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Green Cleaning
Water load of responsibility
Mark Goldman, Diversey global
“With the Global Water Roundtable sponsorship we want to sit
down with the leading global thinkers and share the information we
communications director, believes in
have gained by providing water saving products. We believe this will
sustainability, and a watered down
improve standards. We are committed to putting financial resources
behind the research to saving water.”
version just won’t do. Gerardine Coyne
reports
Big friendly giant?
Diversey is a huge corporation, and in the UK, what with current
ost is not necessarily about political and financial machinations, it is hard not to be cynical when
C
dollars. There is a cost to how business supports a worthy cause. So does Corporate Social
certain environmental factors Responsibility (CSR) really exist?
ultimately affect our planet and our “In the case of the Global Water Roundtable, we are one voice of
future prosperity,” says Goldman.“When many,” says Goldman.“And the output of these discussions may or
we talk about providing a ‘zero cost may not align with our thinking. But fundamentally we believe very
model’ for our customers, that includes strongly in the issue of water sustainability. To not act would be
reducing water or carbon costs as well irresponsible. It’s about a focused, long term effort. We also have
as labour costs.” social schemes that have nothing to do with cleaning, and that is a
Goldman is confident that true test of CSR.” (One example is the Global Children’s Initiative,
sustainable practices are happening where the company ‘adopts’ nearby schools in impoverished areas
way beyond the cleaning industry.“I near each business operation, and undertakes activities with a
think we have reached a critical mass in the world today in terms of mixture of vounteering and donations).
conscience and the idea that we need to look at the environmental Goldman says PPP (People Planet Profit) has to be integrated. In
impact of everything that we do.” Covering this, Goldman says there terms of sustainability,“We are not going to come to market with
are two elements to Diversey’s sustainability focus. something that takes a step backward.” CSR aside, the market is of
“Firstly there’s the sustainability that our customers understand – course a key driver for business. But perhaps the two don’t always
they know that using our product versus another has tangible have to be mutually exclusive. After all water is a resource that spans
environmental benefits. every section of PPP. “Our belief is that over the next twenty years,
“Then there are the things that they as customers can’t control, the number one issue globally
which is ‘value added’ by us. This revolves around how we deliver the is going to be sources of clean
product, packaging and new ways of concentrating products.”The water and water
customer is then automatically aligned with a sustainable business sustainability,” says Goldman.
model.“It has a purpose beyond a business transaction,” argues “And we need to act – not
Goldman.“Their choice to do business with an environmentally tomorrow – today.”
conscious vendor is something that they can carry forward too.”
Sustainability becomes an integral part of the supply chain, tallying
with the much mooted ‘cradle to grave’ approach. But are Diversey’s
customers on track with sustainability?
Big bucks cleans up
“Some customers are further along than others. In the hospitality
industry we’ve seen a huge explosion in the last few years with major Diversey recently received a its core this leads to an
hotel chains emphasising sustainability to their end users. But we $477m investment from private increased demand for product.
have also been educating our clients,‘hey, there is a better way to do equity firm CDR. Goldman says “CDR also sees a highly
things, and it’s not going to cut into the quality you expect.’” CDR is a “conservative, very fragmented industry. Beyond
traditional firm”, so why the ourselves and Ecolab, there are
Knights of the water round table investment in a downturn? sizeable regional players, but
In August this year it was announced that Diversey would provide Goldman says there are two with the increasing focus on
the World Wildlife Fund with a four year $1 million grant to support reasons:“We are operating at a sustainability and ever
research for the Global Water Roundtable. The Roundtable will time of pandemics, so demand tightening government
establish global standards for water stewardship, with the goal of for cleaning and hygiene regulations, some of those
‘addressing the global threat of water stress, the increasing pollution products is at a record. This is smaller players, the ‘mom and
of rivers and a decline in freshwater wildlife species’. But why has the kind of pandemic that’s pops’ of the cleaning world, are
Diversey invested in it, and how does this benefit both parties? going to change human going to have a hard time
“Climate Change and Water needs business at the table. We are the behaviour. competing.
manufacturers, and we work closely with customers that are huge “We are now in an era where “Depending on who you ask,
water users. We have a unique perspective in that we have walked a people are actively thinking it is an industry worth $35-$45
mile in our customers’ shoes.” Goldman believes that the water about the cleaning of billion dollars globally, and right
saving solutions that Diversey has implemented across business, such surrounding surfaces. They now it is an industry ripe for
as its AquaCheck water management program for food and beverage expect government buildings, consolidation”
plants, can pave the way forward in helping standard makers schools and hospitals, to be
42739 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
understand how business operates and what it needs in terms of disinfected, clean and safe. At
Tel: 01604 405311
resources.
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