Why Janitors Support Sustainability Programs

The final part of this three-part article discusses the advantages of a sustainability program to frontline workers.

Although Pioneer cannot measure the long-term effects of the program on employees’ health, Carlson can say with confidence that the program has helped the company maintain an outstanding safety record.

“We haven’t tracked workers’ compensation losses, but we’ve won numerous awards for having a pretty impressive [experience modification] score,” he says. “I can rest assured that every employee that has worked or will work for Pioneer can have peace of mind that their job is not going to lead to unnecessary risk or health hazards in the future. And it’s beneficial from a recruiting standpoint for candidates to know that we’re aware of our employees’ health and we’re using products, tools and equipment that support their safety.”

Pioneer prides itself on training its employees at least 24 hours a year to ensure that the program’s cleaning procedures are followed consistently across all operations.

But buy-in from employees is not a problem. In fact, Orellana says sustainable cleaning programs tend to heighten the awareness of the frontline staff.

“They’re thinking about the repercussions of using a chemical or a piece of equipment, because they’re looking at what they’re doing with a different lens,” he says. “That’s really what a sustainability program does. It gives contractors a new lens to look at their business, not only in greater detail but with the interest of the environment and the health of the building and its occupants in mind.”

Kassandra Kania is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a frequent contributor to Contracting Profits.