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Green
Cleaning
by ISSA.com
 Green cleaning is arguably
the No. 1 one trend in our industry and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Stated simply, green cleaning is truly a marketplace phenomenon that is being
driven by customer demand and the overall trending of the broad marketplace for
environmentally preferable products and services.
In recognition of the
importance of this marketplace trend, ISSA has devoted this section of our Web
site to the subject of green cleaning.
In this section, you
will find helpful information in understanding the green cleaning phenomenon,
including the latest green cleaning products, implementation of green cleaning
programs, ISSA resources, and other information that can help you successfully
pursue the green marketplace. Please check out the links in the menu on the
left side of this page and start exploring!
Introduction
to Green Cleaning
by ISSA.com
Green cleaning means the use of those products and services that
have a lesser or reduced impact on human health and the environment when
compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This
definition comes from terms laid out in U.S. President Barack Obama's Executive Order No. 13514.
While simple in its
approach, this definition incorporates the following three key concepts.
Human
health. Of course, the principle purpose of cleaning is to
protect human health so any definition of green or environmentally preferable
should address human-health considerations. In the realm of green cleaning,
this means we must give due deference to the health impacts cleaning has on
custodial personnel and the occupants of the built environment where we are
performing our cleaning activities. Special consideration should be given to
more vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and those with
suppressed immune systems.
Comparative
in Nature. Note that the above definition of green cleaning is
comparative in nature. In other words, it does not set an absolute or final
endpoint of what is environmentally preferable. Instead, it makes a comparison
to competing products and services and thereby encourages continual improvement
along the green spectrum.
Performance. Lastly, implicit in this
definition is the concept that green products and services must perform their
intended function of cleaning. It goes without saying that a cleaning product
that cannot clean is a waste of resources altogether and is therefore the
antithesis of environmentally preferable. More importantly, the performance of
cleaning products is critical to maintaining a safe and healthy indoor
environment.
More Costly Green Products
Are More Desirable
by ISSA.com
July 27, 2010 — At first, green cleaning
was simply ignored in the jansan world, then it was considered a fad, but now
it’s the primary trend in the professional cleaning industry.
Environmentally friendly products are now used for just about everything,
ranging from bamboo towels to green cleaning products.
But according to a new study by Viadas Griskevicius, assistant professor of
marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, this
may be because Green products are now seen as a status symbol in some market
segments.*
"Green purchases are often motivated by status," he says.
"People want to be seen as altruistic. Nothing communicates that better
than buying green products, even if they cost more or are inferior to
comparable, nongreen products [but are seen as] benefiting the environment for
everyone.”
As an example, Griskevicius
uses the Toyota Prius. Although the car is considerably more expensive than
others in its size category, “[It] essentially functions as a mobile,
self-promoting billboard for pro-environmentalism. When you publicly display
your environmentally friendly nature, you send a signal [to others] that you
care."
Professor Griskevicius based his study on online purchasing patterns. He found
that when online shoppers make practicality the focus of their buying decision,
the cost of a product is their key concern—not how Green it is.
Similarly, when the emphasis of the purchasing decision is on luxury and
comfort, once again the environmental responsibility of the product is of
little to no concern.
Interestingly, as to costs, the study also found that more expensive green
products may actually “increase the desirability” of those products because
they are once again viewed as a status symbol to display in front of others.
However, while these trends may be evident among some consumers, those in the
jansan industry should note that such sentiments are not usually present in
other settings.
“This may be true for the consumer market,” says Mike Sawchuk, vice president
of Enviro-Solutions, a manufacturer of green cleaning products, and Charlotte
Products, responding to the study.
“But I can say with confidence it is not true of today’s end-users. They want
proven-green products that perform and are cost competitive. Status is not part
of the equation.”
*University of Minnesota (2010, March 16). "People will forgo
luxury for Green products when status is on mind, researcher finds."
EPA.gov
Study: How Does Indoor Air Quality Impact Student Health and Academic
Performance?
The Case for Comprehensive IAQ Management in Schools
Click here to read
CIMS
Certification
by ISSA.com
What Is CIMS Certification?
CIMS applies to management, operations, performance systems, and processes.
Compliance with the Standard demonstrates an organization is structured to
deliver consistent, quality services that are designed to meet the customer's
needs and expectations. It sets forth processes, procedures, and supporting
documentation proven to be characteristic of customer-driven organizations.
CIMS is nonprescriptive and each individual organization has the flexibility to
choose the most effective ways in which to meet its requirements.
The Standard is
divided into six areas of management best practices:
- Quality systems Service
delivery
- Human resources
- Health, safety, and
environmental stewardship
- Management commitment
- Green Building (GB)
CIMS applies to an
organization in its entirety, rather than to a specific individual,
process or product, and without respect to the size of the organization. Click here to find out how
certification applies to multiple-location service organizations.
Saving Money
Ultimately, the CIMS program is all about saving money. By implementing an
effective management framework and green cleaning program, organizations are
positioned to improve operational efficiency and better serve their customers,
which naturally leads to cost savings. Click here to learn how
one CIMS-certified organization has enjoyed more than US$400,000 in annual
savings as a result of their certification efforts.
How to Get CIMS Certified
To achieve CIMS certification, a facility service provider organization
must submit written documentation supporting their compliance with the
requirements described in the five key sections of the Standard. To
achieve certification, an organization must meet 100 percent of the mandatory
elements and 60 percent of the recommended elements, per section.
An ISSA-accredited third party assessor then conducts an
on-site review of the applicant’s systems, processes and documentation to
ensure compliance, as well as visit individual customer accounts or locations
to ensure that the organization’s activities are consistent with the documented
systems and processes. Click here for a detailed overview of
the CIMS certification process.
Click here to find out more about the
fees for CIMS certification.
Why Should
My Organization Pursue CIMS Certification?
In general, CIMS Certification should
lead to improved efficiency, greater customer satisfaction, and an overall
better quality of service regardless of whether your organization performs
cleaning in-house or is a building service contractor.
Building
Service Contractors: CIMS presents a terrific opportunity for a
building service contractor to validate its commitment to quality and customer
satisfaction. Only a CIMS-certified organization can say that an independent
third party has actually performed an assessment of their systems, processes,
and policies and agreed that they have instituted the management framework
required by CIMS and demanded by those individuals responsible for selecting a
cleaning service provider.
CIMS has received an
official endorsement from the International Facility Management
Association (IFMA), who has recognized the program as a powerful tool
their members can use to pre-qualify contractors. As a result, more and more
facility managers, purchasing professionals and others are citing CIMS in
their requests for proposal and cleaning specifications, including the Air
National Guard Readiness Center at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland,
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, State Farm Insurance, and others who
have made the decision that only
CIMS certified organizations are eligible to be awarded a cleaning service
contract.
In-House
Service Providers: As the industry continues to
undergo a shift in focus from "cleaning for appearance" to
"cleaning for health," cleaning is becoming recognized as a primary
weapon in the fight against emerging public health threats. Simply stated, an
in-house organization cannot afford to take a chance when it comes to
cleanliness and good santitation!
By complying with the
cornerstone elements of CIMS, an in-house cleaning department will be uniquely
prepared to improve the efficiency of its services, advance the organizational
master plan, achieve budgetary support in the board room, and improve the
overall performance of their cleaning service. And because CIMS is a management
framework that is based on universally-accepted management principles, the
Standard sets forth a sustainable business model that can apply to other
services with only slight adjustments.
Created By the Industry, For the Industry
The Standard was created through a true consensus-based process that brought
together representatives of the cleaning, facilities management, and purchasing
communities. In total, more than 100,000 constituents were represented in the
process, which included full peer review, and was administered by ISSA and the
American Institute for Cleaning Sciences (AICS).
Application, Certification and Assessment Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars:
- Application Fee: $500
- Certification Fee: $995 (ISSA Member), $1,695 (Non-ISSA Member)
- Assessment Fees: $1,500 per assessment day*
*The length of an assessment depends on the size and scope
of the organization.
Applicants will also
be responsible for reasonable assessor expenses. Click here for a copy of the CIMS
Fee Payment Policy.
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