Interview with Michael Doherty, President, BMS Building Maintenance Services
What does sustainability mean to BMS?
Because the environmental impact of the janitorial industry is so enormous, so is our potential to reduce it. As a responsible company committed to sustainability, it’s our obligation to offset this however we can. Annually the janitorial industry consumes 6.2 billion pounds of mostly petroleum-based chemicals. Additionally, our industry goes through about 30 million trees worth of sanitary paper and one billion pounds of equipment. Not to mention a huge amount of packaging and equipment is disposed of each year.
Why do you prioritize green cleaning?
It’s no longer a trend, but an expectation. While BMS is leading this effort, we now see that almost all cleaning companies have green cleaning programs. The benefits reach beyond statistics. Green cleaning has a significant impact on the health of janitorial workers and building occupants who are now breathing cleaner indoor air with less exposure to harmful chemicals that can cause asthma and other serious health conditions.
Why did you pursue Green Seal certification?
Third-party auditing from Green Seal demonstrates our commitment to transparency and accountability in our operations. It’s critical to us that our sustainable practices and procedures are best-in-class. Being Green Seal certified is an important part of ensuring we maintain our standards. It helps us ensure sustainability becomes a part of our corporate culture. Our staff receives annual Green Seal training, which results in companywide buy-in. And regular Green Seal recertification ensures our continued adherence to best practices.
Do you highlight your green cleaning practices with customers?
Being Green Seal certified gives BMS leverage with prospects. In a competitive market, being able to showcase points of differentiation is key. We are proud to share our sustainability practices with our customers! Our BMS Green Clean℠ program is Green Seal certified, and was designed to enhance human health and foster sustainability within the commercial real estate, hospitality and education spaces we clean.
Does cleaning with green products cost more?
It is a common misconception that green products are more expensive and less effective. This is false. These products are never more costly than traditional chemicals, and are equally, and in many cases more, effective. In fact, when used properly, they should cost less. Microfiber dusting cloths, dilution control systems, efficient machinery and ample staff training provide tangible savings. The only cleaning program offered by BMS is a sustainable one. We have built green cleaning into our everyday operations and clean to LEED standards all the time.
How are you doing on offsetting your environmental impacts?
We annually track our sustainable efforts using the tools available to us. Our last Sustainability Report outlined the following environmental savings, and we have Green Seal to thank for helping us achieve these statistics:
- 81% purchasing of Certified “Green” products
- 92.8 tons of packaging reduction by purchasing chemical concentrates
- Over 531,551 gallons of water use reduction
- Use of 2.3 million pounds of recycled paper
- 1,500 of gallons of chemical reduction
Anything else you’d like to share?
BMS cleans over 100 million square feet of space across New York, Chicago and the Mid-Atlantic. The statistics show that it is essential that our industry act now by investing in green cleaning practices. Collectively, we can make a tremendous impact. All of us, businesses and individuals, have a part to play in protecting the environment.