Annual Report 2020
We believe in quality and equality in equal measures, which is why all of our employees, disabled or not, work alongside each other as a team to deliver what we think is Tasmania’s best laundry service.
The Blueline Laundry Inc ABN: 77795370902 59-61 Creek Rd New Town TAS 7008 www.blueline-laundry.com
Our Story Blueline Laundry is a registered Charity with a long and proud history of service to the people of Tasmania. Commencing operations in 1893 as BayView Laundry, the service was developed by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd to provide employment for disadvantaged women and girls. Since then Blueline Laundry has evolved to a fully commercial and competitive laundry that offers employment, training and personal development for people with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds through the operation of commercial laundries, one in Hobart and one in Launceston. We are proud to be a fully integrated workplace. Of the 240 staff that Blueline Laundry employs, 35% are working with a disability and a further 20% are culturally and linguistically diverse. Our diversity plays a vital role in delivering our high quality laundry services, at the same time bettering the community in which we live and work.
Our Purpose To create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities and disadvantage, through the operation of Tasmania’s largest commercial laundry.
Our Values
Supporting vulnerable people
Improving our community
Blueline Laundry Annual Report 2020
Building a sustainable future
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Contents
Our Story, Purpose and Values .………….……. 3 Blueline Laundry in 2020 …….………………..….. 7 Board Chair Report ……………………….……. 9 - 11 CEO Report ………….……………………...……. 13 - 15 COVID-19 Snapshot …………………………………. 17 Our COVID Response …………………..………….. 19 Our People …………………………….……..…….. 21-23 Our Community ……………..…………………… 24-25 Our News …………………………………………………. 26 Our Standards …………………………………………..27 Our Leadership ……………………………….………. 29 Our Goals for the Future ……………….....…….. 31 Thank You ……………………………………..………… 33
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in 2020
287,000
240
Total hours of employment
employees
29%
35% working with a disability
of all hours were worked by supported workers
20% culturally and linguistically diverse
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Training Certificates Achieved and Active
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Serving Tasmania 7
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Blueline Board Chair Report Kathryn Westwood Whilst many organisations have experienced a year like no other, and Blueline was no exception, it was made more challenging by the transformational agenda to turn the business around which was in place prior to the pandemic. Despite this Blueline achieved beyond expectations. The key highlights include: • establishing a new strategic plan; • successful response to the impact from the pandemic; • strong employee engagement; • recognition of our employees achievements through both external and internal awards; and • leveraging our migrant employee skills. The Board appointed a new CEO, Michael Sylvester, with a clear agenda to turnaround the business performance and profitability to ensure we can support our mission to provide employment and life skills to people with disabilities. Thanks to Michael’s leadership and drive, he has already made significant inroads against this agenda in his short tenure. In March, the Board approved the CEO’s improvement plan as a precursor to the new strategic plan, to address the near term goals to restore the laundry businesses to a financially sustainable platform. In August, the Board approved the new 5 year strategic plan with a focus to rebuild the sustainable core which included operational and
leadership capabilities, customer retention and selection, leveraging brand potential, commercial acumen and developing risk maturity and systems. The Board’s agenda was focused on improved governance and risk management including the approval a number of key policies, the business continuity plan including a COVID-19 Safety Plan, a review of the Board risk appetite statement and strategic risk register, risk reporting and a reinvigorated focus on safety at Board level. The Board adapted to the COVID safety measures conducting most of our meetings online providing a new way of working for future meetings. The impact from the pandemic was significant for Blueline, with a heavy reliance on the tourism sector, requiring us to respond rapidly to a large reduction in laundry volumes, a heightened focus on safe handling of infectious disease laundry with our health sector customers as well as managing a COVID-safe workplace. Whilst the government assistance with Job Keeper and other grants were welcomed to support our workforce it is nevertheless a painful but necessary situation to stand down a significant number in our workforce, with some of our most vulnerable people in our workforce choosing to stay home. (continues…)
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Blueline Board Chair Report Kathryn Westwood Despite the challenges that arose during the pandemic, the business responded quickly and effectively with the reduced laundry volume bringing a heightened focus on the key areas where actions were taken to improve profitability. This included redeploying our skilled migrant workforce to leverage their skills in information technology, operational processes and establishing a new business line in the production of alginate bags for the health care sector. The Board extends its appreciation for the significant efforts and dedication of the senior leadership team during this challenging year and recognise the role the CEO has played in supporting the team, developing capability across the organisation and developing key external relationships to further the Blueline brand and mission.
We acknowledge the many challenges ahead as we position Blueline to a sustainable business. The Board has a clear agenda for the next 4 years as set out in our strategic plan and the senior leadership team are well positioned to continue to build their capability to execute against our long term plan. The Board extends their appreciation for the continued support of the Archbishop, and that of the Archdiocese support functions through the year. In closing, I would like to also acknowledge the contributions of my fellow Board members in Chris Ryan, Ron Ward, Ali Brennan, Jamie Lawrence and Hayden Thorp.
Blueline Board Members
Chris Ryan
Ron Ward
Jamie Lawrence
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Hayden Thorp
Ali Brennan
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CEO Report Michael Sylvester
In a year of many successes, it is difficult to reflect without being consumed by all things COVID. However, I am extremely proud of the resilience shown by Blueline Laundry and the steely focus that was necessary to guide the organisation through the pandemic. In early March, the Board and Management had agreed to implement a number of key initiatives that would shore up the footings of Blueline Laundry as an ongoing service provider to the healthcare, aged care, hospitality and industrial sectors. The ink was barely dry on that plan when the full impacts of COVID became an overnight reality. The hibernation of the hospitality sector and state border closures meant that Blueline Laundry lost 83% of its customer base in a heartbeat. Although laundry volume continued through our contracts with Tasmania’s major hospitals, allied health providers and aged care facilities, it was necessary to make immediate and temporary adjustments to the business to ensure long-term viability. Unfortunately, we had no other choice than to stand down 60% of the workforce, including reshaping the management and administrative functions. Blueline Laundry is a community-based organisation with 127 years of experience and COVID was not our first crisis. In fact, we have survived two
world wars, the Spanish flu, the polio pandemic, the 1967 bushfires, the global financial crisis, the catastrophic boiler explosion of 1974 and numerous other impacts. We knew exactly what we needed to do to survive COVID, and that was a steadfast prioritisation of our People and our Customers. Blueline Laundry’s Purpose is to “create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disadvantage” and the commercial laundries are the Charity’s vehicle in which we make this happen. Of our 240 staff, 35% are working with a disability and 20% are culturally and linguistically diverse community members. The society we live in today makes our staff more vulnerable than others. During the pandemic, Blueline Laundry focussed on staff wellbeing. We checked in regularly with our employees to ensure that they had an ongoing place to live, with adequate heating and that they had enough provision for the basic human rights, including food and security. We were able to provide resources on several occasions where minimum needs were not able to be met. As a leading provider of ISO9001 Quality Assured services, Blueline Laundry became the go-to organisation for expertise concerning infectious linen control and hygiene standards. (continues)
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CEO Report
Michael Sylvester
We continued to provide first-in-class services to Tasmania’s major hospitals, aged care homes and other essential service customers. We frequently deployed designated vehicles to pick up, handle and launder COVID-infected linen.
heritage or wage status.
In acknowledging how hard the hospitality sector was affected, Blueline Laundry worked tirelessly with our major tourism customers in repurposing their venues to isolation facilities. This required Blueline Laundry filling the knowledge gap between tourism hospitality and medical hospice.
The end of the financial year saw the commencement of a new Strategic Plan for Blueline Laundry. This plan will underpin Blueline laundry’s sustainability through outstandingly good customer service, elevated product quality and a sharp increase in training and education for staff.
Whilst it was a year of immense challenge, and those challenges haven’t yet fully abated, Blueline Laundry continued to make positive contributions to the communities in which we live and work. We continued to be a major employer of people with disability, contributing to enhancing their wellbeing with meaning and purpose.
The next few years, in particularly the next 12-months, will be a very exciting time for Blueline Laundry.
We continued our training and upskilling of staff, most notably a number of Supported Workers completing industry-recognised training certificates in readiness for open employment. We continued our support of other charities by way of in-kind contributions and donations, including full linen supply and laundering services for Ronald McDonald House Hobart.
To our Customers and major Stakeholders I would like to extend our thanks and acknowledge the patience that you have shown us, during a time of major readjustment. I would like to thank the Members of the Association and the Board for their support and guidance during the year, the Management team for the continuation of going above-and-beyond during a very trying time, and to all the staff of Blueline Laundry, whose enthusiasm and smiles make this business one of a kind.
Blueline Laundry represents a community of like-minded people, where everyone can come to work safely irrespective of disability, cultural
We have an emerging story of learning the breadth of our cultural diversity and indigenous heritage and we commenced sharing that story this year through an improved social media footprint.
I feel very privileged to have stewardship over Blueline Laundry as a prominent community-based organisation, and be surrounded by an engaged Board, a capable Management team and a passionate workforce.
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COVID-19 Snapshot
30,000 bags
250,000m2
of potentially infectious linen safely washed
additional surfaces cleaned, equal to 33 football fields
20 tonnes
10,000+ masks
Linen stockpiled for emergency supply
and medical grade PPE for laundry workers
Expert Advice
+30 debtor days
On COVID linen protocol to primary health and isolation hotels
Average, +30 day extensions for financial hardship
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Our COVID-19 Response Blueline Laundry performed a crucial role in the first line of defence for the Tasmanian Community. As an essential service provider laundering the infectious linen from Tasmania’s major hospitals and quarantine hotels, Blueline’s COVID response was critical in preventing community transmission.
Our People
Our Operations
When the border closures locked down the hospitality industry, we were forced to temporarily stand down 60% of the workforce.
We were able to quickly adapt and make improvements across several areas.
Alginate Bags are used to collect, transport and safely wash contaminated linen. Our workforce is more exposed to Blueline Laundry has a Sewing Team in vulnerability, so the work we did to protect house that make Alginate Bags, ensuring the safety of our workers extended into their continuity of supply of this vital product communities, across extended families, directly to our customers. often elderly parents, carers and other vulnerable people who share their homes. Our Accredited washing procedures use preset computer programs to ensure that all To bringing staff back online as soon as we of our laundering complies with the highest possibly could, our tailor made COVID hygiene standards, while our chemical response plan involved a significant partner ECOLAB’s wash formulas meet investment in PPE and specific training hospital-grade Australian Standards, delivered on hygiene. controlling infectious viruses up to and including COVID-19.
Our Customers
As a leading provider of ISO9001 Quality Assured services, Blueline Laundry became an advisor on infectious linen control standards. We continued to provide leading quality services to Tasmania’s major hospitals and aged care homes, deploying designated vehicles to pick up, handle and launder COVID-infected linen. Blueline Laundry worked tirelessly with our major hospitality customers to facilitate the repurposing of their venues to isolation facilities, bridging the knowledge gap between tourism hospitality and medical grade hygiene and care.
Transporting, unloading and sorting soiled linen is the highest risk area within the laundry process. In response, we now have medical grade PPE for all frontline workers, who now wear gloves, long sleeved gowns, face mask, eye protection and boots while in the pre-wash area. The work environment has seen an increase in the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting, and new screening for contractors on arrival. As an employer of vulnerable people, we provide face masks and shields and promote hand washing and sanitizing, with social distancing practiced throughout all areas of the laundry
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Our People The staff at Blueline Laundry collectively have over 1,400 years of experience.
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Joanna Hargraves
20+
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Craig Davey
Maxwell Swifte, 24 Ramila Cairns, 23 Garry Oliver, 23 Cecilia Brockman, 21 Craig Hunter, 21 Nicolai Rauenbusch, 20 Craig Hansen, 20
Michelle Sale
15+
Lynette Cooper, 19 Cameron Lane, 19 Lisa Snyman, 18 Ivy Larkin, 18 Brian Kirkwood, 17 Vanessa Mansfield, 17 Katherine Vocke, 17 Andrew Alberry, 17 Ron DiFelice, 17 Nathan Rice, 16 Janet Burns, 15 Tanya Anderson, 15 Simon Atwell, 15
Some of our most experienced team members serve their colleagues in our Supported Worker Advisory Committees The role of the Advisory Committees is to represent all staff by providing feedback to Blueline Management on proposed changes to policies, plans, procedures and work environment.
Hobart Committee Left to right: Vanessa, Damian, Ramila, Craig Hansen, Anna, Craig Davey and Kellie
Launceston Committee Left to Right: Rebecca Kerrison, Melody Watkins, Joanna Rigby and Dylan Barratt
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Our People Our Training Graduates Thank you to our training partner St Michaels We had 23 staff included 11 supported workers complete TLI11215 - Certificate I in Warehousing Operations, and another 9 commenced their training this year.
Bowling Tournament Every year our supported employees look forward to competing in the Annual Blueline Bowling Tournament. The coveted spot on the trophy is hotly contested.
Trainee of the Year Finalists Two of our supported employees, Alex Horsey (Hobart) and Alanna Jansen (Launceston) were finalists in the Equity Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Award at the 2019 Training Awards held at Wrest Point Hotel Casino.
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Our People
The Charles Mansfield Achievement Award Each year Blueline presents the Charles Mansfield Award to supported employees in recognition of their dedication to work and training, ability to be a role model and involvement in the community. The award presentation is held on the International Day of People with Disability. We congratulate Teegan Smith and Gaieth Koko from our Launceston Laundry (above) and Michelle Sale and Rebecca Triffett from our Hobart Laundry (below), the Charles Mansfield Achievment Award recipients for 2019.
The Charles Mansfield Achievement Award is named after a gentleman who came to Blueline Laundry in around 1990 to initially, believe it or not, wind up the laundry business and close down the factory. After spending some time at the laundry he realised the opportunities that could be gained from the laundry as a way to help people with disability gain employment and become part of the community. Charles worked with the management at the time to create what we have at Blueline Laundry today. In recognition of the work conducted by Charles Mansfield, an award was created in his name.
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Our Community Staff Fundraisers The Blueline Social Club organised a lunch of party pies and sausage rolls for ‘Footy Colours Day’ in Hobart. The staff raised funds to support kids living with cancer.. while revelling in some footy team rivalry. Launceston gave back to their local animal charities, with donations made to the North East Animal Sanctuary and Just Cats Tasmania.
Did you know? Blueline Laundry donates the linen service for Ronald McDonald House Hobart. This in-kind donation equates to $16K in value each year.
“We would like to thank all the Staff at Blueline Laundry in Launceston – they took a collection of donations on Pizza Day, with a total of $57.75 (pictured is Bernie and Chelsea). Thanks so much guys”
“What a bunch of legends at Blueline Laundry in Launceston! It’s awesome local business’ like these guys that keep sanctuaries like us ticking over. Get around ‘em!”” Blueline Laundry Annual Report 2020
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Our Community Work Experience Programmes Blueline partnered with TasTAFE and Newstead College to support people with disability through work experience programmes. Undertaking work experience placements gives students the opportunity to experience work in a real workplace, helping them to make informed choices for their future, as well as enabling Blueline to assess the person’s aptitude. Hobart identified 4 young people as potential supported employees and Launceston identified at least one potential new employee.
Blueline Welcomes our new Sewing Team Ensuring continuity of employment for 6 people working with a disability, the sewing team producing alginate bags has moved to Blueline Laundry from the Mail Room in Glenorchy As an experienced disability employer, Blueline Laundry is well positioned to ensure a seamless redeployment of the sewing staff from Oak Possibilities, having established procedures and on-site support to safeguard the best interests of the supported workers. Bringing the sewing of alginate bags in house is a win-win for Blueline Laundry, expanding services to both our customers and our community.
Beyond the School Gate Expo Blueline attended the ‘Beyond the School Gate’ Expo at Rosny College to promote Blueline to prospective students and parents. James Brennan, a current supported employee and a past student at Rosny College shared his experience about working at Blueline. Blueline Laundry Annual Report 2020
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Our News Marketing our Brand This year we welcomed a new website, enhanced social media profiles and a professionally produced brand video. There is a lot more exciting marketing to come, leading up to our 130th anniversary in 2023. Blueline Laundry has played a prominent role in the community for the last 127 years and have now developed a marketing strategy designed to communicate the Blueline Laundry Brand Story through trust and authenticity. Blueline Laundry invites all of our staff, customers and other stakeholders to follow our social media pages and share our content.
youtu.be/3ZNVd238LwI
@bluelinelaundry
@bluelinelaundry
Blueline Company Page
blueline-laundry.com
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Our Standards Dual Accreditation The importance of independently audited quality standards has never been more heightened than this year. During a pandemic, infection control is paramount and Blueline Laundry served as a frontline essential service. As the laundry in Tasmania to achieve ISO9001 certification across all sites, Blueline Laundry was in the best position to handle the infectious linen from Tasmania’s major hospitals and isolation centres. Equally, achieving NDIS certification meant safeguarding those working with a disability and protecting the rest of our vulnerable workforce as well as their families and communities.
Registered NDIS Provider
Online Ordering This year we began the transition to Online Ordering. Our chosen partner for this initiative is Bundle Connect, a leader in customer-centric laundry technology. Online Ordering enables our customers to order quickly and easily and track their orders and invoices, at the same time as improving efficiencies in processing and Deliveries - a win/win for all. Blueline Laundry Annual Report 2020
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Our Leadership Driven by the appointment of CEO Michael Sylvester in February 2020, a strategic restructure enhanced the leadership capability with a more efficient management team. Blueline Laundry has the right team in place to navigate Blueline Laundry through the current COVID-19 climate and trade profitably into the future; to be known as an organisation that sets the benchmark in employing people with disability; and to be sought out by governments, funders and agencies because of the role we play in supporting the community.
Blueline Laundry’s Senior Leadership Team, pictured left to right: • Darrin Geard, Operations Manager Launceston • Sharon James, Finance & Business Services Manager • Mike O'Flaherty, Operations Manager Hobart • Mike Sylvester, CEO • Grant Coker-Williams, People, Quality and Systems Manager • Nerida Hornshaw, Marketing Manager
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Our Goals for the Future Blueline Laundry has identified six key areas that are critical to our success.
People & Culture Ensuring that Blueline is a workplace where all of our people feel safe, valued, and equal.
Customer Centricity Everything we do is centred on giving our customers the best possible service.
Marketing Sharing Blueline’s brand story and news across our social media channels and website.
Risk Management Identifying hazards and risks to the business, and being prepared in case things go wrong
Productive Capability Managing our laundry operations, resources and machinery in the most efficient way.
Information, Communication and Technology Getting and using the right information and communication technology for our business.
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Thank You to our supporters and partners
LAUNCESTON 19 Hobart Road Kings Meadows TAS 7249 t 03 6344 5822 HOBART 59-61 Creek Road New Town TAS 7008 t 03 6278 8299