Why Choose Us

Our History

2020

Glassdoor Best Places to Work

Rentokil Initial placed 18th in Glassdoor's Best Place to Work UK 2020 list, our second time we have been on the list in three years!
2019

Indeed Top-Rated Workplace

Indeed has awarded Rentokil Initial the #1 spot on the Top-Rated Workplaces list, highlighting our great work-life balance, progression opportunities and team atmosphere.
2018

The Hygeia Awards

Rentokil Initial was awarded its first Hygeia Award as a Centre of Excellence for our continuing commitment to learners.
2018

RoSPA Gold Award

In 2018 Rentokil Initial won a RoSPA Gold Award, demonstrating a well-developed occupational health and safety management system and culture.
2018

Glassdoor Best Places to Work

Rentokil Initial achieved #7 on the list for the UK Best Places to Work in 2018, awarded by Glassdoor.
2017

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Rentokil Initial is awarded the first of two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, in the category of International Trade, recognising the business’s outstanding achievement in global trade.
2016

Acquisition of Wise Property Care

Another exciting acquisition with Scotland based Wise Property Care joining our expanding property services businesses.
2015

Acquisition of Peter Cox

Peter Cox joins the Rentokil Initial family, strengthening our presence within the commercial property services sector.
2015

One of the biggest Google users

Apps, Hangouts and G+ social media have become embedded within the company, boosting productivity and efficiency. Virtual communities are used to share knowledge, sales leads and best practice.
2014

Pestaurant

Rentokil launched its first global 24-hour Pestaurant event, with pop-up stands serving edible insects to 20,000 people in 12 cities from Washington to Sydney.
2014

CleanVision wins Award

Initial Cleanroom’s CleanVision garment saw off tough competition from other German, Portuguese, Austrian and British companies to be awarded Cleanroom Technology’s Cleanroom Award for 2014.
2013

‘City of Adelaide’ is prepared for her final voyage

The ‘City of Adelaide’, a clipper ship built in 1864 had lain on the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland. An international ‘Bring her Home’ campaign was launched in Adelaide and in late 2013 the ship bearing the City’s name began its voyage home. Before the ship could move, however, Rentokil experts were called in to undertake bird proofing and specialist cleaning and disinfection to ensure the ship met with strict Australian import regulations.
2008

Ambius is born

Rentokil Tropical Plants was renamed Ambius and began to expand its service offering to include ambient scenting and corporate artwork.
2001

Chelsea Flower Show

Rentokil Tropical Plants won their first gold medal at Britain’s most celebrated horticultural events, the Chelsea Flower Show. They went on to win many more gold and silver gilt awards at the Hampton Court Flower show and BBC Gardeners’ World Live events.
1996

Rentokil Initial is created

Rentokil made its largest acquisition to date, BET (British Electric Traction) and the Initial brand passed to Rentokil.
1985

BET acquired Initial

In the early 80s BET increased its stake in Initial to 40%, and in 1985 BET acquired the remaining 60%. This allowed it to merge Initial with Advance Service's laundry operations while retaining the Initial brand name.
1979

Towering achievement

Rentokil secured a pest control contract for the newly-built NatWest Tower in the City of London – at that time it was Britain’s tallest building.
1969

Listed on the London Stock Exchange

Rentokil Group Ltd was listed on the London Stock Exchange with one of the largest new issues of shares the City had seen. In the same year, it established the basis of a hygiene division with the purchase of Rashbrooke Chemical Company and in 1970 acquired Thames Services for £1million.
1966

Buckingham Palace

Rentokil was awarded a contract to repel birds at Buckingham Palace and pest control at the newly opened Post Office Tower (BT Tower).
1962

Consolidation

On 1 January 1962 all the UK trading companies became divisions of Rentokil Laboratories Ltd, shortened to Rentokil Limited.
1957

Combining our expertise
By the mid 1950s, the synergies between British Ratin and Rentokil Ltd had become obvious and British Ratin acquired Rentokil Ltd and its service arm, Woodworm and Dry Rot Control Ltd.
1944

Dr Hickin, Entomologist

Dr Norman Hickin joined Rentokil Limited as an entomologist. He started a servicing section which became Woodworm and Dry Rot Control Ltd in 1952.
1940

Ratin Buys Chelsea

Demand for pest control services began extending beyond rodent control to insect control. British Ratin made its first acquisition, Chelsea Insecticides Ltd.
1928

Enter BET

The Initial Towel Supply Company floated on the stock market and during the 1930s BET (British Electric Traction) acquired a small stake in Initial.
1925

Rentokil is born

The company was registered in 1925 as Rentokil Limited due to trade name objections preventing the name 'Entokill'.
1924

Ento-kill

Harold Maxwell-Lefroy started supplying bottles of woodworm fluid from a small factory in Hatton Garden, which he called 'Ento-kill fluids – an amalgam of the Greek work 'entomon' meaning insect and the English word 'kill'.
1920

Westminster Hall Deathwatch Beetle

Harold Maxwell-Lefroy, Professor of Entomology at Imperial College London, was asked to study ways of exterminating the beetles in Westminster Hall and in time began receiving regular orders.
1906

Ratin Discovered

Danish pharmacist, Georg Neumann of Aalborg discovered a strain of bacteria lethal to rats and mice, which became known commercially as Ratin. The first London sales office opened in 1906.
1903

Initialled Towels Introduced

Mr A. P. Bigelow introduced a towel rental service to businesses in London. Each towel was marked with the customer's initials, which ensured that customers only received their own towels, leading to the name, 'Initial Towel Supply Company'.