Meet the Finalists - National Pest Awards 2026 - Diversity & Inclusion

Meet the finalists of the Syngenta-sponsored National Pest Awards' Diversity & Inclusion Award.

Congratulations to all the finalists selected. We look forward to the prestigious Awards' ceremony at Plaisterers’ Hall, London on Wednesday 9th September 2026 and to see who will be crowned as the category winner. 

Pest Minds CIC

Pest Minds CIC is a not-for-profit that is dedicated to the improvement of mental health and wellbeing across the pest management sector, founded by Anna Mollins (below).

The organisation is working hard to get all pest control businesses to create a more inclusive and aware workplace for those managing mental health conditions.

The Pest Minds Charter is an initiative that provides pest business with a framework that sets out a minimum standard for positive mental health in the workplace, along with developmental ideas that encourage businesses to go above and beyond. 

Anna said the guided self-assessment and supporting resources are completely free to ensure accessibility to all in the industry from, sole traders through the large companies.

She has created a collection of toolbox talks, which cover various aspects of mental health and wellbeing that are specifically relevant to the pest sector.

Pest Solutions

Glasgow-based Pest Solutions has a team of 67 across all areas of the business and continues to have success in recruiting from a diverse range of people and attracting interest from a broad representation.

The company said that 52% of the company’s service team are female, against an industry average of 5.5-6% female employment.

Gemma Sutherland, operations manager at Pest Solutions, said the business had worked hard to ensure that its recruitment processes are accessible to all. 

Currently 39% of job applications are currently from female applicants and 54% of second round candidates are female. 

Pest Solutions attracts a broad representation of people from all walks of life with diversity across, gender, ethnic background, education level, sexual identity, disability, neurodiversity and religious backgrounds. 

Gemma said that the diversity and inclusive nature of the Pest Solutions team is also its strength. 

Rentokil Pest Control

Rentokil Pest Control said it commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion starts at board level, where it continues to maintain high gender parity, moving from a 25% female board in 2017 to 50% in 2021/22, a figure it continues to maintain. 

Ethnic diversity remains a fixture at the top level today, with roughly 25% of members identifying as ethnically diverse. 

The pest control industry has a reputation for being male-dominated, which is something Rentokil Pest Controls actively challenging; on the frontline 9.2% of it workforce is female, as of May 2026. 

Paul Blackhurst, Technical Academy head at Rentokil Pest Control, added that 13% of its surveyors are female, and 6% of its frontline workforce come from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

In 2025, Rentokil Pest Control supported 137 apprentices in the UK.

Its youngest technician, currently studying for their Level 2 qualification, is 18, while its oldest is 54.

Buy your tickets for the National Pest Awards ceremony here

Other finalists for the National Pest Awards' categories include: