Jason Tallamy, Global Brand Director at 2San, describes how the drive for sustainability in cleaning sees the world’s first 100% environmentally-friendly solution made from water disrupt the sector.
The cleaning industry is focused on devising and bringing to market new cleaning methods that can be used without concern about the longterm impact they have on the environment, alongside the health and safety of those who work in environments that are regularly industrially cleaned.
What was once seen as a tick-box exercise for a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, sustainability is now part of an organisation’s brand and values – with its success depending on their commitment to it. Sustainability is now a must-have investment, rather than an unnecessary cost.
The trend for sustainable products across the cleaning industry has been driven equally by environmental concerns and the potential negative health impacts caused by using harsh chemicals on a regular basis. Cleaning technology which uses fewer resources, such as energy, alongside low emissions and waste, is in high demand. Forward-thinking businesses are looking to clean for a reduced cost – both to the environment and our health – whilst ensuring a high level of performance and cleanliness is delivered to their clients.
The pandemic drove workers out of the office into the perceived safety of their home to work. On returning to the office, it was no longer acceptable for offices to be clean: operators needed to prove by scientific testing that places of work are indeed clean and free from bacteria and viruses.
These concerns and emotional drivers did not stay at home when employees left for work each day. Eco-consumerism has boomed since 2020 and it's forecast to continue. It has fed into employee wishes and in turn, employers are now making greater sustainable choices to set an example for how to be a responsible guardian of the environment.
This united desire for healthier, safer, and more sustainable working environments has driven the cleaning industry to look towards technology and science to create more sustainable products which not only reduce the impact on the environment, but also protects us.