The unsung backbone: The importance of the UK’s cleaning and hygiene sector

ACCORDING TO the British Cleaning Council, the British cleaning and hygiene sector is worth £67billion per annum to the UK economy and employs 1.49million people. 

As well as trained operatives working on the front line in schools, hospitals, offices and public spaces, our industry is populated by innovators, entrepreneurs, chemists and others. Together, we keep schools, hospitals, offices and public spaces clean and safe places to live and work. 

The importance of our sector really came to the fore in the Covid pandemic. Almost overnight the population’s collective focus fell on the need to stop transmission. From removing dirt and germs from the spaces in which we live and work to keeping our hands germ-free, we all looked to our sector to provide many of the solutions. 

Having come to the fore in this way, our sector still provides a backbone to the health and wellbeing of the population. Yet, with all the global economic pressures today, there is a tendency for some to cut corners. Buyers need to be able to differentiate ethical businesses from the unscrupulous. 

Our Code of Practice can help. Amongst other stipulations, it requires members to ‘conduct business dealings in an open, honest, fair and proper manner’; ‘to ensure all public statements made by and on behalf of the member are decent, honest and truthful’; and ‘to apply the highest ethical standards’. 

The UK’s drive to Net Zero is also driving the industry. Our sector takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. At the CHSA we developed our Roadmap to Sustainability to provide members with a framework for moving to sustainable solutions. It covers product, packaging, transport, social values and corporate environmental impact and offers a structure they can use to develop and implement incremental improvements. 

The focus on sustainability brings with it the problem of greenwashing, organisations claiming things that sound good but have no real substance. Buyers need to be alert to this and challenge their suppliers to define what they mean and provide evidence to support their claim. Our Code of Practice, which all members are required to sign, includes the Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code.

The cleaning and hygiene sector is also becoming smarter. Our manufacturing members increasingly provide far more than just the product. They have innovated and integrated solutions that improve operational efficiency and user experience. From AI-powered robotic floor cleaners to smart dispensers that track usage and reduce waste, our members are harnessing technology to optimise performance and cut costs. Many cleaning product systems now come with IoT (Internet of Things) features that provide real-time data to facilities teams, helping them manage stock levels, detect equipment faults, and improve cleaning schedules. 

Our distributor members, meanwhile, are becoming knowledge partners to their customers. With expertise in regulations, health and safety standards, and product application, they help clients make informed choices that improve outcomes. A growing number of distributors also offer training programmes, digital procurement platforms, and customisable product bundles tailored to specific sectors—be it healthcare, hospitality, or education.

Through their innovation and focus on the increasingly complex demands faced by customers and end users, our members are elevating the cleaning and hygiene supply chain itself from commodity provider to strategic partner. 

At the heart of it all are our Accreditation Schemes. Our commitment to standards began in 1997 with the launch of our first Accreditation Scheme. Today we have Accreditation Schemes for Manufacturers of Soft Tissue, Plastic Sacks, Cotton Mops and Cleaning Chemicals and for Distributors. All are underpinned by the comprehensive auditing process undertaken by the Independent Inspector, a quality assurance professional. 

Our Standards. Your Guarantee.

@CHSACleaning

www.CHSA.co.uk