Why Join WHA?

Customer Confidence in your service and products: Our demanding food safety standards, exceeding UK legislation, sets WHA Members apart and are recognised as the ultimate standard by specifiers, buyers and decision makers. Membership ensures that your company knows and understands all the legislation surrounding the supply of a food product. This shows your current and potential customers you are part of recognized industry accreditation.

Promotion of your business: Listing on the WHA website and link to your website enabling potential customers to easily identify you as a WHA member. Our website offers visabilty to specifiers, buying groups such as ESPO and FM Companies

Promotion of the industry: The WHA promotes its Members and hydration in the workplace to trade publications, facilities management and the wider business press. This differentiates WHA Members from non-members, so delivering additional commercial benefits to you.

Knowledge, Support: Information and advice on forthcoming legislation, authoritative support from a friendly knowledgeable team including specialist technical and microbiological consultants offering guidance on water and hygiene issues. This gives Members the edge to ensure their businesses are prepared for any future changes and investment is protected.

Employee Protection, Regulations and use of Quest: When growing a company, it can be difficult to focus on everything and a small omission could lead to an incident with some liability. Guidance is offered from the WHA in developing systems that minimise risk, preparation of HACCPs, management of risk assessments and crisis management. All Members have access to the services of Quest, an HR, H&S, Tax and Legal Advice offering a bank of expertise and information.

Industry Specific Training: The WHA offers economical industry and job specific training and education programmes giving Members’ staff a high level of professionalism and motivation. This is delivered physically, online and virtually.

Annual audits: The WHA is committed to continuous improvement, to raising and maintaining the quality of the water dispenser industry. Bespoke, mandatory annual audits are carried out by professional auditors to ensure that Members meet the strict Codes of Practice. The audits are designed to improve your business and cover such elements as training, hygiene and operating procedures, ensuring that your company is meeting all legal requirements and beyond for your peace of mind.

Regulatory lobbying & monitoring:

Regular consultation with DEFRA in the UK and membership of Watercoolers Europe (WE) ensures that Members as a collective body can respond to and seek to influence.

Use of WHA logo: As a symbol of best practice and quality, the WHA logo is only available to full Members who have passed their audit(s) for use on marketing and sales materials.

Networking: Discounted meetings and trade shows give Members an opportunity to network and offers Suppliers access to both existing and new customers. Meeting with others in the industry encourages business collaborations between WHA Members.

Accredited Suppliers Members: Members, who require a diverse range of products and services, are encouraged, wherever possible, to purchase goods and services from WHA accredited supplier companies.

Supplier Members enjoy an annual trade show as well as newsletters, training and other communications. The opportunity for Suppliers to contact potential customers is on-going and targeted. Working relationships can also be developed by involvement in the Executive Council and related task forces. It is a friendly industry and membership of the WHA encourages the development of positive Supplier relationships.

Environment: WHA Members are encouraged to support the Association’s 5 for 5 Sustainability Pledge covering 3 pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environmental.

The WHA website offers a window to your business for customer both new or existing. By navigating our website it will become clear that your company is one that can be trusted to deliver a quality product. Find a Member

Meetings in the Autumn & Spring enable members not only to catch up with the latest industry developments, but also exchange ideas and experiences with industry peers. An industry trade show is held in the Spring, with many sponsorship opportunities.

The Association is run democratically through an elected Executive Council and managed by its General Manager and Technical & Training Manager.

Complete the application form. If you don’t have a proposer and seconder from the membership, speak to the General Manager who may be able to help.

Once your application is approved by the Executive Council, and your Membership Fee paid there are two steps to full Membership:

1. Training
2. Audit

This depends on what kind of company you have (see Training Manual for full details):

Bottlers:

1. Plant Operators Course
2. Hygiene Awareness Course
3. Crisis Management Course

Distributors/Operators:

1. Distribution Management to WHA Standards for Distribution Depot Managers & Supervisors (Depot Managers) Course
2. WHA WRAS Course
3. Hygiene Awareness Course
4. Crisis Management Course

Manufacturers/Suppliers (of water contact products) – voluntary:

1. Distribution Management to WHA Standards for Distribution Depot Managers & Supervisors (Depot Managers) Course
2. WHA WRAS Course
3. Crisis Management Course

The WHA are developing an online training programme, including Induction Training, ideal for new members of staff, and Hygiene Essentials, which will act as a refresher between the mandatory three yearly full hygiene courses.

Annual audits are mandatory for continued membership by Bottlers and Distributors/Operators. Supplier Members who supply water contact products complete an annual questionnaire.

As soon as you have passed the relevant audit(s) or Supplier questionnaire for your business.