Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 10th October 2024 Issue no. 1133
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Poll delves into key drivers of sustainability
A poll on LinkedIn, which received close to 1,000 impressions in one week, asked members the following question:
Which of the following do you believe is the most important driver of sustainability for businesses today?
Those taking the poll had four options which from to select:
1. Risk mitigation
2. Increased profits
3. Waste reduction
4. Creating a healthier workplace
To clarify, sustainablity ‘drivers’ refer to the factors that motivate businesses to adopt sustainable business practices, according to Steve Ashkin, an advocate for sustainability in the professional cleaning industry.
He adds that it is often a revelation for those taking the ISSA Introduction to Sustainability course to discover "that altruistic reasons, such as 'doing the right thing,' are far less influential than practical considerations, such as the financial benefits of sustainability."
As to the results of the poll, they are the following:
* 29% believed risk mitigation was the most important driver of sustainability
* 16% deemed financial benefits as the most crucial driver
* 19% voted for increased profits as the key driver
* 35% chose creating a healthier workplace as the critical driver of sustainability
There are no right or wrong answers. All these options are benefits of sustainable business practices, argues Steve. However, he is concerned that many people believe sustainability and ‘green’ are the same.
"They are not - and understanding this difference is crucial," he warns. "In our industry, green refers to environmentally preferable cleaning products, services, and methods.
On the other hand, sustainability focuses on how businesses operate, how they treat their employees and diversity, along with steps they take to protect the environment, reduce fuel and energy consumption, and reduce waste just to name a few."
Steve strongly encourages members of the jansan industry to take the ISSA Introduction to Sustainability course to better understand sustainability. Available online to members and non-members, Steve says it is the only course available specifically tailored for the jansan industry which covers sustainability, what it's all about, its many benefits, and why it is necessary.
12th September 2024