Tag: Commercial Cleaning

Link Hospitality on the Value of Green Cleaning Programs

Posted on by Ricardo Marquez
How many square feet of space does Link Hospitality clean? 

We clean over 1 million square feet of space through commercial buildings, hotels, and transportation facilities. 

What does sustainability mean to Link Hospitality? 

At Link Hospitality, sustainability is one of our core values and refers to all of our company practices that support ecological, human, and economic health. 

What innovation or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint?  

I’m most proud of our work to incorporate additional sustainability measures into our green cleaning programs. For example, we successfully worked with a client in the transportation industry to create a green cleaning program for them that also includes a recycling program. 

What do you value in your partnership with Green Seal? 

We value the support Green Seal provides us and the leverage we receive from sharing our partnership with potential clients. 

Do you see business value in your certification? 

The Green Seal certification has helped us to reach a new line of customers that prioritize certified green cleaning. Certification also helps validate that our company practices make a difference when it comes to human and environmental health. 

Do your customers see the value in green cleaning? How do you help educate them? 

Yes, our existing customers see the value in green cleaning.There has also been an increased need for green cleaning companies and programs recently, so more businesses are beginning to look for more sustainable options. We educate our customers about the value of our offerings by sharing our knowledge of sustainability practices and implementing our green cleaning programs. 

From an operations cost perspective, how do you find that green cleaning compares to regular cleaning? 

Green cleaning promotes sustainability, which appeals to our customers because it offers them an added benefit they don’t get from traditional cleaning methods. Contrary to popular belief, green cleaning also helps reduce our operating costs. 

How has the pandemic affected your operations? And have you seen a change in the demand for green cleaning vs. conventional cleaning? 

The pandemic significantly impacted our operations. Since most of our clients are hotels and they were shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, we saw a dramatic reduction in customers. Since the pandemic, there has been increased interest in green cleaning, and more buildings and facilities are now required to contract green cleaning programs. 

What’s next for Link Hospitality? 

We are targeting a new line of customers now that we have earned the Green Seal certification. We want to grow by providing clients with sustainable ways to maintain their facilities while at the same time providing added value to their customers and guests. 

Serval on Cleaning for Health

Posted on by Fabio Costa
How many square feet of space does Serval clean?

Serval operates in more than 400 cleaning operations in 5 Brazilian states. Of these operations, 7 are Green Seal-certified with an area equivalent to 360,000 square feet. Our team has solid experience in optimizing cleaning routines in high-traffic environments, such as shopping malls, condominiums, hypermarkets, educational institutions, offices LEED certified buildings, hospitals, and industries.

What does sustainability mean to Serval?

The GREEN CLEANING program is our approach uniquely designed to improve human health and promote sustainability in the different spaces we clean. From choosing the most effective equipment and products to operating procedures and staff training, we strive to meet with excellence in the strictest socio-environmental criteria, which include compliance with all legal requirements applicable in the country.

What do you value in your partnership with Green Seal?

Having the Green Seal as a reference in our operations is a quality differential in the market as it makes us permanently seek excellence. Our certified operations show our customers that we are capable of offering a quality final product with strong foundations in efficiency and sustainability.

In our institutional marketing, we promote the standardization, safety and efficiency of our processes through an international certification of quality in cleaning services.

Do your customers see the value in green cleaning?

Before the pandemic, customers were more interested in hiring a service with quality and good cost. Today, with green cleaning we offer, in addition to quality and cost, a high standard of service through a systematically trained cleaning team, products with low environmental impact and smart equipment. We always seek to communicate this to our customers through lectures, information on our social networks and in new contracts.

From an operations cost perspective, how do you find that green cleaning compares to regular cleaning?

In our Green Seal-certified operations, we have seen a reduction in the cost of chemicals used in cleaning. In addition, the assurance we provide our customers about biosecurity is not directly reflected in the costs of operations, but is a differential of trust and credibility when compared to regular cleaning

What innovation or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint?

SERVAL is a local industry leader in sustainability with the expertise to service operations in LEED certified buildings and develops strong partnerships with leading green organizations to ensure that our Green Cleaning program meets international standards.

SERVAL is the company responsible for the green cleaning program of the SEBRAE-Ceará headquarters building, which is LEED Platinum certified. It was through this operation that the green cleaning process became a discussion for the opportunity for internal improvement on a daily basis.

How has the pandemic affected your operations?

The pandemic has brought greater concern about biosecurity and effectiveness in cleaning processes. Mainly in hospital environments, protocols and cleaning procedures became more rigid and the customer much more demanding. The search for reliable disinfectant products has become a concern. Certified green cleaning operations already provided assurance of these features before the pandemic.

What’s next for Serval?

SERVAL seeks to continuously improve its processes and offer more and more excellent services. In 2022 we aim to expand certified operations to the industry.

Service Leader GSF on Changing the Culture of Clean

Posted on by Green Seal
WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILITY MEAN TO GSF?

For more than a decade, GSF has incorporated sustainability into its cleaning programs for customers. We clean 40 million square feet per month in schools and commercial office buildings. We believe in sustainability because it is the right thing to do for our employees and our customers. Cleaning in an environmentally friendly way not only benefits the planet but the people who live, visit and occupy indoor environments. 

WHAT DO YOU VALUE IN YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GREEN SEAL?

Partnering with a trusted leader like Green Seal helps GSF enhance its understanding of sustainable cleaning and improve its customer offerings. We care about clean and want to deliver it in the most responsible way. Green Seal has decades of experience building a greener, healthier world and we are proud to be a partner.

We will be heavily promoting that GSF’s carefully developed processes are now Green Seal certified to give our customers even greater confidence that we know how to effectively and sustainably clean and maintain their buildings. 

DO YOUR CUSTOMERS SEE THE VALUE OF GREEN CLEANING? 

Customers are increasingly demanding that cleaning service providers help them limit waste and reduce the environmental impact of their cleaning operations. Indoor air quality is paramount, and cleaning can help uphold good IAQ, which in turn supports the health and wellbeing of facility occupants. We are proud to work with like-minded customers that truly believe in the power of sustainable cleaning.

We train our employees to have the skills and knowledge to effectively clean and to confidently communicate the importance of green cleaning with customers so they can educate them about best practices and new trends that are worth pursuing. 

Customers are increasingly demanding that cleaning service providers help them limit waste and reduce the environmental impact of their cleaning operations.
FROM AN OPERATIONS COST PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO YOU FIND THAT GREEN CLEANING COMPARES TO REGULAR CLEANING?

There is a common misconception that green cleaning requires a greater investment than regular cleaning. Over the long term, green cleaning is the right choice because it provides savings for the bottom line, the environment and people, both people using facilities and those who clean them. Implementing the right green cleaning solutions, whether from a chemical, equipment or tool perspective, can offer water, chemical and energy savings, as well as enhanced efficiency.

WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM A SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT?

What we are doing with the electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS) from PathoSans is without a doubt our biggest accomplishment. It goes beyond simply purchasing and installing an on-site generator in a custodial closest. We are changing the entire culture of clean in these facilities, which takes tremendous effort from top to bottom, including training, education and communication around this innovative technology. 

ECAS is an industry disruptor because it completely upends the way facilities engage with chemical companies and distributors. Using cleaning and disinfecting solutions made from water, salt and electricity is a safer, more sustainable and better solution for facilities. It will transform the standard of cleanliness and we are proud to be part of this movement. 

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR OPERATIONS AND THE DEMAND FOR GREEN CLEANING? 

The pandemic has increased the public’s awareness about the cleanliness of facilities and their interest in how organizations are achieving cleanliness. We have always been clear about the way we approach cleaning and our customers appreciate this now more than ever.

With cleaning happening more frequently, this can increase the risk of poor indoor air quality, especially if caustic chemicals are used. Cleaning more regularly can also generate higher volumes of waste, such as from ready-to-use cleaning products in plastic bottles. Facilities can often achieve safer cleaning by transitioning to greener alternatives that benefit the health of building occupants without harming the environment. 

We believe that the demand for green cleaning will continue to be a priority as more organizations look to improve transparency and demonstrate to their customers that they are taking the right steps in their cleaning program. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR GSF? 

We recently expanded our Illinois operation into the Rockford area, and are on pace to continue growing our business by bringing on additional customer accounts and talented cleaning technicians and staff members. We are excited to bring our Green Seal-certified Écologique cleaning program to new customers to show them the value that green cleaning can bring to their operations.

CDC Confirms: Less is More When it Comes to Disinfecting

Posted on by Doug Gatlin

Last Summer, I warned of a dangerous trend of over-disinfecting buildings to reassure people about safety amid the pandemic – with minimal effectiveness at reducing virus spread and significant risks to people’s health from toxic chemicals.  Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance to confirm that regular cleaning is preferable to disinfecting most of the time.  

When is disinfecting appropriate? The CDC now says to disinfect when someone confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 has been in the building within the past 24 hours.  

This is the same guidance Green Seal provided last Summer in our Safer Guidelines for COVID-19 Disinfecting for Schools and Workplaces, a free public resource that is now being implemented in more than 1 billion square feet of building space, including by Green Seal-certified cleaning services.  


Why Disinfecting Can Harm Instead of Help

It has been clear for some time that dousing a space in hazardous disinfecting chemicals won’t do much to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There are two main reasons for this: COVID-19 is much more likely to spread through person-to-person and airborne transmission than it is through surface-to-person transmission, and coronaviruses are relatively easy to kill on surfaces with plain old soap and water (or regular cleaning solutions).

There is a natural instinct to turn to the harshest chemicals available to attack a nasty virus, but the CDC’s new guidance should reassure us all that we can follow the science to avoid a dangerous reliance on disinfection. Doing so will avoid health risks ranging from cancer to serious respiratory disease – an especially grave risk for vulnerable populations such as children and the 1 in 13 Americans with asthma.

Not All Disinfectants are Created Equal 

For the times when disinfecting is appropriate, some disinfecting products are safer than others. Green Seal has curated U.S. EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus to help you identify safer ones.

Unlike other active ingredients commonly found in disinfectants, the active ingredients we recommend are not linked to asthma, cancer, endocrine disruption, DNA damage or skin irritation. Find our list of recommended ingredients and products here. 

The Fairmont Chicago Reaps Benefits of Certification

Posted on by Taryn Tuss

In order to set smart and ambitious sustainability goals hotels generally find they must address unique infrastructure, operations, and purchasing challenges, often without a road map.  Significant water, energy and cost savings, increases in corporate bookings, an improved guest experience, and higher staff morale are just some of the benefits that make the effort worthwhile. 

Forward-looking hotels are also leveraging their sustainable purchasing policies to lure a growing market of wellness-focused travelers. An average-sized hotel purchases more products in one week than 100 families do in a year, representing significant opportunity to reduce waste and create a wellness environment where guests and staff can stay safe from allergy and asthma triggers and reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals and endocrine disruptors found in common household and personal care products.

With an increase in the use of cleaning chemicals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels that use cleaning products that are certified for health, sustainability and effectiveness promote safer indoor air, protecting the health of their guests and employees without sacrificing cleaning performance.  This is especially vital for housekeeping staff, who are already twice as likely to experience occupational asthma compared to workers in other professions.

To meet strong sustainability benchmarks, staff report the need for technical training, access to local networks, and support systems for solving problems. Where to begin? For a firsthand account from a property that has succeeded in the journey, we turned to Colleen Sweitzer, Marketing Manager and Co-Champion of the Planet 21 Environmental Committee at the Fairmont Chicago, a Green Seal-certified luxury property at iconic Millennium Park.

Taryn Tuss: Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and insights with us, Colleen. Let’s start with the basics.  Could you give a quick snapshot of the building – the year it was built, recent renovations, etc.?

Colleen Sweitzer: The Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park is a 45 story, 750,000 square foot hotel with 687 guestrooms. The building is Neoclassical in design, constructed of granite and opened in 1987. Guestrooms were refreshed in 2018.

TT: When did the hotel begin to go green and why was it important?

CS: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has always been a leader in hotel sustainability.  Locally in Chicago, we had the extraordinary opportunity to work with the city of Chicago on our 2016 Olympic bid. The bid was built on a core of sustainability and hotels that wanted to participate were encouraged to achieve a Green Seal certification.  While Chicago didn’t win the Olympic bid, this opportunity started us down the road and helped us to get to where we are today. 

TT: We’ve seen that staff buy-in can make or break a hotel’s sustainability initiative. How do you engage and motivate staff? Why is this important?

CS: Staff buy-in is 100% necessary to be successful. Each member of a hotel team is responsible for the sustainability duties in their areas – for example, recycling or composting. If every member of your team is not ‘all in’ then it can affect policy, training and purchasing.

We are fortunate that we have a culture of environmental responsibility within our hotel that is cultivated by our leadership and supported by our city, Chicago, and our parent company, Accor. 

Green Seal has been an invaluable resource in helping us to achieve our goals

TT: How do you involve guests in the hotel’s green initiatives? 

CS: We are a luxury hotel, so we must balance good sustainable choices with making sure we are not sacrificing the standards that have made our brand great for more than a century.

For example: Every one of our guestrooms and meeting rooms has a recycling bin, and we have electronic messaging throughout the hotel.  We have an electronic newspaper app in lieu of the traditional hardcopy.  We also do things that our guests don’t necessarily see, like thoroughly vetting suppliers prior to contracting with them to make sure that our partners are not only environmentally conscious, but also productive members of our community.

TT: What sort of challenges did you overcome when converting and updating systems? Were there any surprises (good or bad)?

CS: A key step is to show long term financial benefits to our key stakeholders.  Without their support of our environmental efforts, it would be impossible to convince them to make a greater initial investment.  Several strategic equipment purchases over the last few years have proven that there can be a significant ROI in making great sustainable choices when purchasing high-dollar equipment. 

TT: Of the sustainability upgrades that you’ve made, what has produced the quickest ROI?  What has produced the biggest ROI over time?

CS: In January 2017, we replaced the water pumps in our 45-story hotel. We spent about 10% more by selecting a super energy efficient model. In 2017 alone, we saw a 13% reduction in our electric costs.  This savings exceeded the originally estimated ROI of 5 years and actualized at just over three years. 

In 2019, we replaced our entire laundry system.  The new super energy- and water-efficient tunnel system has reduced our water usage for laundry by more than 50% compared to the previous 30-year-old system.

In 2019, we also purchased a new digester.  As a city center property, we don’t have the space to compost and a digester helps us to divert food waste from landfill. The projected ROI on the digester is 5 years; however, we are hoping to exceed that expectation.

TT: What are the top 3 benefits you’ve seen from implementing such a strong sustainability program? 

CS: The top benefits are:

  • We are saving money by reducing our utility usage
  • We are saving money by diverting recyclables and food waste, instead of paying for our waste hauler to dump it in a landfill
  • We are making money by attracting groups that look for hotels that mirror their corporate social responsibility policies

And as an added bonus, our entire team is proud of the work we do to minimize our footprint.  Which leads to a more dedicated and engaged workforce and by extension ancillary savings on reduced hiring/training costs.

TT: What do you still want to accomplish for the hotel?

CS: We are just finishing up replacing all of the pipes in the hotel. The updated plumbing infrastructure allows us to install low-flow toilets. 

As an all-electric hotel, I would love to find a way to subsidize our energy with an alternate power source.  We don’t have the land for a turbine or enough space on the roof for solar cells, but we are always looking at options beyond credits.

We have always wanted to find a community partner that not only mirrored our social conscience, but also was a beneficial partnership on additional levels. We have just started working with a local non-for-profit organization, Ignite Promise, that focuses on at-risk teens. This holistic partnership is more than donating product; we are collaborating on job training, mentorship, and helping to facilitate the successful transition from their program. 

TT: What is one thing you’ve learned during the process, and do you have any advice for hotel managers who are just beginning the process of greening their properties?

CS: When the Fairmont Chicago started down this road, we were fortunate to have Green Seal and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts to help us navigate policy implementation.  My suggestion is to tap into the resources you have available. Many local lodging associations have sustainability programs. When we were starting our journey, I spoke with local and brand colleagues to seek their advice and support.  Since that time, I have had the opportunity to share my experiences with hotels looking to implement new procedures in their hotels. 

Green Seal has been an invaluable resource in helping us to achieve our goals.  The tenor of our relationship has been supportive and without their assistance, we would not have achieved the successes that we have.  If you are looking to start this journey, the investment in certification is a good way to get started.

TT: Is there anything else you’d like to share regarding the hotel’s sustainability journey?

CS: Our sustainability efforts have opened up interdepartmental communication and have encouraged connections amongst our colleagues on a personal level.  From the line chef that that grows her own produce in her rooftop greenhouse to house person that started an environmental program at her church, embracing the connection that we all share to the earth has been rewarding for all of us.

Conclusion

Global lodging companies including Fairmont parent company AccorHotels are using the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals as guidance for incorporating sustainability into their operations. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals — the outcome of an historic agreement among world leaders at the UN in 2015 on a universal 2030 agenda for sustainable development – recognize that tourism is an economic powerhouse and the third highest world category in export earnings.

Marriott-Starwood, Hilton International, and InterContinental Hotels Group are also among those implementing some or all of the Sustainable Development Goals, which include a goal for “responsible consumption and reduction” that targets sustainable procurement.

Setting strong targets is only part one of a successful sustainability journey. Making good on your commitments demands determination, partnerships and property-wide staff buy-in.  The results are a lower environmental impact, healthier and happier employees and guests, and a boon to your bookings — the triple-bottom-line benefits of leading on sustainability. 

This article was reprinted with permission from the Hotel Business Review, www.HotelExecutive.com  

Interview from the Front Lines: Cleaning for COVID-19

Posted on by Green Seal

With cleaning workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, Green Seal caught up with Michael Doherty, president of BMS Building Maintenance Service, to learn how the industry-leading green cleaning company is approaching the challenges of operating during a pandemic.   

Certified to Green Seal’s GS-42 commercial cleaning standard since 2014, BMS cleans more than 100 million square feet of space across New York, Chicago and the Mid-Atlantic, including iconic buildings like Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. 

GS: What are your clients asking you for right now, and how are you communicating to them about how you’re addressing the outbreak? 

MD: Now more than ever the importance of the work we do is top of mind for clients.  The biggest concern is how our staff is cleaning their spaces, and whether our procedures and the chemicals we use will disinfect for COVID-19.  In many cases, clients are asking us to increase the frequency of cleaning, particularly for high touch surfaces such as doorknobs, kitchen surfaces and appliances, and restroom fixtures.  Additionally, there’s a high demand for certain supplies such as hand sanitizer liquids and wipes.  We are providing these to clients, and continually working our supply chain to ensure we have stock.

We are communicating through a variety of methods, including mass communications, email, but most importantly, over the phone in real time.  As the situation is evolving so rapidly, voice communication is often the quickest means to get the work done.

GS: How have you had to adjust your operations or internal communications to deal with this crisis?

MD: As the COVID-19 situation began to unfold, BMS established an internal emergency communications team, consisting of company leadership and representatives from our operations, safety, and quality assurance departments.  The team members are in regular communication to evaluate factors affecting our ability to deliver service, and to make operational adjustment to meet new demands.

In many cases, roles and responsibilities have also shifted.  Team members are being pulled from their regular work to focus on critical COVID-related initiatives that wouldn’t normally fall in their scope of responsibility.  It’s an “all hands-on- deck” mentality.  I’m proud of how our team has risen to the occasion.

Our internal communications have also been affected by the fact that all “non-essential” staff is now working from home.  The company is holding more virtual meetings than ever and has established new tools for group communication such as mass-texting.

GS: Have you had to handle any supply chain issues and adjust your procurement? Have you had to quickly switch to different products and conduct new trainings?  

MD: We are working closely with our suppliers to stay abreast of changing supply conditions and supply chain shortages.  Products in highest demand include sanitizing wipes and liquids, disinfecting chemicals, and face masks.  

We are adding safety stock where possible for these critical products.  We are sourcing from multiple suppliers, not relying on one sole vendor or one brand manufacturer.  As worldwide demand for these items continues to grow, shipping times are often in flux, so we are closely tracking all orders.

GS: How are you protecting your frontline employees? 

MD: For our cleaning staff, we are taking proactive approaches to infection prevention and emergency preparedness in response to concerns about COVID‐19, including providing personal protective equipment as necessary, and continued safety and hygiene training.  Additionally, we are closely tracking cases or potential cases in our buildings and notifying our staff as soon as we are notified.

We are also attempting to educate them with whatever information becomes available.


GS: Are you encountering questions about the effectiveness of green cleaning for coronavirus? If so, how are you addressing them? 

MD: The EPA has published a list of approved disinfectants for COVID-19, which has been the number one concern for our clients.  While some disinfectant manufacturers claim to be green, the reality is that EPA considers all disinfectants to be a part of the pesticide family and requires them all to be EPA registered.  

That said, some disinfectants have less harsh ingredients than others.  Product with ingredients such as alcohol, lactic and citric acid, and hydrogen peroxide are examples of what we look for. 

Additionally, another thing to note is that before we disinfect, we clean.  We continue to use the same green products and processes already in place for cleaning.

GS: Can you give us an overview of your protocols for de-contamination of a building that may have had an individual with coronavirus? 

MD: In the regions where we provide this service, we follow very specific protocol.  To start we isolate the area and dispose of any contaminated materials.  We then use an advanced electrostatic disinfecting application that offers 360 degrees of touchless disinfection and sanitizing.  It’s important to note that even with the electrostatic disinfecting application there is no way of knowing if every infected surface has been treated. BMS cannot guarantee surfaces are contamination-free.

After the job is done, we dispose of all PPE according to BMS’s Pathogen Exposure Control Plan, and remove signage and barricades following completion of cleaning and disinfection.

GS: How are you supporting and responding to any fears and concerns or sick leave requests by your staff?  Have you been able to respond to new requests for services with the staff you have?   

MD: We are requiring staff to stay home if they are sick or experiencing any symptoms of acute respiratory illness. Additionally, if staff has had contact with someone who has or may have coronavirus, we are requiring them to stay home.  We are closely tracking staffing, and continually assessing the need to shift staffing to maximize resources.

GS: With more people teleworking, have you been able to shift work hours for your cleaning crews? 

MD: As more clients are work remotely, tenant spaces are shutting down completely.  Our goal is and will be to continue to reallocate those cleaning crews to other projects to the best of our ability.   

In many cases we are rotating the cleaning crews methodically to avoid an entire crew being infected should one person become infected.  

Our cleaning staff are on the front lines of this pandemic, working tirelessly, day and night. The work they do will save lives, and we could not be more grateful to them.  

GS: When was the last time you had to implement these kinds of emergency protocols? For example – during flu season at a school, or during the 2009 H1N1?

MD: In 2009 during H1N1 we provided continuous sanitizing of public areas in buildings.  But unlike what we are dealing with today, we did no heavy-duty disinfecting of tenant spaces.  

Other comparable events would be the emergency procedures the company implemented after 9/11 and after Hurricane Sandy in New York City.

GS: What are some lessons that you’ve learned in this tough time and while addressing urgent requests?

MD: Keeping spaces clean and helping keep clients healthy has always been our goal.  We have seen validation of this goal and the work we already do.  That said, we have also learned more than we’d like to about infectious disease protocol.  However, we have also adapted our practices to major disinfecting of tenant and building spaces in accordance with CDC protocol.  We have learned that communication between management and building staff is critical in extended emergencies.  It is vital to make line managers and cleaning staff feel informed, valuable, and safe.   Also, we have learned that working by telecommunication is not nearly as painful as we had anticipated.

Mike Doherty is President of BMS and its subsidiary companies. He has over 35 years of experience in the building service industry. Since 1998, he has run all operations for BMS and is currently responsible for janitorial, security, architectural surface maintenance and window cleaning services managing more than 2,800 employees.

Honoring the Custodial Workers Who Keep Our Schools Healthy

Posted on by Green Seal

Right now, 15 states and 2 U.S. territories have ordered or recommended school building closures for the rest of the academic year due to concerns with the rapid spread of COVID-19. These closures have disrupted the formal education of approximately 55 million students across U.S. public and private institutions.  But they have not slowed the activity of school custodial and housekeeping workers, who have been working tirelessly to maintain a healthy and safe environment for students and staff when onsite learning resumes. 

While many schools are closed for learning, some higher-ed students remain on campus due to lack of housing alternatives. Critical scientific research must proceed. And essential facility operations continue. These inhabited spaces must be kept clean and free from potential exposure, and custodial and housekeeping workers are on the frontlines of protection.

Schools with robust green cleaning programs have risen to the occasion, as demonstrated by those represented through our Healthy Green Schools & Colleges (HGSC) Program. The University of Washington has developed creative ways to communicate their cleaning efforts to the broader community and assure those on campus they are up to task. Salt Lake City School District has provided their bloodborne pathogen training publicly so other schools and school districts can benefit. And HGSC school facility & custodial directors banded together to create a COVID-19 Webinar Series to provide immediate peer-to-peer learning opportunities centered on cleaning for COVID-19.

School custodial and housekeeping staff are unsung heroes during this global pandemic. On National Healthy Schools Day, they deserve our thanks for everything they’re doing to keep us safe. Even if we’re not able to thank them in person, sending a letter or an email to your school’s custodial department is a simple way to let them know you value their role. It’s the least we can do. Visit the Healthy Schools Network and click on the National Healthy Schools Day: Plan Your Activity Page to help you plan your way to celebrate the custodial and housekeeping team keeping our schools safe and healthy.

Serving Our Stakeholders During the COVID-19 Health Crisis

Posted on by Green Seal

Green Seal is closely monitoring developments regarding the novel coronavirus COVID-19, which was declared a national emergency by the White House and a pandemic by the World Health Organization. During this emerging and rapidly changing situation, we rely on the CDC for updated information as it becomes available. 

Green Seal is committed to providing trusted information and resources on staying safe and healthy amid the challenges caused by COVID-19. Whether you’re a consumer, business owner, school leader or Green Seal certified provider, we have resources for you at www.greenseal.org/coronavirus.


Many Green Seal certified producers and providers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing vital cleaning products, cleaning services, hygienic products, and lodging or food services while meeting the highest sustainability standard in the market. Green Seal is absolutely committed to serving these stakeholders with the highest quality support. To that end, Green Seal is taking the following steps

  • To reduce unnecessary added workloads on overburdened teams, Green Seal is suspending compliance monitoring activity until the crisis has abated.
  • Due to extreme impacts to the fiber supply chain, Green Seal will temporarily make reasonable accommodations to fiber sourcing compliance for certified paper producers, while also requiring periodic reporting on fiber content. This measure will aid in the continued market flow of hygienic and other paper products that consistently meet the highest sustainability standard in the market.
  • Green Seal will conduct virtual audits instead of in-person audits where necessary. This will allow any companies that have submitted for new certification evaluations to achieve conditional Green Seal certifications in a timely manner.

To protect the health of our staff and the general public, Green Seal transitioned to operating as a virtual workplace for all staff beginning March 12th.  While this measure allows us to do our part in our communities, we have taken steps to ensure that this will not affect our ongoing operations and customer support. 

We will continue to update this blog and our COVID-19 Resources page as new information and resources become available – and we are always available for questions here. 

Thank you for allowing Green Seal to serve you during this challenging time. 

BMS: An Interview with Green Seal CEO Doug Gatlin

Posted on by Doug Gatlin

Green Seal partner Building Maintenance Service (BMS) sat down with Green Seal CEO Doug Gatlin to discuss green cleaning, sustainability in the janitorial industry, and why being Green Seal certified matters now more than ever.

WHY IS THIRD-PARTY VALIDATION IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CLEANING SERVICES INDUSTRY?

Green cleaning is a common term these days in the cleaning industry. The concept has been around for a long time.  However, in recent years, the sustainability community has actively embraced it.  They are better quantifying its impacts and promoting its value. Thanks to national benchmarks such as LEED as well as  Green Seal’s Green Cleaning Services Standard, green cleaning has become more common.  The knowledge of best practices has become more standardized within the industry.  Many facility teams, building managers, and office managers are utilizing some elements of green cleaning.  That said, green cleaning is a series of continuous improvement steps.  It is based on core principles that include training, site-specific plans, careful chemical management, and environmentally preferable purchasing.  In most cases we’ve seen, when a group says they’re implementing green cleaning, there are often major gaps in the implementation, the level of rigor, and the results.  A third-party certification process confirms the application of actual green cleaning procedures and benefits.

HOW DOES GS-42 CERTIFICATION BENEFIT JANITORIAL COMPANIES AND THEIR CLIENTS?

We’ve heard from cleaning companies of all sizes that simply the act of applying for certification is beneficial.  In completing the checklists, you can quickly identify gaps in what you were doing, assumptions you made, and communications that should have been developed that never were. It helps you get a bird’s-eye view of your own business.  During the process, you’re speaking with a facilities management expert.  This person can help you dive into the best practices of green cleaning and the unique ways to develop your site-specific plans.

Commercial properties that choose certified green cleaning services attract higher quality tenants. Consumers today are demanding a higher level of social and environmental consciousness. Green cleaning delivers on those priorities by reducing the building’s environmental impact and promoting the health and wellbeing of building occupants – as well as some of society’s unsung heroes: custodial workers.

Building occupant productivity is also a benefit. Occupants of green office buildings report three fewer sick days each year and a 5% increase in overall productivity.  This has a direct connection to indoor air quality. In fact, a 2018 study from the U.S. Green Building Council found that 80% of green building occupants say the enhanced air quality improves their happiness and productivity.

HOW DO CLEANING CHEMICAL CHOICES IMPACT BUILDING OCCUPANT HEALTH?

VOCs are one of the most common hazards in today’s buildings.  They can cause allergic responses, exacerbate asthma, or other respiratory issues, cause headaches, eye irritation, or dizziness, prevent us from feeling our best – or, at worst, send people to the emergency room.

Young people, sick people, pregnant women, and the tens of millions of Americans who suffer from asthma are especially at risk from exposure.  One in seven cases of adult asthma can be attributed to the use of spray cleaners.

Cleaning professionals are on the front lines of these impacts. A large body of research has found that both domestic and professional cleaning work is associated with a higher risk of asthma and other respiratory issues. In fact, the first long term study on the topic recently found that cleaning with conventional products is as bad for your lungs as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day over 10-20 years.

The good news is that you easily mitigate these risks by simply switching to green-certified products.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS FOR CLEANING CHEMICALS? 

We start by looking at function. It’s important for us to understand the intended function of a product.  In many cases there are several.  This helps us understand why a certain active chemical ingredient may be necessary or beneficial. Once we understand those two pieces, we conduct a marketing review by looking at safety data sheets or European regulations, which frequently home in on chemicals of concern before the U.S. does.  We identify the known toxic chemicals that are in most cleaning products.  Then we look at the products that have been designed without those toxic chemicals.  We independently validate that these products still function to industry standards.

By focusing on those leadership products, we’re able to craft a profile that looks at everything from the raw materials and production processes to the formula and the end of life of the product.  We zero in on the best opportunities for reducing environmental and human health impacts. We strive to create standards that are achievable for the top 20 percent of the industry. As the industry catches, we review and increase the performance thresholds where it makes sense, so that the Green Seal mark continues to set a leadership benchmark.

DO GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS (OR LACK THEREOF) IMPACT HOW YOU DEFINE YOUR STANDARDS, AND IF SO, HOW?

 We rely on a number of authoritative lists to screen product formulations for chemicals of concern. These lists range from those set by international bodies, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s list of carcinogens, to those set by professional associations, such as the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics’s list of asthmagens. In between, of course, are federal and state lists by U.S. EPA and California.

By referencing multiple sources, we ensure that we have the most health-protective standards based on the latest science. Green Seal’s standard development is guided by the precautionary principle – if there is a lack of full scientific certainty on the suspected health and environmental health hazards of a chemical, we prohibit it until it’s proven to be safe. That’s why commonly found toxins like methylene chloride and 1,4-dioxane – which have only recently spurred widespread public concern in the U.S. – have been prohibited in Green Seal-certified products for decades.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU HAVE SEEN FOR CLEANING SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ADOPT GS-42 STANDARDS?

We see employee turnover and maintaining buy-in as two of the biggest challenges.  Green cleaning itself is not intuitive.  It’s a careful, conscious process of monitoring, setting baselines, and understanding opportunities for where chemicals are unnecessary or overused, and shifting to better practices.  It is a continuous improvement game.  It works best with the buy-in of your teams—in particular, custodial managers, who can lead a culture shift.

In some cases, building occupants need to be educated about green cleaning.  We’re conditioned to think that a bleach smell or a lavender fragrance signifies “clean.” It can also be hard to overcome the misconception that constant cleaning is beneficial.  Many times, it’s counterproductive, and it unnecessarily increases chemical exposure.

It’s important to convey the concept of green cleaning to the building occupants. They must find value in this new way of working with non-fragrance products, in restricting cleaning schedules to off-hours, and in restricting the use of disinfectants and sanitizers to high-touch surfaces. But increasingly, we’ve seen that building tenants and occupants are aware of the benefits.  They are requesting green cleaning, even if they don’t yet understand all the details.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST CONCERN AS IT RELATES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE CLEANING INDUSTRY?

Water use. The more we can encourage the shipping of concentrated products, the more we can reduce the unnecessary emissions of shipping water.  There’s an emerging concept in Europe where water itself is not required as frequently in cleaning.  That could be interesting in the future as well.

We’re also concerned about the overuse of disinfecting products because of the potential for the development of microbial resistance to these products.

HOW DO YOU SEE SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CLEANING INDUSTRY CHANGING OVER THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS? 

Green cleaning will be better understood. We’re going to see reductions in water use, more careful application of chemical-based products, and a shift to more evidence and quantification of green cleaning and effective cleaning.  There will be more demand from building occupants for third-party certified services and products that protect and promote health and wellness.  You can already see that in popular shared workspaces like WeWork – they offer snacks, coffee, and spaces that only use green products.

From Building Maintenance Service Blog – November 7, 2019. Contact us to learn more about BMS’s Sustainability initiatives, including our Green Seal (GS-42) certification.

Partnership Leads to Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Program

Posted on by Green Seal

For the past 30 years, Green Seal® has served as the nation’s most trusted ecolabel for products and services. Millions of Americans interact with a Green Seal label every day, from the cleaning procedures used in their office buildings to the low-VOC paint used on their bedroom walls. We have certified thousands of products, services, and spaces used by families, companies, government agencies, and institutions around the country. 

Now, we’re setting our sights on our nation’s schools: Green Seal is partnering with pioneer advocacy organization Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) to create the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Program. Together, we envision a world in which everyone has equitable access to schools that improve the health of people and the planet. Every day in the U.S. more than 76 million people from all walks of life spend time in a school or university as students, staff, and faculty. This partnership brings great opportunity to improve how schools serve our communities and empower them as change agents for a more sustainable society. 

Healthy Green Schools & Colleges will be a simple, effective, verifiable program to help schools with the why, what, and how of designing and implementing healthy green facilities management practices. Building on HSC’s popular 5 Steps to Green Cleaning in Schools and Green Seal’s industry-leading cleaning services standard (GS-42), the program will expand to address a range of issues including indoor air quality monitoring, integrated pest management, and procurement. And most important of all, we will make sure facilities teams and green school champions have the knowledge, resources, tools, and support they need to succeed.

As we begin this journey, we’d love to hear from you. What green practices have you implemented in your school? Are you interested but don’t know where to start? Healthy Green Schools & Colleges is here. We’re looking to connect with K-12 and higher-ed practitioners of all experience levels. It takes a village to improve the health of our kids, neighbors, and planet. There’s a lot of work to do, and we’re excited to get started.

Green Cleaning is an Organization-Wide Effort at NC State

Posted on by Green Seal

North Carolina State University’s certified green cleaning program has generated a host of benefits for the campus community, including improved air quality, reduced operational costs, and improved employee health and morale. To maintain Green Seal certification, University Housekeeping will be reevaluated annually to ensure its cleaning products, processes and employee training meet leadership levels.

PILOT GREEN-CLEANING PROJECTS LED TO CAMPUS-WIDE ADOPTION

 “NC State began its shift toward green cleaning more than a decade ago as increased awareness of environmental and human health prompted many manufacturers to develop eco-friendly options. First, University Housekeeping tried a chemical-free cleaning solution made of ionized water and salt. Not only did it work on campus, but it saved money and was safer for building occupants and housekeeping employees. With that success, NC State continued pilot green projects that led to campus-wide adoption. Housekeeping also found safe, effective alternatives to aerosols and harsh chemicals. They use many Green Seal certified cleaning chemicals and hand soap to protect indoor air quality and reduce chemical exposure.”
CARLA DAVIS
University Sustainability Office

WE’RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

“We’re looking out for the health of our employees, customers and the environment. What makes us stand out is that we adopted green products early and saw benefits early. We were very progressive in making our products and processes better.”
HEZEKIAH HENRY
Supervisor – University Housekeeping

We’re looking out for the health of our employees, customers and the environment.

GREEN SEAL EXAMINES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU DO

“Green Seal examines absolutely everything you do. They verify every chemical, every piece of equipment, your cleaning process, your training program. They leave no stone unturned. It is rigorous and comprehensive and helped us standardize our cleaning program in every building. This certification shows our commitment to sustainability and helps us become a leader.”
VINCENT TAYLOR
Deputy Assistant Director – University Housekeeping

GREEN SEAL CERTIFICATION HAS GIVEN OUR STAFF GREATER PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO

“Our staff have to know the reasoning behind our process and the difference between cleaning and green cleaning. There’s a lot that goes into that, and Green Seal certification has given our staff greater pride in what they do.”
TONY BROWN
Supervisor – University Housekeeping

I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY HOUSEKEEPING TEAM

“Green Seal Certification affirms our dedication to sustainability and the health of our employees and the campus community. I could not be prouder of the entire University Housekeeping team.”
ADA BALDWIN
Director – University Housekeeping

OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE LESS CHRONIC ILLNESS AND ERGONOMIC PROBLEMS

“Our industry is much more concerned with employee health than it was before. With our green cleaning program, our employees have less chronic illness and ergonomic problems.”
TAFT WALDON
Deputy Assistant Director – University Housekeeping

Green Cleaning is an Organization-Wide Effort at NC State

Posted on by Green Seal

North Carolina State University’s certified green cleaning program has generated a host of benefits for the campus community, including improved air quality, reduced operational costs, and improved employee health and morale. To maintain Green Seal certification, University Housekeeping will be reevaluated annually to ensure its cleaning products, processes and employee training meet leadership levels.

PILOT GREEN-CLEANING PROJECTS LED TO CAMPUS-WIDE ADOPTION

 “NC State began its shift toward green cleaning more than a decade ago as increased awareness of environmental and human health prompted many manufacturers to develop eco-friendly options. First, University Housekeeping tried a chemical-free cleaning solution made of ionized water and salt. Not only did it work on campus, but it saved money and was safer for building occupants and housekeeping employees. With that success, NC State continued pilot green projects that led to campus-wide adoption. Housekeeping also found safe, effective alternatives to aerosols and harsh chemicals. They use many Green Seal certified cleaning chemicals and hand soap to protect indoor air quality and reduce chemical exposure.”
CARLA DAVIS
University Sustainability Office

WE’RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

“We’re looking out for the health of our employees, customers and the environment. What makes us stand out is that we adopted green products early and saw benefits early. We were very progressive in making our products and processes better.”
HEZEKIAH HENRY
Supervisor – University Housekeeping

We’re looking out for the health of our employees, customers and the environment.

GREEN SEAL EXAMINES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU DO

“Green Seal examines absolutely everything you do. They verify every chemical, every piece of equipment, your cleaning process, your training program. They leave no stone unturned. It is rigorous and comprehensive and helped us standardize our cleaning program in every building. This certification shows our commitment to sustainability and helps us become a leader.”
VINCENT TAYLOR
Deputy Assistant Director – University Housekeeping

GREEN SEAL CERTIFICATION HAS GIVEN OUR STAFF GREATER PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO

“Our staff have to know the reasoning behind our process and the difference between cleaning and green cleaning. There’s a lot that goes into that, and Green Seal certification has given our staff greater pride in what they do.”
TONY BROWN
Supervisor – University Housekeeping

I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY HOUSEKEEPING TEAM

“Green Seal Certification affirms our dedication to sustainability and the health of our employees and the campus community. I could not be prouder of the entire University Housekeeping team.”
ADA BALDWIN
Director – University Housekeeping

OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE LESS CHRONIC ILLNESS AND ERGONOMIC PROBLEMS

“Our industry is much more concerned with employee health than it was before. With our green cleaning program, our employees have less chronic illness and ergonomic problems.”
TAFT WALDON
Deputy Assistant Director – University Housekeeping

BMS Cleans Over 100 Million Square Feet of Space

Posted on by Green Seal
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.

Being Green Seal certified gives BMS leverage with prospects. In a competitive market, being able to showcase points of differentiation is key. Our BMS Green Clean℠ program was designed to enhance human health and foster sustainability within the commercial real estate, hospitality and education spaces we clean.
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 practic

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.

Harsh Cleaning Chemicals Have No Place in Our Schools

Posted on by Green Seal

Many Americans are familiar with “Code Orange” days, when the air outside is so dangerous that school officials keep kids indoors. But what if the air quality inside our schools is just as much of a concern? That’s the case in half of our nation’s schools where the EPA found poor indoor air quality is putting children’s developing bodies at risk every school day. Poor indoor air quality is linked to asthma, concentration problems, and even poor test results. Unhealthy indoor air stems from a number of maintenance and design issues, but the good news is that one of the major contributors is also the easiest to address: the toxic chemicals in conventional cleaning products. Ironically, schools that are trying to protect the comfort and health of children and staff with regular classroom and facility cleaning are inadvertently doing more harm than good. That’s because even when they’re advertised as “green” or “natural,” cleaning products can contain a toxic stew of chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are linked to asthma, allergies, cancer, and harm to our reproductive and nervous systems.

Peer-reviewed studies have found that children who are frequently exposed to conventional cleaning products suffer higher rates of wheezing and asthma. With asthma forcing children to miss 14 million school days each year, asthma-attack-inducing chemicals have no place in our schools. Long-term research also shows that adults who clean their homes with conventional cleaning products cause as much damage to their lungs as if they smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. We would never tolerate classrooms filled with cigarette smoke – so why tolerate classrooms sprayed with hazardous chemicals? Schools should provide safer environments for our children and protect their health. For decades, Green Seal has been a vital resource for school districts, colleges, and universities across the country, helping to transform campuses into cleaner, healthier places to live, learn, and play. Nearly half of U.S. states and thousands of schools and healthcare facilities specify Green Seal as a trusted name that defines healthier products. Custodial teams know that Green Seal certified products deliver the same effectiveness as conventional ones – from cleaning products to paints, coatings, and construction materials.

Now, our Healthy Green Schools initiative is helping schools like Harvard University and Howard County Public Schools demonstrate that they are providing the healthiest indoor air quality for their students and staff. These schools and programs are achieving Green Seal certification for their cleaning programs to prove that they meet the highest standards of health and sustainability in the US. By meeting each and every requirement in Green Seal’s GS-42 Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services, school cleaning teams are demonstrating leadership in key areas: green purchasing, green cleaning procedures, undergoing vital trainings, properly maintaining equipment, and helping our towns and cities reduce their environmental footprint through waste minimization practices. Every child has a right to learn in a place where they can thrive, and that means schools with safe, clean air to breathe. On Healthy Schools Day, school leaders can take the first step by making a district-wide commitment to purchase only certified green cleaning products and to provide Healthy Green Schools for all children.

HSC Report: How Schools are Keeping Kids Healthier, Safer

Posted on by Doug Gatlin

A new report out this week from the Healthy Schools Campaign shows that a growing number of school officials across the country are choosing environmentally certified cleaning products. This is great news, because as the Healthy Schools Campaign CEO, Rochelle Davis, points out, “We know that how schools approach cleaning says a lot about how they value their students, staff, and the communities where they are located.”

We at Green Seal couldn’t agree more. Environmentally certified products keep kids safer and healthier. It is why we dedicate so much time and attention to developing the most rigorous testing for cleaning products and services, and Green Seal is proud to be the leading environmental certification of cleaning products and services in schools.

According to the 2018 National Education Facilities Cleaning Survey, Green Seal was identified as the top third-party certifier for green cleaning products. The report shone a spotlight on Maryland’s Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), which went above and beyond to create a world-class building environment that puts health first. HCPSS decided to get Green Seal (GS-42) certified to make sure that they achieve their mission of making their schools a healthy place to work and learn. To receive this certification from Green Seal, they implemented their own rigorous rating system that monitors the health and cleanliness of each building in the district. They also made sure all of HCPSS’ equipment, cleaning tools, standard operating procedures and staff training complied with each requirement in the Cleaning Service Standard. It’s no coincidence that a school system where cleaning is seen as a health priority rather than just as a housekeeping duty, Green Seal is the certification of choice.

Green cleaning isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s a public health issue. And where our children are concerned, that can’t be said enough. Moving forward, I hope more businesses and public sector leaders see the necessity for Green Seal certifying more schools and spaces for children, families, staff, and the community. We’ve always been honored to play a role in keeping schools healthy, safe and clean for children. This study just proves it.