FEATURE Sustainability at your fingertips


Chris Wakefield, Managing Director UK & Ireland at GOJO Industries-Europe, discusses how choosing a responsible hand hygiene partner can help companies reach their own green goals and create a more sustainable future.


launch 100% recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (R-PET) collapsible refill cartridges earlier this year. This was a first for the hygiene market, and enables the plastic material to be produced without exhausting natural resources whilst lowering carbon emissions.


Look for environmental endorsements


Certifications highlighting a brand’s or product’s sustainability ratings are a good indicator of how seriously a company takes its commitment to the environment. The correct accreditations and labels allow manufacturers to prove that their products achieve the highest environmental standards and helps purchasers to make informed choices. Look out for EU Ecolabel, ECOLOGO, EcoVadis and the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program for hallmarks of environmental integrity.


Partner with companies that ‘walk


Once perceived as a marketing ploy or a buzzword, today sustainability is key to business success. Sustainable practice is a fundamental part of how companies behave, trade and grow – and is also expected from end-users. After all, consumers are just as interested in supporting a brand that is ethical; one that looks after its people as well as the environment.


However, this must be balanced against both cost and efficacy, in order to make it achievable. Fortunately, where cleaning and hygiene are concerned, there has been much innovation and creativity by brands and manufacturers, to not only minimise their own environmental impact, but to help their customers reach their own green goals too.


Therefore, careful selection of products that strike the balance between sustainability, performance and cost is key. So, what should buyers be looking for when it comes to sustainable hand hygiene?


Go back to basics


Recycling is a quick and easy win to build a more environmentally sustainable business. Opt for products that are packaged in materials that can be recycled easily, and are composed of a significant amount of recycled materials themselves.


At GOJO, we are working to integrate circularity principles into our operations, with a focus on product design to help solve the problem of single-use plastic and achieve zero waste. A first for the hygiene market, we were proud to


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the talk’ ‘Greenwashing’ has long been a problem when it comes to product selection. Transparency is, therefore, essential to help buyers to cut through the noise and distinguish between those responsible organisations ‘walking the talk’ and others with over-hyped green-friendly messaging, hoping to profit from increased concern over environmental issues.


Manufacturers and brands claiming to pursue a green agenda must be able to evidence what they say with regular, transparent reporting and third-party accreditations.


www.gojo.eu/uk


Our own journey to green At GOJO, sustainability is part of our legacy, as well as our commitment to the future. Our passion to supply products that are safe, effective, and good for both people and planet forms part of our DNA. Our recently launched ‘Journey to Green’ manifesto strengthens this commitment by defining clear, achievable goals that will make a real difference in lowering our environmental impact, and in turn that of our customers.


Our manifesto aims to: integrate circularity principles into our operations; make our chemistry cleaner by reducing the environmental impact of our formulas and improving their biodegradability; minimise our carbon emissions (we are aiming to be net zero by 2050 at the latest); and help each employee flourish.


twitter.com/TomoCleaning


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