ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Cleaning now sits at the heart of operational success at major venues - it’s no longer a background service. Cleaning service providers are evolving to become strategic partners to their clients, and these partnerships extend beyond operational delivery to create shared visibility across commercial activities. ECJ finds out more from CleanEvent Services, winner of the 2025 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards trophy in the category Excellence in Client-Contractor Partnerships for its contract with Tottenham Hotspur FC.

In the world of venue management, where thousands of guests rely on seamless experiences delivered to exacting standards, cleaning is no longer viewed as a background service. Increasingly, it sits at the heart of operational success - and nowhere is this shift clearer than in the partnerships being forged between cleaning service providers and their clients.

At CleanEvent Services, the evolution from supplier to strategic partner has been years in the making. Across stadiums, arenas, racecourses and entertainment venues, the company’s approach is rooted in collaboration, transparency and shared responsibility - qualities that underpin long-term relationships with major clients such as Tottenham Hotspur FC, Lancashire Cricket/Emirates Old Trafford, Silverstone Circuit and Ascot Racecourse.

This partnership also extends beyond operational delivery, creating shared visibility across commercial activities. Through mutual branding, hospitality integration and joint community initiatives, both organisations strengthen their engagement with fans, sponsors and guests. This collaborative approach ensures value flows in both directions - on the pitch and off it.

“Our success has always been built on partnership,” explains CEO Tomas Gronager. “When clients bring us in, they’re not just buying a cleaning contract. They’re investing in a team that shares their standards, their ambitions and their brand values. It’s about working together to create environments people can be proud of - whether that’s a football stadium, a hotel, or a global concert venue.”

The Lancashire Cricket partnership: a shared investment in quality

A defining example of this approach is CleanEvent’s commercial partnership with Lancashire Cricket, based at the world-renowned Emirates Old Trafford. The partnership - which encompasses the stadium, the Hilton Garden Inn hotel and the wider conference and events operation - extends beyond operational delivery, creating shared visibility across commercial activities.

Through mutual branding, hospitality integration and joint community initiatives, both organisations strengthen their engagement with fans, sponsors and guests. This collaborative approach ensures value flows in both directions - on the pitch and off it - and represents a shared commitment to creating exceptional experiences for visitors and guests.

“Commercial partnership,” says business development director Julian Kelly, “means both sides have a vested interest in the outcome. We’re not just there to clean - we’re part of the venue’s ecosystem, its culture and its sustainability agenda. Our teams are embedded on-site, working in step with the client’s facilities, hospitality and event management teams.”

Beyond the brief: the power of shared purpose

While the structure of each partnership varies, the foundation is always the same: trust, communication and a clear understanding of mutual goals. For CleanEvent, this means aligning with clients’ values from the outset and being part of the conversation, not just the task list.

“At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for instance, we’ve worked alongside the club for nearly two decades,” says operations director Jay Adderley. “That’s a relationship built on shared standards and continuous improvement. Our team is trusted to manage cleaning and event presentation across the stadium, the training centre and the club’s educational and office sites. We operate as one team with a single goal: to deliver excellence.”

That long-term trust paid off in October when CleanEvent and Tottenham Hotspur FC were recognised at the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2025, winning the Excellence in Client-Contractor Partnerships category. The award celebrated not just operational delivery, but a deeper culture of collaboration and respect, one where both organisations challenge, support and celebrate each other’s success.

Defining a partnership model

What distinguishes a true partnership from a conventional client–contractor relationship? For CleanEvent, it comes down to four key pillars:

1. Transparency: Shared data, joint KPI reviews and open communication ensure both sides understand performance and challenges in real time.

2. Accountability: Each party takes ownership of outcomes, not just outputs, recognising that every decision affects the end-user experience.

3. Empowerment: On-site teams are given the tools, training and autonomy to make decisions that add value.

4. Shared success: Wins are celebrated jointly, and lessons learned are fed into continuous improvement cycles.

Regular governance meetings, KPI reviews and transparent communication play a crucial role in maintaining alignment. These structured sessions help both parties review progress, identify new opportunities and address challenges early, keeping performance and partnership health on track.

“Partnerships thrive when they’re balanced,” adds Kelly. “The client must see the contractor as an expert adviser, not simply a supplier. In turn, the service provider must remain adaptable, responsive and commercially aware. It’s a relationship of equals.”

Overcoming challenges through collaboration

Partnership success also relies on the ability to navigate different organisational cultures and expectations. No partnership is without its challenges - differences in culture, communication or commercial expectation can create friction if not addressed early. For service providers, the key lies in proactive engagement and a willingness to adapt. By developing mutual understanding, maintaining open communication and showing adaptability, CleanEvent ensures that alignment and trust are preserved across diverse working environments.

“Transition periods are often the hardest,” explains Adderley. “When we mobilise a new site, we’re not just implementing cleaning schedules; we’re integrating teams, technology and expectations. That’s where transparency and communication are everything.”

CleanEvent’s mobilisation framework, which is used across all new contracts, includes shared progress, digital reporting platforms and joint induction sessions. These processes create alignment from day one, ensuring everyone understands the goals and metrics that define success.

At Co-op Live, the UK’s largest and most sustainable live entertainment arena, this approach was critical during pre-opening and launch. “Opening a new venue of that scale involved constant change,” says Adderley. “But our partnership with the client meant we could adapt together - responding to delayed opening, changing event schedules, supply challenges and last-minute design changes without compromising standards.”

The human connection

While data and systems drive efficiency, the human element is what sustains a true partnership. CleanEvent invests heavily in training, wellbeing and recognition, ensuring its teams feel valued, because happy teams deliver better outcomes.

The company’s FRESH values - Flexibility, Responsibility, Empowerment, Sustainability and Honesty - underpin every relationship. These values translate into consistent service delivery and long-term trust.

“Our people are our greatest asset,” says Tomas Gronager. “If we take care of them, they take care of our clients. The feedback we receive from venues, often naming individuals for their professionalism and attitude, is proof that respect and recognition matter.”

At Silverstone, for instance, the client recently praised a new CleanEvent operative for their integrity and impact on the team, a moment that reinforced how small acts of professionalism can have lasting influence.

The future of partnerships

Looking ahead, the partnership model is becoming increasingly relevant in an industry that’s under pressure to deliver sustainability, innovation and social value alongside service excellence. Digitalisation and AI-driven reporting will redefine how partnerships are measured and managed. With real-time insights, predictive data and enhanced workforce engagement tools, organisations can anticipate needs and respond faster, creating a more connected, sustainable and people-focused service model.

CleanEvent’s ESG strategy - known as The GreenEvent Effect - aligns directly with client ambitions. From reducing carbon footprints and improving waste management to creating local employment and training opportunities, partnerships are becoming a shared platform for progress.

At The Kia Oval, the England v India Test this August demonstrated how partnership can amplify impact: across five days, the company’s night crews supported the venue in achieving over 94 per cent recycling despite record volumes of food and drink. That performance reflected joint preparation, clear segregation systems and real-time adjustments during live operations: the kind of practical collaboration that turns sustainability goals into results.

“The cleaning industry has evolved from being cost-driven to value-driven,” concludes Julian Kelly. “Clients are looking for partners who can contribute to their strategic goals - environmental, social and operational. That’s where we see the future of our sector heading.”

For CleanEvent, that future is already here. Across venues large and small, the company continues to demonstrate that collaboration isn’t just good business, it’s the foundation of service excellence.
As Tomas Gronager puts it: “Partnership isn’t a buzzword for us - it’s how we operate. When our clients succeed, so do we.”

ceworld.com