This is a noble business, says Diversey’s Lonergan

The cleaning and hygiene industry has a responsibility to contribute to the better management of facilities and it can make the world a better place. Importantly, leaders such as Diversey have the intellectual property and technology to assist service provider clients in implementing sustainability programs. In what was acclaimed by delegates as a motivational address, […]

The cleaning and hygiene industry has a responsibility to contribute to the better management of facilities and it can make the world a better

WFBSC Auckland, cleaning and hygiene
Diversey's president of customer solutions & innovations Pedro Chidichimo (left) and CEO Edward Lonergan

place. Importantly, leaders such as Diversey have the intellectual property and technology to assist service provider clients in implementing sustainability programs.

In what was acclaimed by delegates as a motivational address, Diversey president and CEO Edward Lonergan emphasised that climate change and the quest for sustainability are good for business – including our cleaning and hygiene industry.

“I am pretty excited where we are going and what our industry can contribute to global sustainability,” Lonergan stated, “but we don’t do a lot to educate our customers.”

He noted that scientific cleaning research investment was “woefully small” but that “we are making progress”.

Lonergan detailed the almost frightening expansion of the world built environment with its concomitant impacts on energy use.

“Diversey was one of the first companies to make a commitment to the World Wild Life Fund Climate Savers initiative,” he noted. Under that program, Diversey has committed to an absolute reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from its 2003 baseline.

Warming to his theme of making the world a better place, Lonergan stressed the need for BSCs, as well as suppliers, to embark on the journey of making their own businesses sustainable.

“In the case of Diversey, every dollar we have spent on reducing our organisation’s footprint we have got $2 back,” he pointed out.

“Diversey knows the technology; we know how to make a facility better. If we can’t do it ourselves we can’t address our customers.”

Lonergan listed numerous ‘green’ initiatives already employed by Diversey and revealed that more recently it has installed a combined heat and power at its Racine WI headquarters, which will generate 40 percent of the facility’s electricity and 80 percent of its heating.

“Our Diversey people with the knowledge now go out to assist our customers,” Lonergan said, almost evangelistically.

He said, “the WFBSC can make a difference. We’re in this together. We may be competitors but we can work together and create a WFBSC manifesto. This is a noble business!”

Contributing to a post presentation discussion, Diversey’s president of customer solutions & innovations Pedro Chidichimo told INCLEAN that the WFBSC is an important and relevant body. “It has made great progress in the past two years… we are very positive about its future and the role it will play as a peak body for BSCs,” Chidichimo stated.

UGL Services North America awarded Diversey’s Sustainability Innovation Award

Lonergan took the opportunity of the Congress to present his company’s Sustainability Innovation Award to UGL Services North America. The service provider was recognised for its commitment to green cleaning and for instilling a strong sustainability culture among its employees and customers through its UGL Services GreenClean program.

UGL Services’ Australia and New Zealand CEO, Barry Jackson, was on hand to accept the Award.

“UGL Services has shown a deep and longstanding commitment to sustainable facility management,” said Lonergan. “The UGL team is demonstrating the integration of sustainable business practices into everyday operations, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact while enhancing overall health and human hygiene.”

UGL Services-Unicco Operations first introduced its GreenClean program in 2004, establishing a complete set of sustainability-focused standard operating procedures (SOPs) to guide frontline employees in sustainable cleaning techniques as well as approved green-certified chemicals and equipment.

UGL Services North America is said to have been the first building service contractor to introduce these SOPs for its cleaners and has since expanded the green cleaning program to encompass virtually every aspect of sustainability for commercial, government and education customers. Green cleaning is now the primary service package offered by UGL Services to all customers, without incremental cost. Its GreenClean program is delivering measurable improvements to sustainable facility maintenance and management processes and is helping customers achieve certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

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