FACE TO FACE with Charlie Mowat, CEO at The Clean Space

In the second in a new series of Face to Face interviews, Neil Nixon speaks with Charlie Mowat, CEO at The Clean Space.

Can you describe The Clean Space business today, including some key contracts of which you are particularly proud?
The Clean Space has really come into its own as a serious player among medium-sized cleaning companies in the UK. We've grown ‘smartly’ over the last few years making sure each step we take fits with our values and helps us to better serve our clients. We work with the L&Q, Norwood, Francis Holland Trust, Handlesbanken, Bridge Theatre and Lightroom, and One Welbeck private hospital, where we handle everything from daily cleaning to waste management. These are contracts we’re proud of because they show how we can be both detailed and professional, even with complex, high-stakes clients.

What sets your company apart from its competitors?
We’re big enough to take on larger clients and offer them real resources and technical capabilities, but still small enough to keep things personal and truly listen to what each client needs. We’ve grown steadily, expanding geographically and improving our processes, but we haven’t lost that personal touch. For us, it’s all about delivering a great service in an industry that can sometimes feel a bit transactional.

You entered the industry with a vision to bring positive change to the sector. What have you achieved so far?
Ethics and empathy have been at our core since we started - we wanted to shake things up in the cleaning industry, and I think we’ve done that. We’ve built a company that genuinely cares, which is something we think the industry has been missing. We’ve grown in a way that allows us to be both adaptable and impactful – we pay fair wages, we’re sustainable, and we’re constantly improving our services. We’re trying to create something special here, something that not only values our clients but also respects and uplifts our team.

You are a long-standing and vocal supporter of the Living Wage Foundation. How does paying the Living Wage and London Living Wage support the ESG objectives of both you and your customers?
For us, paying the Living Wage is a no-brainer. It’s just the right thing to do, and it’s central to our ESG goals. Having been part of the Living Wage Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group (RSPLG) I’m committed to helping more employees receive the real living wage. It’s a cornerstone of our approach to staff wellbeing and respect and helps our team feel valued and stable, which means they’re more engaged and committed to doing great work for our clients. And it’s not just us who see the benefit – our clients appreciate working with a company that prioritises ethical practices and values people over profit. It’s something that connects us with like-minded clients who care about the impact they’re having. By paying a fair wage, we’re setting a positive example for the broader cleaning industry, helping to raise the standard of living not only for our team but for cleaning workers across the UK.

Looking specifically at the ‘E’ in ESG, what sustainable cleaning initiatives do you employ in your business?
Sustainability is huge for us, and we try to integrate it into everything we do. One of our proudest achievements is the reduction of our operational fleet, leading to an 85% increase in the use of public transport by our team. This shift, from 55% in 2022, has significantly cut our emissions. We’re also committed to eco-friendly cleaning methods, using biodegradable products and reducing waste wherever possible. Our emphasis on sustainability includes training staff in the latest green cleaning techniques and working closely with clients to minimise environmental impact. We’re working towards Net Zero and Ecovadis registration - for us it’s about making those incremental changes that add up to something big.

How is the use of new technology impacting your service delivery? Can you give some examples of technology solutions bringing about positive change?
Technology is having a huge impact on what we do, and we’re seeing that more and more each day. Robotics is becoming a big part of it – we’re talking about things like autonomous floor cleaners that handle repetitive tasks. This frees up our teams to focus on the detail work that really makes a difference for clients. But it’s not just about robots; there’s also a big push for data-driven service now. Clients want insights – they want to see how we’re tracking performance, managing resources, even reducing waste. And with smart buildings becoming more common, we’re able to connect directly with these systems. So, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we can adjust our cleaning schedules to respond to real-time usage and activity patterns in the building. Altogether, it means we’re delivering a service that’s more precise, efficient, and tuned into what clients actually need.

As a regular supporter of the Cleaning Show, which takes place again next March, can you outline why this event is so important to the cleaning sector? What do you seek to achieve in attending?
I was at the show in Manchester and Wes, our Sales & Marketing Director, and I will be going to the one in London in 2025. The Cleaning Show is a huge deal for the industry (6700 people from the industry attending) – it’s where everyone comes together to share ideas, showcase the latest technology and highlight new sustainable practices. I came away from last year’s show with some really interesting takeaways, especially around emerging tech and how sustainability is being woven into cleaning products and equipment. Attending the show lets us see firsthand what’s new and what might be useful for our own service delivery, keeping us ahead of the curve in an industry that’s always evolving.

Staying with the Cleaning Show, how have you seen the event evolve over the years and what would you like to see going forward?
The Cleaning Show has always championed new trends and future predictions. That’s one of the reasons that make it a must attend event for us. Smart buildings are going to be huge – they will transform cleaning into a dynamic, data-driven service that will deliver operational and cost efficiencies for our clients. From our perspective we want to understand how the industry will be leveraging this technology, especially in terms of its people. As tech becomes more and more important to our industry, the role of cleaning operative will inevitably become increasingly hybrid, requiring traditional cleaning skills and also a firm grasp of how to work with AI to optimise our service. We need to understand exactly what skills will be required and how we will attract the next generation of cleaners.

www.thecleanspace.com