Updates from the Leading Association for the Cleaning Industry Worldwide

New Green Program

ISSA has launched a new sales-education program called ISSA Green Cleaning University, intended to help members better understand and utilize green cleaning in their sales activities.

“ISSA and Green Cleaning University will help sales personnel differentiate themselves and their companies in the ever-more-crowded green marketplace while promoting professionalism within the industry, a core association goal,” said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. “This is one more benefit in a series of initiatives ISSA has launched to help our members navigate the increasing demands of their customers to help green their operations.”

The new Green Cleaning University program consists of 10 courses, administered via CD-ROM, including instruction in defining green and green cleaning; building a complete bundle of green products; and implementing a green cleaning program.

In addition to the required coursework, students must complete a green audit of a facility and write up a report for the facility’s management to achieve the Green Cleaning Professional designation.

This requirement provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn practical, real-world lessons about how to create a more effective cleaning program that utilizes greener cleaning products and reduces risks to occupants, cleaning personnel, and the environment.

Green Cleaning University was founded by The Ashkin Group President Stephen P. Ashkin and David Holly and has so far awarded the title of Green Cleaning Professional to approximately 300 individuals.

“ISSA’s partnership with Green Cleaning University leverages the strengths of both organizations and will promote the adoption of cleaning programs that protect human health while minimizing overall environmental impacts,” said ISSA President Bob Stahurski.

For more information on this and other green cleaning programs available through ISSA, visit or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.

ISSA’s Next BSC Director

KIMCO Corp. CEO John Barrett is running unopposed this summer for the position of building service contractor director on the 2010 ISSA Board of Directors. Prior to joining KIMCO — one of the country’s largest and most diverse BSCs — Barrett held executive positions at York Management, UNICCO Service Co., Ogden Services Corp., and Xerox. He is a current member of ISSA, BSCAI, BOMA, IFMA, and PRSM and has been particularly active in ISSA, serving in a board-advisory capacity for the last three years as well as current chairman of ISSA’s BSC Council. Barrett graduated from the University of Michigan in 1981 with a degree in economics and speech communications and received his MBA with an emphasis in finance and marketing from the University of Chicago.

Calendar

JUNE 25, CIMS I.C.E. Workshop. Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport, Philadelphia, PA.

OCTOBER 5-6, CIMS I.C.E. Workshop. McCormick Place, Chicago, IL (held in conjunction with ISSA/INTERCLEAN^® North America 2009).

OCTOBER 6-9, ISSA/INTERCLEAN^® North America 2009. McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.

OCTOBER 27-28, Antimicrobial Workshop. Arlington, VA.

Second Group of 2009 CIMS Certification Experts

ISSA has announced the second group of individuals to achieve certification as official Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) ISSA Certification Experts (I.C.E.) in 2009. This addition of 24 new I.C.E. professionals, who earned their certification as part of exclusive programs hosted by Triple S and xpedx, brings the total count to 392 experts. I.C.E. professionals can now be found in 47 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.

A new interactive map containing a full list of CIMS experts and their contact information is available at issa.com.

The number of I.C.E. professionals continues to increase along with the popularity of CIMS, ISSA’s consensus-based industry standard that sets forth the universally accepted management principles proven to be the hallmark of well-managed and customer-focused cleaning organizations. Becoming a certified CIMS expert positions an individual to provide training or consulting services to those cleaning organizations interested in complying with and preparing to certify to CIMS.

The I.C.E. program is designed to help industry professionals deal with their customers’ or their own organizations’ likely budget cuts. Custodial operations around the country are being asked to reduce labor budgets by 5 percent to 10 percent, and it has become increasingly evident that such reductions cannot be accomplished by supply-price decreases alone. Professionals who wish to position themselves as an indispensable resource need to be armed with advanced operational and budgetary knowledge. Understanding the need to evaluate, reduce, and redeploy the work force is the most promising way to meet such budget reductions, and I.C.E.-workshop attendees are provided crucial information that will help them in this regard. In fact, past attendees have reported saving customers more than six figures annually by helping them comply with CIMS.

To become a CIMS expert, professionals within the cleaning industry must attend a one-day workshop and pass an examination regarding the management elements contained in the Standard. The CIMS-expert designation is earned by and applies to an individual rather than an entire organization.

Details regarding CIMS or becoming a CIMS expert are available at www.issa.com/standard or by contacting ISSA Market Development Manager-Facility Service Programs Annie Balonick at 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.

All information in "ISSA Reports" is furnished by ISSA. ©2009. All rights reserved.