Latest News from BPCA

08 March 2022

Bayer ES: Celebrating International Women’s Day 

PRESS RELEASE

On International Women’s Day Bayer Environmental Science have partnered with Pest Solutions to celebrate just some of the tremendous team and their achievements within the Pest Control Industry.

bayercelebratinginternationalwomensday

Isabelle Duboille, Head of EMEA (Environmental Science) said, “At Bayer we are committed to strengthening a more inclusive and diverse workforce, as diversity is a key ingredient of creative and innovative teams that perform. Gender balance is one of the pillars of this diversity.

"That’s why we aspire to establish a gender balance across all combined management levels by 2025. By 2030, Bayer aspires to reach gender parity on each individual management level.

"So on International Women’s Day, and indeed every day, we are proud to celebrate companies that embrace and enable equality.”

Women account for 40 per cent of the global workforce*, yet not surprisingly pest management remains a male dominated profession. Recent analysis from the BPCA membership database suggests that only around 4.5% of all staff are women (4% in August 2020).   

Dee Ward-Thompson, Head of Membership and Technical at the British Pest Control Association, commented, “While pest management is still a male-dominated profession, I've seen many women join our industry in 10 years.

"Women entering our profession are always regarded with the utmost respect and encouraged to develop their skills, with many becoming leaders within the sector. More and more women are seeing the benefits of joining this wonderful sector and the potential long-term career path."

Testament to this view are pest control companies such as Pest Solutions, with women comprising 36.3% of the servicing workforce.   

Chris Cagienard, Managing Director at Pest Solutions, whole-heartedly supports the belief that fair representation of women in the workplace can have positive outcomes across the organisation.  

However, he believes performance excellence is not down to gender; it’s reliant on recruiting and nurturing the very best talent for your business.  

Organisations can close the gender gap by making equality a decisive objective, just like any other business objective.

The interesting point is, Pest Solutions has not set this as an objective; they spend time identifying the right skills, attitude, and establish sound management where the whole team can thrive, regardless of gender.

This absence of bias perpetuates a healthy and balanced culture. #BreakTheBias

Please watch Bayer’s video below and consider skills, career progression, confidence, positive change, continuous professional development and more. 

Thank you to Chris Cagienard; Natasha Mackay, Graduate Service Technician; Hayley Raferty, Financial Director; Gemma Sutherland, Graduate Service Technician.  

What’s more, Gemma will be talking at the forthcoming BPCA parliamentary event, encouraging young people and women into the industry. 

*source – People Management magazine, October 2020

Source: Bayer Press Release

Highlights View all news

27 March 2025

Latest news

PPC Live 2025 review: a showcase of pest control expertise

PPC Live returned to Harrogate on 19 March 2025, once again bringing together the UK pest industry for a day of networking, learning and expert insights. 

Read more

13 March 2025

Latest news

Hantavirus and the role of pest control in preventing its spread

Following news of a high profile Hantavirus death recently, we've put together some information on the virus and how good pest management can help stop it spreading.

Read more

29 January 2025

Latest news

Sticky situation: Met Police caught unprepared on Glue Trap law

In December, BPCA received a Freedom of Information (FOI) response from the Metropolitan Police, which revealed that no training had been provided to officers on glue trap protocols. 

Read more
Latest View all news

09 April 2025

Latest news

Squeak-A-Boo scoops business award

Press release: Somerset-based Squeak-A-Boo Pest Management won award for best start up at the Somerset Business Awards.

Read more

08 April 2025

Latest news

New opportunities for Outcast Ant use

PRESS RELEASE Syngenta highlight Outcast Ant, for ant control in this unseasonably warm spring weather.

Read more

02 April 2025

Latest news

VIDEO: BPCA Annual Report 2024

Watch our video round-up of the BPCA Annual Report, feat. the President's Report, Treasurer's Report and Committee updates.

Read more