Sustainability to take centre stage at this year's Cleaning Show
By Yvonne Taylor, Head of Cleaning & Support Services, Compass One
Sustainability and making sustainable choices are a necessity for organisations today. Whether that is through procuring sustainable solutions to minimise their environmental impact or through making the right decisions to ensure sustainable growth through operational effectiveness and organisational efficiencies.
Turning to eco-friendly products and services help organisations reduce their waste, water, and energy consumption. This is important because it contributes to their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and positively affects their long-term level of operational resilience.
Today ESG is so important that it should always be on the c-suite agenda, not solely because it benefits organisations, but because it is the right thing to do. Many companies are developing ways of working and creating toolboxes to support clients to achieve their ESG goals. We see that organisations which take this step and make meaningful changes, often enhance their reputation and deliver more social value.
Technology continues to revolutionise the cleaning sector’s capability, creating more opportunities to innovate and deliver modern businesses through consistently improved levels of service. Technology enhances the work and expertise of our teams. Data is the vital ingredient because it can illustrate meaningful benefits for an organisation and can help to inform decision making for the future.
Smart cleaning solutions through the Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved significantly across our space. Facilities management teams now capture data from sensor technology in smart devices to optimise cleaning productivity and performance. We can optimise cleaning schedules and monitor, track and respond to equipment performance, enabling a more efficient and effective delivery strategy designed around our clients’ requirements. These advancements also contribute directly to an organisation’s sustainability goals.
A successful strategy must prioritise people. Younger generations are an ever-growing part of our workforce and research shows that they increasingly seek a sense of purpose, belonging and community through work. They support ESG policies and initiatives and have a greater level of consumer awareness. They are leading the drive for eco-friendly approaches and employers need to be aware that they are more likely to stay with an employer if they see a genuine drive to make a positive impact on our environment.
We continue to invest in and develop our teams. Cleaning tasks still require the human intervention, expertise, and the ability to solve problems. Only the human factor can deal with the more complex cleaning challenges such as unique surfaces or cleaning environments that demand greater flexibility due to changing conditions or unexpected situations.
To attract and retain talent, organisations need to offer clear and meaningful career paths that are open to all and start from the bottom up, ensuring a path for all not just junior management. Facilities management is a diverse field that oversees many sectors. Knowledge really is power and embracing empowerment in its truest form means creating opportunities to learn about all aspects of business – not just for example the cleaning sector, but the services that support the sector from finance and procurement to commercial and operations. Providing opportunities for employee growth is essential for a thriving workforce.
Yvonne Taylor is an Ambassador for this year’s Cleaning Show.
The exhibition will take place at ExCeL London from 18 – 20 March 2025. Registration for The Cleaning Show 2025 is now open. Entry remains free, but visitors should pre-register online.
To register and find out more about this year’s event, visit https://cleaningshow.co.uk/lon...