, Director of Operations Support and Risk, leads our SOC.Jonathan has experience building highlysuccessful multinational security centres,having first set himself apart in Asia, where hemanaged a world-class security team forBarclay’s Bank.Our SOC will be the go-to point for securitystrategies and for weathering any challengesthat may arise in the future. “We work with ourcustomers to identify risks which may presentthemselves to their people and premises; Wehelp identify and implement controls whichhelp mitigate those risks so their people areprotected, and their operations run smoothlyand securely.”Our SOC has recently begun to provide ourcustomers with advance warning of risks theymay face in their business and provideintelligence reports for clients based onupcoming events.For instance, during the recent train strikes,they produced an assessment on potentialdisruptions with detailed recommendations ofwhich train lines would be aected for clientswho may be impacted.Running his playbooks to a conclusion,Jonathan aims to continue to expand ourSOC’s capabilities, providing new levels ofsupport and value to our business andcustomers.Enhancing our Security Operations Centre“ “We work with our customers to identify risks which may present themselves to their people and premises; We help identify and implement controls which help mitigate those risks so their people are protected, and their operations run smoothly and securely.” Jonathan Moore,Director of Operations Support and Risk Jonathan Moore, Director of Operations Support and Risk

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE10Continuous transformation is part of the Bidvest Noonan story. Throughout our history, we have shown ourselves ready to adapt, evolve and strive to reach our full potential. Our experience has taught us that continuously challenging the status quo makes us a stronger and more ecient organisation.Today, transformation is in focus for companies across all sectors. In recent years, our world has changed dramatically; The pandemic and technological advances have spurred on changes in how we work and live. In this environment of change, we are returning to the work of transforming our business with renewed enthusiasm and vigour.Defining a desired future state and developing clear goalsTo successfully transform a business, you must first develop a clear understanding of the organisation’s current state, define a desired future state, and develop a clear set of goals to bridge the gap.We began our work by establishing three broad objectives:1. We want our transformation work to help us to achieve our vision ‘to be so important to our customers so valuable to their business and provide experiences so good were always their partner of choice’. 2. We also want to deliver improvements for our people. We want them to have a better experience working with us and be more Transforming our businessDelivering improvements for our people and customers

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11BIDVEST NOONANproductive and successful in everything they do. 3. Reducing the administrative workload onour managers is an important objective ofour project. We believe that by reducing theiradministrative workload, we can enable themto spend more time supporting our customersand more time supporting our frontlinecolleagues.With our broad objectives established, our team began a period of deep learning during which they examined the customer journey, the manager’s journey and the people journey at our organisation. Our team have been working to identify friction, pain points and improvement opportunities in these three important journeys. Taking a people centric approachTransforming is much more than digitisation or the introduction of new technologies. We believe that, to be successful, the approach taken to transforming a business needs to be people centric. This is especially true in an organisation like ours that employs over 27,000 people. Our approach has our people at its core. Our people do their work through processes that we design, and they’re enabled by technologies that we provide. This is why our team are working to simplify, standardise and optimise our processes, and enhance the technologies that our people use every day. We aim to make it as easy as possible for our people to do great work and provide great service to our customers.Win hearts and mindsOur people are our greatest asset. Their input and insights are critical to our success. We could not eectively transform our business without their buy-in. We needed to make sure that they understand and support the aims of our work. Our team set out to win their hearts and minds, hosting a number of workshops, webinars and conferences to share their strategies, plans and performs updates with our people. This approach has helped more people to understand, buy-in to, and support our work.Transforming a business cannot be done overnight, it takes time. People cannot be expected to remain focussed and committed if they do not see that our eorts are delivering results and making life easier. That is why our team share their progress and ensure that we are delivering quick wins that we can celebrate together. We have achieved a number of wins in the early months of the programme and these wins have attracted more support from across our organisation for our work.Transforming is part of our DNAOur transformation will continue over the coming months and years. Along the way, we will become the easiest company to do business with, we will provide the best customer experience in the market and an outstanding working environment for our people. However, this will not mark an end to our transformation. Transforming has become part of our DNA. We will continue to transform, ever improving our organisation and business. This commitment to transforming is what has made us a success.Head members of our transformation team:Eddie IngramChief Services OcerFintan Connolly Group Chief Business OcerSarah CathcartGroup Chief Information OcerJames ButlerGroup Business Support DirectorJanice BranniganGroup Chief People Ocer

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE12At Bidvest Noonan, we want to stay at the forefront of our industry, leveraging technology and innovation to deliver better service and more value to our customers. This dedication to uncovering innovation drives so many senior figures from across our business to make time in their busy diaries to visit conferences, meet our suppliers, participate in round table discussions, and conduct research to improve the services we oer.We asked Chief Services Ocer, Eddie Ingram, Technology and Innovation Director, Peter Smyth, and Director of Operations Support and Risk, Jonathan Moore, what role industry events play in helping us uncover new ideas and progress our innovation agenda.Eddie Ingram, who recently attended the IFSEC International exhibition, an event that attracts over 30,000 visitors and brings together industry professionals from far and wide, said:“Innovation is critical to our success. Our ability to challenge conventions, find better ways of working, and create greater value for clients sets us apart from our competition. Investing the time to go meet suppliers and hear from thought leaders in our industry and adjacent industries is very worthwhile. Attending industry events gives us the opportunity to meet new suppliers and catch up with existing ones too.We recently attended the IFSEC International exhibition and had some interesting discussions around the increased use and spread of CCTV across the UK and how it might lead to a new British Standard around AI and facial recognition. Some of the innovation happening in the security industry today is truly remarkable, and we are harnessing many of these advances for the benefit of our clients.”Peter Smyth, who recently visited the Netherlands to attend the high-profile 2022 Interclean Amsterdam event added:“Attending some of the largest FM trade shows in the world gives us a great opportunity to see the latest products on oer from existing customers, but also allows us to meet new suppliers that are disrupting the industry with a new generation of robotics, machinery, and equipment. The 2022 Interclean Amsterdam event gave the team and I an incredible insight into the work being done to improve how we manage waste, consume energy, and use water. I look forward to adopting the very best of these to improve the service we provide to our clients.”Jonathan Moore, commenting on his attendance at the IFSEC event said: “We met with suppliers to talk about their upcoming innovations, exploring ways in which we can work together to deploy these new products. It was refreshing to see a blend of technology, physical security, and a healthy number of organisations oering professional development routes. At Bidvest Noonan, we aim to stay ahead of the curve, continuously finding new ways to improve the service we provide to our customers. Attending industry events and networking with thought leaders and innovators informs and inspires our own innovation research”.Eddie IngramChief Services OcerPeter SmythTechnology and Innovation DirectorJonathan MooreDirector of Operations Support and RiskGoing the extra mile for innovationWhat role industry events play in helping us uncover new ideas

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13BIDVEST NOONAN“Innovation really matters to us. We want to lead the way in our industry and use the latest innovations to help reinvent and improve solutions for our clients.”Peter Smyth,Technology and Innovation Director

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15BIDVEST NOONANWe work with our clients and suppliers to produce water savings plans, often introducing new environmentally friendly technologies that make more ecient use of water.We invest in the best cleaning equipment the industry has to oer. For us, that means equipment that achieves great cleaning results while reducing our environmental impact.In the past year, we have increased our use of highly ecient equipment such as i-Drives, i-Mops and cobotic cleaning machines to reduce our use of water. Many of our cleaning machines use integrated solution recovery systems to achieve high cleaning standards without harsh chemicals and using just a fraction of the water.We have introduced water recycling systems for a number of our clients. Recently, we installed a Comac InAqua for one of Ireland’s largest universities. Comac InAqua is an external purification system that allows dirty water to be loaded directly from any floor scrubber. The system filters the dirty water used for cleaning floors and makes it available for reuse. Using this system, up to 150 litres of clean water can be recycled in less than 30 minutes.By implementing innovative solutions, we are helping many clients to reduce their use of water and make cleaning operations more environmentally friendly.Technologies to save on water consumptionWorking hard to reduce our water usage at every opportunity

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE16Specialist Front of House service provider Acuity has announced Philip Dearden as its newly appointed Front of House Development Director. Philip, a highly accomplished leader, has a wealth of industry experience and a proven track record of building successful Front of House businesses.This is the most senior appointment at Acuity since Bidvest Noonan acquired the business in 2021. Philip’s appointment signals the company’s commitment to investing in Acuity’s growth and development.Acuity specialises in providing services including reception management, meeting room management, call services, event management and more to a growing portfolio of prestigious customers. As Front of House Director, Philip will be a key member of Acuity’s senior leadership team and will be responsible for the business’ strategic development. Philip will help Acuity to accelerate its innovation, enhance its services and establish a marketing-leading position.Managing Director Liz Cummins commented on the appointment, “I’m delighted Philip has joined our senior leadership team. Philip has the vision, drive and expertise we need to accelerate Acuity’s growth. I know that Philip will be highly successful in his new role. I’m excited about the impact he will have on our business, our people and our clients”.Commenting on his appointment, Philip said, “Acuity is an excellent business with a strong reputation, an impressive portfolio of clients and an outstanding support team. I joined Acuity because I recognised that it is a forward-looking business with an unwavering commitment to delivering the highest standards of service. I’m looking forward to working with Liz, Chiara and the Acuity team to deliver remarkable service to our clients and to grow our business”.Philip Dearden, Front of House Development Director for Acuity.Growing our Front of House businessPhilip Dearden joins Acuity’s team as Front of House Development Director

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17BIDVEST NOONANPhilip Dearden joins Chiara Di Rienzo, Director in Acuity’s leadership team.

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE18Nick O Connor, Director of Operations, was awarded with the ISIA Innovation in Security Award for 2021.Nick has played an instrumental part in the introduction of our innovation programme, EDGE.

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19BIDVEST NOONANFrom Security Ocer toDirector of OperationsNick O’Connor share’s his inspiring journeyWhen he unexpectedly received an oer to study Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Nick O Connor’s heart was set on becoming a chemist. When his student grant ran out, he got a weekend job in security to support his living expenses. The career in science never panned out and Nick found himself putting more hours in at his weekend job. His path in the security industry led him to Bidvest Noonan as a Site Manager. Almost 30 years have passed since he started in the industry, and he is now Director of Operations at the company. ‘We earned this respect’Nick credits a large part of his success to treating everyone as equals: “When I talk to my team at Bidvest Noonan, I always encourage them to be supportive of each other and try to approach everything from an empathetic perspective.”When he began his career, he remembers that security was largely focused on stopping theft and customer service was secondary. Nick marvels at how far the industry has come. “When I started out, I felt there was very little respect for security guards, but now, we’ve earned this respect and industry licencing has certainly helped this. At Bidvest Noonan, our teams are trained in everything from first aid, suicide awareness and dealing with a wide range of challenges. The intention is to support our clients in building lasting relationships with their customers.” We have developed a fantastic, motivated and high-achieving team of people supporting tens of millions of shopping experiences annually. His first role with Bidvest Noonan was as a security manager at a large shopping centre in Dublin. Although the early part of his career was focussed solely on security, as the service oerings expanded several clients wanted one point of contact overseeing all their services and Nick was asked to oversee them. He recollects, “We would start a contract with one service line and try to operate as best-in-class in that area. All of a sudden, we were providing multiple services, so I took that as a sign that we were doing a good job!”From then, it was a natural progression. Over the next few years, larger contracts would come under his remit. “With time, some of the larger sites would fall under my domain and a few others in retail also came under my management. Today, I oversee all of the larger retail contracts within our retail portfolio in Ireland across multiple service oerings.” Nick has helped to shape and benefited from Bidvest Noonan’s vision: “The vision that the company follows today was one that I grew with, became fully involved in and got to engage with. I try to get my team involved in it as well. At this stage, we are strong leaders in what we do because we are pursuing a clear vision and have strong values.”‘The sky is the limit’Although a lot has changed for him over the years, Nick says, “Even when I started out, my thought process was ‘You should compare yourself to the best and not the worst’. I want to be the best, and I want my team to be the best. Now, as an Operations Director, my primary aim is to make sure that my team is the best. And that’s exactly what customers are looking for.” Having come from humble beginnings, Nick has managed to build an exceptional career. He explains, “If you’ve got the right attitude, the sky is the limit.That has been my experience with Bidvest Noonan. If you put time and eort into it, there’s no mountain you cannot climb. I’m at a position where I’m happy with what I’m doing. But it hasn’t happened by accident, and it didn’t happen overnight either. Anyone who knows me knows that I put the eort in.”

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE20We were delighted to host our annual management conferences in Dublin and London in June. Managers and leaders across our business gathered to discuss the plans to achieve our vision.Our conferences were filled with exciting and thought-provoking presentations. In Dublin, our Technology and Innovation Director, Peter Smyth, talked about his research and showcased some of the most promising new technologies. Peter shared that Bidvest Noonan had become the first company to use the InAqua water recycling system in Ireland. The system cleans 150 litres of water every 30 minutes. In London, our attendees received feedback and insights from a customer panel. Our customer panel shared their experience of working with Bidvest Noonan and helped our team to understand how we can improve our business and become an even better partner for them.Preparing our teams for new heightsOur leadership teams came together to discuss plans for the future of our business

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21BIDVEST NOONANKelly Brown, former captain of the Scottish rugby union team and Saracens player, dropped in to speak to around 200 members of our team at our annual conference in London. Kelly spoke about leadership, teamwork, motivation, and overcoming the difficult challenges in life. He also shared powerful messages with our people that were applicable to their lives both inside and outside the workplace. He discussed the importance of being adaptive and agile, something we value very much at Bidvest Noonan.Stuart Lancaster, Leinster Rugby Coach and former Head Coach of England, stepped away from the training pitch to speak to over 150 members of our team in Dublin. Stuart shared the valuable lessons he has learnt through his long and successful career in elite sport. Like Bidvest Noonan, elite sports teams achieve high performance by building value-based cultures and nurturing talent, working together, and relentlessly working towards bringing their objectives into fruition.

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE22Managing Director, Sarah Jane Cork shared her perspectives on social responsibility and discussed how Bidvest Noonan’s work with Employment 4 All is enabling disadvantaged and underrepresented groups to access training and employment opportunities.Bidvest Noonan have a well-developed social responsibility program; can you tell us a bit about that and some of your achievements?We are committed to social responsibility; for us, that means acting ethically, minimising our impact on the environment while maximising the good we do for society. We have achieved a lot in this area.In 2021, we launched Sunrise, our ESG community. Sunrise focuses on four works streams, Community, Workplace, Environment and Marketplace, to help us operate more sustainably. Sunrise is made up of a variety of Bidvest Noonan colleagues across each of our business units, who are passionate about corporate social responsibility.Our Sunrise team have helped us to introduce a wide range of initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment and become a Net Zero business.As a people business, we have always valued diversity and inclusion. Last year, we launched our ED&I Council to help us develop a more diverse workforce and a more inclusive workplace. We are proud to support charities and social projects which make a real dierence for people. Like so many companies across the UK and Ireland, we played a role in responding to the pandemic, donating PPE including hundreds of thousands of face masks. Most recently, we have shown our support for people aected by the conflict in Ukraine, donating funds to charities working in the area and supporting client and community initiatives.Leading the Way in Social ResponsibilityHow we are supporting local employability

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23BIDVEST NOONANSarah Cork, Managing Director, Strategic GrowthHow important do you think it is that companies walk their talk?We believe that there are important social and environmental challenges that need to be addressed and it is incumbent on all of us to do what we can to address them. We work together and with our suppliers to continuously improve our environmental performance and to find new ways to support people in need. We see more and more companies making commitments and following up with actions in these areas and we celebrate that. We are all in this together.How did you get involved with Employment 4 All?We want to give disadvantaged people in our local communities the skills and opportunities they need to secure meaningful employment, financial independence and play an important role in society. That is a good thing in its own right. We understood that Employment 4 All, working with the Department for Work and Pensions, could help disadvantaged and underrepresented groups while also providing a stream of highly motivated and well-trained people for the security industry. We were happy to work with Employment 4 All and to provide training and employment opportunities for people who need it.How does this initiative help people?This initiative provides potentially life-changing opportunities for participants. Employment 4 All identifies suitable candidates through a process that involves conversations and background screening. Candidates who meet the needs-based assessment, demonstrate the right qualities and show a strong interest in building a career in the security industry are invited to attend our training programme. Candidates are given all the support they need to be successful. If required, they are provided with help to obtain the necessary paperwork and documents of identification. During our training programme, candidates are provided with a free breakfast and, if needed, help to cover their transportation costs and to obtain childcare services.My colleagues and I provide the training and information participants need to start their careers in our industry. Successful candidates are helped with their application for an SIA licence and given the opportunity to join Bidvest Noonan as Security ocers. I am proud to say we have already had our first graduates of the programme, a number of whom have been oered employment with our business.

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE24Marina Goncalves, EHSQ Executive and IOI Chairperson of the ED&I council.

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25BIDVEST NOONANIn 2021, Bidvest Noonan launched its very own Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Council, with the aim of developing a more diverse workforce and a more inclusive workplace to make its teams stronger and more creative. The council is made up of people from every corner of its business, each with their own unique background. The business recently caught up with Marina Goncalves, the IOI Chairperson of the ED&I council. In discussion, Marina talks about the journey the ED&I council has been on so far, the council’s latest achievements and initiatives, as well as some brief plans for the year ahead.Tell us why the Bidvest Noonan ED&I council was formed?We established our ED&I Council to bring colleagues together from across our business from dierent backgrounds but with one shared goal, to create a more diverse workforce and a more inclusive workplace. We want to ensure that inclusion is part of our culture. We are making tremendous strides to achieve this. We respect each other, we care for each other, and we communicate with each other.What has the council achieved so far?The council has worked hard to build a foundation, setting plans and targets for the short, medium, and long term. We were recently awarded the Bronze Diversity Mark; a credit to the hard work of everyone involved with the council. I am very proud to lead the council and to have played my part in laying these foundations. It has undoubtedly made Bidvest Noonan an even more diverse and inclusive place to work. We have exciting initiatives in motion to further help us on our journey.Tell us more about these exciting initiatives.We have just embarked on a new ED&I Champions programme. The main purpose of this initiative is to embed ‘ED&I champions’ across our sites. These nominated champions will be trained and supported by a member of the ED&I council. Their role is to raise awareness and encourage site-based activity and engagement around ED&I. The council has developed and provided useful toolkits for the champions to use. These toolkits include ED&I event calendars, toolbox talk tips, policies, and so much more.We will also continue to use our people data to measure the impact of our activity and to shape our future endeavours. We believe in equal opportunity for all. ED&I features on the agenda of our Group Executive Meetings, Country Executive Meetings, and Business Unit Meetings.What other methods are the council using to improve our commitment to ED&I?As a council we are always open to learning, seeking ways to improve policies and strategies to make real change. At a recent council meeting, an external trainer was invited to discuss the topic of “Inclusion for All”. This training focussed on dierent types of bias and how to be more conscious when we are making decisions. We got some fantastic insights and enjoyed some anonymous activities to encourage engagement. A key takeaway from the training is that it is important to listen to what colleagues have to say and understand how they are experiencing the culture within Bidvest Noonan. What is planned for the year ahead?We are excited for the year ahead and the plans we have to continue this journey. We will keep our strategy a living document, one that will continue to evolve. We plan to further improve gender balance across leadership and under-represented roles, and raise awareness across the business around LGBTQI+, disability, age, social mobility, and ethnicity.The journey of our ED&I CouncilSharing our ED&I achievements includingour recent Bronze Diversity Mark award

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE26On 2 July, the security industry came together for the first time to celebrate pride and LGBTQIA+ identities within the sector.Organised by Satia Rai, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) at the International Professional Security Association, the groups will march at the London Pride Parade in a historic show of support and visibility for individuals within the industry. Deborah Mills-Burns, Business Sector Director at Bidvest Noonan will join Satia and the others at the pride parade with her wife and son to mark her journey as a working professional in the security sector. We sat down with them to speak about how their own experiences have evolved within the industry and what this pride parade means to them. Tell us about the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ identities in the security industry over the years.Satia: I’m a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. The security industry is not as inclusive as I’d like it to be; however, we are making good progress. In the last two years since I became a part of the ED&I side of things, I’ve observed that there has been a lot of lip service when it comes to inclusion, but it shuns the most important parts of the issue, output and action. That’s what I’m aiming to target, and we have gotten so much better Deborah Mills-BurnsBusiness Sector Director at Bidvest NoonanSatia RaiDirector of ED&I at IPSALGBTQIA+ inclusion and the security industryThe security industry came together for the first time to celebrate pride and LGBTQIA+ identities

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27BIDVEST NOONANat it. The fact that we’ve never attended a pride march before was an important place to start. I remember seeing the police and armed forces at previous pride marches. I was wondering where the security sector was because we are the ones stewarding and managing the security for the whole event. I began reaching out to the associations and got various leading service providers and security associations to be on board to march together this year.How would you say acceptance and allyship in the workplace have changed over the years?Deborah: In Bidvest Noonan now, I couldn’t feel any more supported. That’s not me being cheesy or promoting the brand. That’s just how I feel. Whenever I have a conversation with anybody, I openly talk about and reference my wife. There’s no awkwardness; it’s a genuinely welcoming environment. I do believe in our credo of putting people first; I think that demonstrates this kind of inclusion. But on the flip side of it, only four years ago, during our pregnancy, when my wife and I were working in dierent companies, everything felt a little more challenging for us even though we were going through the same thing as a heterosexual couple. During every step of the way, my wife needed to apply for leave at work because her employer at the time didn’t have policies in place to deal with our type of pregnancy. It might sound trivial, but it was hurtful. We went through a lot as a family. Satia: The last two years have seen a real collaborative eort. ED&I being embedded across our sector will enable it to be successful and ensure its growth. Education and visibility play a very important role. Now, people are having conversations about LGBTQIA+ history, pride, and allies. These are wonderful things to keep building on from a leadership perspective. When I started my ED&I journey as a Director, I introduced an ED&I specialist role into the team structure. It’s only a matter of time before the sector starts to create and have ED&I-specific roles in organisations who will focus solely on inclusion. We never had the special interest groups or role models that we have now. As we speak, there are about 72 countries where it is criminal to be who we are and 13 countries where it’s punishable by death. We have a voice and duty of care to raise awareness, stand in solidarity and make sure we are free to live happily in society. I’m hoping that this collaborative initiative will do more than just bringing us together to march. I We spoke to Mathew Skilbeck, Security Supervisor and Chairman of Worcestershire Pride, to understand what Pride Month means for him and how we can support Pride.Click here to read his full story.hope it shows that we can come together and do more for the LGBTQIA+ community. What does Pride mean to you?Satia: It means openness, it means joy, it means celebration. It means my niece can aspire and grow up in a world where she can be anything she wants to be, no matter what her background is. My parents were immigrants that came into this country, English wasn’t their first language. They struggled, my mum had four jobs and they did all this for me so our family could survive. I have to be the best version of myself for the sacrifices my parents made. Knowing this, I cannot sacrifice any version of my identity. So, when I try to make society a better place, it’s for my family, my colleagues, and all the diverse communities within it.Deborah: I think a lot changes when you have children. For me, pride gives my son the opportunity to see the world from a dierent point of view and to normalise it in his own head, so he knows it’s normal to have two mums. For me, it is all about my son and making sure that he has the opportunity to grow up in a world that is completely dierent to the one I grew up in. Whichever way his sexuality goes, he can express it and be proud of where he comes from. Pride gives you a larger family and network of support.“We need ‘pride’ to educate people all around the world that it doesn’t matter who you love, we are all human and should all have the same rights and opportunities.Mathew SkilbeckSecurity Supervisor & Chairman of Worcestershire Pride

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE28Encouraging diversity in the workplaceDiversity Mark recently partnered with Bidvest Noonan to host a series of round table talks about how modern work practices are impacting diversity in the workplace.The first event in this series, hosted at Invest Northern Ireland’s headquarters, brought together senior leaders from some of the most important employers, agencies, and authorities. The group discussed hybrid working and its eect on workplace diversity, sharing their expertise and perspectives to help chart a way forward. The sudden rise of hybrid working has been welcomed by some; however, others question its longer-term impact on our workplaces and industries. This change in working practice may create both winners and losers.Hybrid working can exacerbate inequities, and some commentators fear that it could lead to the unpicking of hard-won gains for traditionally underrepresented groups. Research by Mckinsey found that underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ community members, favour hybrid working most.There are concerns that hybrid workers, being distant from the office, will be less visible than in-workplace employees, making them less likely to be considered for promotion and reducing their impact in the business world.These round table discussions aim to unearth issues and challenges posed by current working practices and seek to use the experiences of participating organisations to develop solutions and best practices. A number of significant themes emerged during the discussions at this first event.Read the full article here.Discussing the impact of hybrid working on diversityDeclan DoyleBidvest Noonan Group CEOJanice BranniganBidvest Noonan Group CPO

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29BIDVEST NOONANAncove, a highly innovative and award-winning provider of waste management solutions, joined Bidvest Noonan group in 2021.Ancove applies waste management expertise and cutting-edge technologies to help clients cut waste disposal costs, comply with regulations and reduce their carbon footprint. The business operates throughout Ireland and supports clients in a wide range of sectors, including retail, hospitality, manufacturing and education.Ancove oers a range of compactors, balers and waste handling accessories that enable companies to sort and decrease their overall waste volume. With Ancove’s support, clients send less waste to landfill and generate new revenues from waste materials such as cardboard and plastic.www.ancove.comAncove helps you achieve your waste disposal targets and reduce carbon footprint.

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE30Our Environmental Performance

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31BIDVEST NOONANWe caught up with Katarzyna Sroka, Bidvest Noonan’s Site Manager at University College Cork (UCC), to learn about the environmental initiatives being rolled out on-site, and how we are helping UCC deliver on its sustainability goals.Can you share some of the initiatives that you and the Bidvest Noonan team have rolled out since taking up the cleaning service at UCC?At Bidvest Noonan, we are always looking to reduce the impact our services have on the environment. This ranges from improving how we manage waste to minimising our carbon footprint. We have introduced a chemical-free cleaning system that converts tap water into a highly eective cleaning agent. This system has made a significant and positive impact since we first brought it on-site in the Rahilly Building. It has made our cleaning process a lot more ecient across campusWe have moved to a greener fleet. Our vehicles on campus are hybrid and electric, reducing our tailpipe emissions and the impact on the environment.Taking the lead from the UCC Green Campus Forum, we have also introduced regular awareness talks for our people on sustainability. Topics include car engine idling and the impact on air pollution.We have invested in the best cleaning equipment the industry has to oer. For us, that means equipment that achieves excellent cleaning results while reducing our environmental impact. Our flat mopping floor cleaning system and i-Mop Floor Cleaning Machines all reduce the level of water usage by our teams on campus. We also support the university with its sustainability goals. UCC has rolled out a Paperless Oce Project campus-wide by the Procurement and General services team. We are proud to help UCC with this project by adopting a paperless approach.How have the UCC community of students and sta taken to the changes?We are delighted to constantly receive positive feedback from sta and students. A clean and safe environment is one conducive to learning. We want to ensure students feel comfortable on campus at UCC.We also received recognition for our sustainability initiatives on campus from the stakeholders on the Green Campus Forum at UCC. Positive feedback like this spurs our team to innovate further.Have you any other environmental initiatives planned for UCC?Part of our vision here at Bidvest Noonan is to be so valuable to our customers’ business. This means helping them achieve their strategic objectives, some of which are around sustainability and environmental initiatives. The Bidvest Noonan team is committed to taking all the necessary steps to help UCC achieve its environmental goals.We have already made a significant impact, but our on-site team is always looking to improve. Our next big project is to identify initiatives that will help reduce our carbon footprint on campus.What do you like most about your role with Bidvest Noonan at UCC?No two days are the same and I am delighted to work with such a fantastic team. We are pleased to see the changes we are making are helping UCC and its sustainability goals. We feel like we are making a real difference on campus for students and faculty and having a positive impact on the planet.Sustainability in the Education sector:Helping UCC go greenKatarzyna SrokaSite Manager at University College Cork (UCC)

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE32At Bidvest Noonan, we work hard with our colleagues and supply chain partners to reduce our impact on the planet, from removing single-use plastics and minimising the waste we generate to embracing technological change. Our Executive team for our business in Ireland shares some of the steps we are taking toward our environmental goals.Our journey to delivering a greener, more sustainable worldAs part of our vision, ‘being so valuable to their business’ means that we want to help our customers to achieve their strategic objectives, becoming an enabler of their success. We are delighted to support the Mahon Point Shopping Centre, Ireland’s most sustainable shopping centre, on its environmental journey.Last month, Darren Martin and members of our security team received the new electric van alongside our customer Justin Young. The new electric vehicle will contribute to achieving our customer’s sustainability goals.Supporting our clients’ environmental goals

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33BIDVEST NOONANClick here to readWe are undertaking a wide range of projects and initiatives to reduce our emissions and increase the sustainability of our business. We are transitioning to an electric fleet, investing in energy and water-saving technologies, increasing our use of green chemicals and much more. Earlier this year, we published our Environmental Report. Our report outlines the journey we are on and the steps we are taking to deliver a greener and more sustainable world. Our Environmental Report

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE34worked in sales roles for cleaning solutions within rail, tram, bus, coach, and aviation. I still love what I do, the people I work with and the great positive impact that we can deliver. I even find myself liking the challenges and obstacles that the cleaning industry throws up.Our Transport Sector business unit delivers services to the UK’s largest bus and rail operators. What makes Bidvest Noonan a great partner for them?We have our Credo and Vision embedded in our culture and in everything we do. Our people and In this conversation, Stuart Cunningham, Business Development Director for our Transport Sector, shares his perspective on how a people-focused approach has helped us deliver the best service for commuters. He speaks about how Bidvest Noonan’s cleaning and security solutions have supported more than 1.5 billion journeys each year.Tell us about your journey toward becoming a Business Development Director for our Transport Sector business unitIt is my 15-year anniversary working in soft services in the Transport Sector. Since 2007, I have always Transforming services in the transport sectorWhat helps us deliver the best service for commuters

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35BIDVEST NOONAN“ The transport business unit operating under the Bidvest Noonan brand and infrastructure gives us the opportunity to oer greater support at every level. I love the fact that we have a great history, demonstrable capability and long-standing relationships.Stuart Cunninghan,Business Development Director,Transport Solutionsour customer-focused dedicated approach helps us to deliver the best service on the market.Our deep expertise in the Transport Sector enables us to present innovative and creative solutions that use the latest cleaning technology and processes. And most importantly, we understand and align with our customers’ requirements and expectations.ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) has never been more important and it is a big topic inside our business. I’m really passionate about it and I was so proud to read and show my daughters the recently published environmental report. I believe we are heading in the right direction with this focus.In your opinion, what sets Bidvest Noonan apart from competitors?We are a large customer-focused services group with a rich history and fantastic infrastructure. The transport business unit operating under the Bidvest Noonan brand and infrastructure gives us the opportunity to oer greater support at every level. I love the fact that we have a great history, demonstrable capability and long-standing relationships.Our transport management team’s experience and knowledge are unique. We have best-in-class teams supporting our frontline colleagues, from Health and Safety, Learning & Development to HR and Mobilisation teams. They understand the unique nature of our services in the Transport Sector.Stuart Cunninghan, Business Development Director

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE36Maintaining sustainable built environmentsRepositioning hard engineering services for green workplacesThe built environment has a part to play in a move toward a more sustainable future. Emissions associated with fossil fuel heating, cooling, and the powering of the built environment contributed to roughly a quarter of Ireland’s total emissions in 2019. This statistic excludes carbon produced within the construction of buildings. Change is needed and Interact is leading the way. With engineering and technical services at our core, Interact’s in-house subject matter experts are ideally placed to assist our clients using a broad range of technology and sustainable innovations.Phase out of HFC RefrigerantsHFCs are potent greenhouse gases with high global warming potential (GWP) and long lifetimes. Interact assist businesses across Ireland to phase out of this type of refrigerants and replace, install and maintain more sustainable systems. We also assist on various funding mechanisms to help meet the cost of the new equipment (e.g. ACA’s, EU Taxonomy).Photovoltaic (PV) Power GenerationPhotovoltaic (PV) solutions convert sunlight directly into electricity using a technology known as a semiconductor cell or solar PV cell. It generates electricity using a truly green and sustainable energy source helping our clients to achieve their environmental goals. Our clients can also benefit from reductions in their energy expenditure and future proof against rising energy costs.Additional Sustainable InnovationsInteract has an appetite for leveraging technology and data to optimise eciency and help our clients deliver on their sustainability goals.We work in collaboration with our clients and plan a course of action to help deliver on their environmental needs. We replace their systems with ones that are more sustainable and ecient including:• Replacement of fossil fuel space and hot water heating systems with heat pump technology;• Free cooling and demand control of HVAC systems;• Full retrofit LED lighting solution through our Light as a Service (LaaS) oering;• Indoor air quality analysis and installation of packaged UV air filtration units;• Use of standalone long range wireless networks to facilitate installation of IoT gateway hubs and smart devices.Example of Photovoltaic (PV) Power Generation

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37BIDVEST NOONANHigh levels of CO₂ in an indoor environment is a reliable indicator of poor ventilation and that is why CO₂ testing can be useful to enhance the air quality and prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.To keep the CO₂ concentration at the recommended level inside buildings, it is important to measure and control it. With our national footprint, Interact have the expertise, knowledge, and experience to carry out testing, report on the findings and recommend remedial actions to help our clients to maintain CO₂ levels within a recommended range.CO2 Testing & Air Quality ControlEnhancing air quality of your workplaceInteract is a market leading provider of engineering & M&E maintenance services across Ireland. It is part of Bidvest Noonan Group.www.interactservices.com

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE38Supporting the Life Sciences sectorBidvest Noonan supports many of the best-known and most important companies in the life sciences sector. Our clients include companies who produce many of the world’s most important and ground-breaking medicines and biotechnologies. We provide a wide range of services to our customers, including GMP/GLP Cleaning, Security and ancillary services.

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39BIDVEST NOONANWe spoke with Niall Bennis to understand how he prepares his security teams to support our customers in the life sciences sector.Tell us about your journey and role in security.I have over 15 years’ experience in Security Management. Having worked in several sectors and engaged with diverse customers, I have acquired a vast knowledge of the security industry. I am very passionate about security and customer experience.At Bidvest Noonan, I am responsible for Security Operations. My primary focus is on supporting the Life Sciences customers of our integrated solutions business unit. My job is to ensure the delivery of the operational plan at all levels, including training and development, talent and performance management, and recruitment and selection. My role is to build strong teams and put the right processes and technologies in place to deliver outstanding results for our customers.What makes a good security team for the life sciences sector?I believe that communication is critical to any team. As security teams are also ambassadors of customers’ brands, a good security team needs to be friendly and approachable while remaining assertive and confident at all times. They need to be passionate about security and have developed expertise in the field. A good team will be able to problem-solve and know when to escalate issues. They will support each other and know when to look for support. Good security teams earn our customers trust by demonstrating high performance and professionalism at all times.How do you ensure your teams are prepared to deliver great service to our Life Sciences customers?We work tirelessly with our teams to ensure they are delivering the best possible outcomes and experience for our customers. We put the right people in the right role to ensure they can be successful. We invest in strong management and subject matter expertise to support our teams.We deliver bespoke training to our teams through a wide range of platforms to ensure that they are confident and competent in delivering a quality service to the sector. We identify, coach, and reward team members who go above and beyond their daily duties. We are visible and pride ourselves on building close relationships with our customers.Building great security teams in the Life Sciences SectorNiall BennisSecurity Operations Manager

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PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE40Stories from across our businessWe collaborate with customers all across the UK and Ireland to support social initiatives and make a positive impact in our local communities.In June, Richard Seddon and his team volunteered their time to work hand in hand with our customer to rejuvenate a community garden at Brixton Orchard. These gardens are very important to the community. They support biodiversity and are a resource for positive mental health. Promoting biodiversity and supporting local community

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41BIDVEST NOONANMany of our security teams across London proudly took part in the ‘’Hi! Visibility Day’’. They actively collaborated and engaged in many initiatives in association with The City Security Council and the City of London Police.It was once again a successful day to raise public safety awareness and boost community engagement. Our customer opened the first fully energy-sustainable store in Ireland this week. We are delighted to see that our security team worked hard to support the grand opening and ensure a seamless experience for thousands of customers.Carlos Giambrone and Grace Okonta took home the Security Ocer of Distinction Award at the 2022 ACS Pacesetters Awards. These awards recognise those who often disregard their own safety to help others. Both Carlos and Grace showed what it truly meant to be adaptive and agile and put the wellbeing of others first in response to a recent emergency that occurred on site.More than 300,000 concert and festival goers descended upon Manchester to attend one of the several concerts and festivals in June, such as the Parklife Festival.Our teams did a fantastic job ensuring each tram was spotless and ready to go. Once the trams finished for the night, our teams were ready at 3am to clean the tracks of litter and deep clean the central stops and stations.Our security teams helped plan and secure Bosch’s family fun day in commemoration of its 60th Anniversary for over 1,000 people.A team of 6 rope access experts undertook a full construc-tion clean for our client on a large project in Dublin. These technicians work at incredible heights but never compro-mise on their standards despite the challenging conditions they work in.

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