ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A new sustainable development programme for the contract cleaning industry has been created with the support of the European Union’s Life + programme. This initiative has as its priorities reduction of environmental impacts; support for SMEs in engaging partners on sustainability issues; creating a pan-European approach; and improving the image of the sector.

The three-year project has a number of key aims:

• Train businesses in sustainable development using original training materials.

• Create and deploy an online diagnostic tool for cleaning businesses to map their own sustainability.

• Transmit sustainable cleaning methods across Europe.

• Promote the exchange of best practices at a European level.

• Communicate the results of this project to the widest possible public audience.

• Put in place a reporting mechanism at sector level to track the sustainability performance of the sector.

The project partners are contract cleaning associations from various EU member states: CSSA in the UK, FEP in France, Germany’s BIV, FISE in Italy, UGBN-ABSU of Belgium, and EFCI which represents the industry at EU level.