Industry Sustainability in a Post-COVID World
A Brighter Future, Rather Than Business as Usual
2020 was a rough year for all of us and COVID-19 had a huge impact on the janitorial industry. As infection and death rates continue to fall, though, 2021 looks like it’s at least the beginning of the end of the pandemic. This means a return to business. However, hopefully, the changes that have occurred will mean a brighter future, both short-term and long.
A Teaching Moment
It’s important that we take what the pandemic has taught us and make it the new normal. It’s a chance to remind our customers of the importance of cleaning as an integral part of public health. This means having the right products and training our employees to use them correctly and safely. We also need to continue to get building occupants on the same page as far as cleaning strategies are concerned, particularly for high-touch points.
Looking to the Future
It’s equally important for the janitorial industry to look toward a post-COVID future and the issues that are affecting our business and our clients. For example, a survey by EcoVadis, “the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings,” found that 80% of suppliers lacked supply chain due diligence measures. “The recent pandemic put a magnifying glass on supply chain risks and vulnerabilities,” said Pierre-Francois Thaler, co-CEO of EcoVadis. “As organizations look to rebuild operations, they must ensure strong sustainability practices remain front and center, especially when it comes to supplier selection and relationship management.”
Sustainable Solutions Equal Profitable Solutions
A number of cleaning product manufacturers have been developing sustainable, ecologically friendly products. Many of these companies are also a part of the cleaning industry’s Green2Sustainable program. This program has participants saved over $10 million and reduced their carbon footprint by 15%. Adopting sustainable solutions can produce bottom-line savings in our companies as our industry moves into a post-COVID world.
