Safe and Sound
The cleaning sector is still actively pursuing its green agenda but the focus is on cost savings rather than environmental awareness alone
by Guy Moody
The environment is uppermost in FMs minds, but not for the reasons it was this time last year. The current recession has created a pressing need for cost savings and process improvement when it comes to energy use, rather than environmental awareness alone. But prudent behaviour is a compelling argument all the same, and one that FM is quickly adopting.
The spotlight is on every aspect of the facilities management remit and although mechanical and electrical services have the potential to deliver the most savings, cleaning services can also play their part. As with any service delivery industry, the solution is defined around what clients want and what they perceive as value for money. Innovations will only be considered if there is a sound business rationale to support them. That said, there are a number of good practice programmes that can be brought to bear that do reduce impact on the environment.
There are a number of initiatives that cleaning companies can take that make good business sense, not just for the company but importantly, for clients. For example, with larger-scale buildings zonal cleaning means the lighting can be adjusted where it is required for cleaning rather than lighting entire floors.
Managing where and how teams get to work on more remote sites or where multiple buildings are being cleaned during the course of a shift, reduces fuel costs. Working closely with suppliers to reduce the number of deliveries that are made for consumables as well as keeping up-to-date with the most energy-efficient machines and advances in chemical concentrate are all aspects that a reputable cleaning specialist would consider.
At the moment cleaning companies are finding that clients are focusing on cost and conforming to legislative standards. Clients tendering for cleaning contracts are asking about environmental issues in pre-qualification questionnaires. Most of those questions revolve around what you might call standard business practice, that is, compliance to ISO 14001 and confirmation that the organisation has an environmental policy. There is no doubt that tenders devoid of detailed requests pose a challenge to any organisation promoting the benefits of employing more environmentally friendly practices in a sector that traditionally finds it difficult to have a voice in any added-value discussions.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. Some blue-chip organisations and the public sector are waking up to the fact that cleaning services do have an impact on the environment. If an organisation has a clear policy to conserve energy, water and other resources, reduce waste and phase out the use of ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases then service providers must follow suit if they are to become part of their supply chain. After all, cleaning touches all of these aspects.
The good news for the cleaning sector is that there is, for the first time, an established link between the client’s business objectives and the cleaning service, particularly if the goal is for the organisation to become carbon neutral. Ultimately this enables the cleaning organisation to develop a much broader understanding of the business and start to introduce a pro-active approach to environmental cleaning where previously clients kept provider at arm’s length.
Make an impact
When you review the options for cleaning companies to reduce environmental impact, the scope to reduce cost is vast. To make this work will require a deeper engagement between the contractor and client to establish priorities and workable initiatives. Looking at the art of the possible within certain aspects of environmental impact can whet the appetite for spending additional time and effort working with a supplier.
Energy management
- Select cleaning equipment for its low energy use and longer life batteries.
- Quantify potential cost reductions and assess return on investment. Ensure that the teams understand how to use it to maximum efficiency.
- Work with the FM team to create a cleaning schedule that takes advantage of the controls applied by the building management system for lighting. This makes for a more energy-efficient approach to cleaning larger buildings.
- Train cleaning staff to turn off equipment such as photocopiers and printers once the building is empty.
Reducing resources
- Ensure that the appropriate chemical dosage is applied.
- Reduce the amount of water used and encourage cleaners to report dripping taps and blocked flushes.
- Suggest new surface coverings such as paint and varnish that reduces dust build-up — which, in turn, reduces the amount of cleaning required.
Recycling
- Ensure that product containers and other cleaning waste are recycled appropriately.
- Sift waste responsibly and reduce waste sack usage.
An ethical dilemma
Underpinning any of these initiatives is the notion that the level of service cannot be undermined and that the delivery team is behind any changes that are implemented. Measuring the impact is therefore critical — cleaning companies know only too well that no-one is rewarded for simply doing their job. Auditing is a powerful tool that enables resource use to be monitored. With a system that extends across every contract, organisations can start to plot trends.
The cleaning sector can without doubt re-invent itself as a ‘greener service’, and within certain environments it is certainly doing so, but it would be too simple to leave things at that.
But can cleaning really be green if it has not done its housework, ethically speaking? Many don’t think so. Reducing environmental impact is part of the rich corporate social responsibility agenda and here the pleasant mood music seems to change for an industry that relies so heavily on people to deliver its service.
The relatively recent shift to the predominant use of immigrant labour has taken the industry by surprise — and left some on the back foot as how to deal with this new challenge. The spectre hanging over the industry is the inevitable suggestion of the use of ‘illegals’. If you doubt the foundation of these rumours then just consider how an organisation could respond to a tender for a major hotel chain with an hourly rate of £4.50 (including business costs), when the lowest legal minimum wage in the UK is £3.53 for 16-18 year olds, £4.77 for 18-21 year olds and £5.73 for anyone over 22.
The use of illegal labour doesn’t just put organisations in a difficult position with the law but also undermines any social responsibility stance. Those working illegally often fall prey to gang masters and work extensive hours. People like Peter Davies, the political editor of Ethical Corporation, are helping organisations in what can be a very difficult task identifying who is legally permitted to work in the UK. Identifying false documents, cross-checking national insurance numbers with bank account details, spot checking identities on-site and employing native speakers of the main groups of workers are just some ways to combat this increasing blot on the cleaning landscape.
The fact remains that in an industry where political and economic factors are forcing significant change, only the tough, well-organised and serious companies will survive and prepare the ground for greener cleaning.
Mark Rogers is director of Integrated Cleaning Management (ICM)
