Sustainable cleaning and recycling

IF THERE is one thing we can be sure of, it is that the cleaning and FM industries never stand still. While the Covid pandemic has had an obvious impact on both our behaviour and workplaces, as businesses we are also re-evaluating our relationships with staff, and our priorities at work. Where once ‘sustainability’ was limited to recycling and energy, these days the definition is much wider.

Sustainable business

Pre-Covid, demand for greater sustainability was rising steadily. This may have been as simple as clients asking for advice on developing an effective recycling scheme, introducing back-office initiatives, or signing up for an environmental management system.

At Cleanology, sustainability has always been top of our agenda – my first business was a recycling enterprise, and I have followed this path ever since. We have introduced industry-firsts to address plastic use, and we monitor our impact in detail to ensure that we prioritise the most effective areas.

Business disrupted

With the arrival of Covid, everything changed. Entire workplaces emptied, as those who could work remotely switched to homeworking. While some contracts were placed on hold, our main concern was to protect those who were still working.   

We undertook new risk assessments across each of our sites, increased our cleaning schedule, and made sure that all members of staff were provided with fabric face masks and gloves. 

As well as making the work environment as safe as possible, this also sent the message to staff that we are serious about their welfare. It is this message that has taken root and grown as the months have passed.

New sustainability

Now that we are returning to some form of normality, it is clear that the emphasis has changed. We are more focused on people, wellbeing, and financial stability. People are thinking more holistically, and Environmental, Social, Governance – or ESG – is taking precedence. 

This can be seen in the take-up of accreditations. Accreditations are a force for good. They provide us with an independent assessment of achievements, and also offer a constructive model for change. Accreditation demands evaluation; it pushes us to monitor progress and identify a path for improvement.

The increase in take-up shows that accreditations are becoming more important. When Cleanology applied for accreditation to B Corp in September 2021, for example, the queue was around six months. Today, companies are waiting for up to a year. Similarly, applications for accreditation to the Real Living Wage have more than doubled. 

What does ESG look like, and where can we start?

To begin, ESG encompasses all areas of business, including those that we would normally label under sustainability. In our ESG strategy, we try to implement those initiatives that relate to our wider business, and actions that will improve the planet, or the lives of our staff and the wider community.

Energy and waste

At Cleanology, we are accredited to ISO 14001, which calls for continuous improvement. We prioritise the areas which will bring the greatest impact first, innovating and trialling systems that we hope will become industry standards. To date, we have focused our attention on:

• chemicals;
• plastics; and 
• energy.

Chemicals

We have all been shocked by images of plastics finding their way into the oceans, and the effect these are having on wildlife. Chemical cleaning solutions are invisible to the human eye but, as they wash down drains and into streams and rivers, they cause a plethora of problems. Cleanology has advocated chemical-free cleaning for the past 10 years and is now almost chemical-free across its entire portfolio.

Plastic waste
Cleanology was the first cleaning company in Europe to introduce portion-controlled, biological cleaning sachets. Since switching, we are saving 16,092 litres of water each year, and cutting plastic bottle use from 21,600 to just 600 PET bottles.

In 2020, we pioneered the introduction of uniforms made from recycled bottles. Together, our sachet cleaning solutions and recycled uniforms will save 28,000 bottles from landfill in just one year. Staff loved the super-soft physical feel of the products, but also aligned with the company’s values and shared the company’s overall commitment to sustainability.

Fuelling energy reduction

One aspect of commercial cleaning which cannot be eliminated is the need to travel to client premises.

We had already taken steps to reduce car emissions by switching to an all-hybrid car fleet, and last year, we launched a 100 per cent electric van fleet. These vehicles not only have zero tailpipe emissions, but they will also save 5,000 litres of diesel per year – equivalent to 13.5 tonnes of CO2 from diesel fuel. 

A fully electric fleet reduces emissions and lowers our carbon footprint; it significantly improves our sustainability credentials and brings impressive cost savings as well. We save over £3,000 a year per vehicle; there’s no road tax to pay, and no London congestion charge, which saves another £5,500 per vehicle. That’s a massive £8,500 a year cost reduction per van.

Our work community

We believe fair pay is critical to staff wellbeing, so the Real Living Wage sits at the heart of Cleanology’s business. 16 of our top 20 clients are signed up, and we actively promote the scheme to new business and existing clients, as well as investing in PR to raise awareness.

Over the years, we have invested heavily in promotion for the Real Living Wage, and 90% of our bids include it as a mandatory element. In 2017, 24% of clients were paying the Real Living Wage. Today that has risen to over 70%.

In 2019, Cleanology commissioned the first independent research into attitudes around wage levels and perceptions towards cleaners’ pay. Findings included that while 63% of employees are concerned that cleaners should be paid fairly, only 39% have an accurate idea of the real figures on pay.

We have used the results to promote the Real Living Wage in positive articles throughout the media and Cleanology’s CEO has also spoken at conferences.

The wider community

A fifth of the population is living in poverty. Figures show that one in three people has had to go without hygiene essentials – people will choose to forego hygiene products before they are forced to accept donations from a food bank. When the management at Cleanology became aware of the depth of the problem, we felt compelled to help. In 2020, we supported The Hygiene Bank, which was launched to tackle the shocking reality of hygiene poverty.

The resulting campaigns generated a whopping tonne of hygiene products, ranging from hand sanitiser and spray to toilet roll and tissues. Cleanology’s own donation of hand sanitiser amounted to over £13,000 in value.

Conclusions

Our initiatives are designed to meet specific goals, but we have been surprised by unexpected consequences. For example, our partnership with the Hygiene Bank – an external project – has sent waves throughout the industry, and also inspired our staff. It reinforces the message that we are a company that cares, and a good place to be.

At certain times in history, society forges ahead with huge leaps in technology, the arts, or social change. Following the pandemic, it is not far-fetched to suggest that we are living through such a time. Even if we only make small changes, the impact can be huge. To any considering a switch to ESG, take the leap; you may be surprised by the impact of your actions.

Dominic Ponniah is CEO at Cleanology

For more information visit https://cleanology.com/services/office-cleaning/ or https://cleanology.com/services/commercial-cleaning/