CLEANING & HYGIENE
it delivers optimum cleaning and hygiene performance. Otherwise, it will become additional waste going to landfill unnecessarily. In addition, localising supply chains, looking for products that are manufactured here in the UK will also help to reduce the carbon footprint when it comes to logistics and distribution,” Alastair adds.
One area that businesses considered challenging when it came to improving sustainability was the cost of products. Robert Scott’s research found almost three quarters (73%) of companies believe the cost of products to be the biggest barrier to becoming more sustainable, followed by product availability (40%).
Alastair continues: “While cost will arguably always remain the deciding factor for many businesses, I would encourage teams to widen the lens and look at the greater value of using sustainable cleaning products and methods in their daily regimes. Yes, there can be a slightly higher product price upfront, but most products are designed to be used multiple times and, if manufactured to a high standard, will be more robust than cheap, single-use products.
“Considering the wider value of a product will also help companies choose products that are better for business; prioritising staff wellbeing, for example, and ensuring cleaning processes don’t have a detrimental impact on the health of the end user. This is where switching to products that can be used with less chemical cleaning agents should become a key focus for businesses in 2022,” he added.
In the age of Covid-19 robust infection control measures are now part of daily cleaning regimes and have undoubtedly helped to reduce transmission in both commercial and domestic environments. When considering the visibility and frequency of cleaning, one in five businesses (20%) believe this will be the biggest trend for the cleaning industry in 2022.
Alastair adds: “This trend has remained of high importance since our last research was conducted in December 2020 and demonstrates just how much public perceptions of cleaning have shifted to relying on the presence of janitorial staff. At present, businesses are struggling to manage the impact of the Omicron variant on staff shortages and cleaning regimes. Our recommendation here would be to look at products that can improve efficiency without compromising results. This means looking for products that can save time for end users, such as a microfibre mop system that uses pre-soaked pads which can be quickly and hygienically changed to prevent cross-contamination and don’t require repeatedly changing mop bucket water.
“It can be difficult to strike the right balance, but what the pandemic has shown us is that greater visibility of cleaning processes is here to stay. Businesses that haven’t yet investigated ways they can improve efficiencies for their staff and customers, and do so more sustainability, are likely to be left behind as our sector continues to innovate to deliver superior cleaning results that improve hygiene and boost infection control,” Alastair concludes.
www.robert-scott.co.uk www.tomorrowsfm.com TOMORROW’S FM | 41
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