Our Commitment to Sustainability

At Edwards Cleaning Services, we believe that running a sustainable business is not just a goal, but a responsibility. Our commitment is rooted in minimizing our environmental impact, reducing waste, and operating with a clear focus on achieving Net Zero by 2030, or sooner.

We began our Net Zero journey by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and partnering with the local sustainability consultancy, Imvelo, led by Tamma Carel. Their guidance, along with training from the NBSL-funded "To Net Zero" course, helped us establish a robust, measurable path. We started measuring emissions across all three scopes in May 2023.

Measurable Progress: Exceeding Our Goals

We are thrilled to report a MASSIVE 13.5% reduction in emissions in our first year of measurement, exceeding our initial target of a 10% cut. This achievement, detailed in our annual Carbon Report produced by Imvelo, is a direct result of the dedication and input from our entire management and admin team.

This significant reduction also directly benefits our clients who are monitoring their own emissions and seeking sustainable suppliers.

Key Steps on Our Journey

Our strategy has focused on addressing the areas with the biggest environmental footprint first, prioritising "easy hanging fruit" while tackling more complex changes simultaneously.

Digital Transformation & Waste Reduction

We recognised that significant waste came from paper-based forms, audits, and reports, requiring transport back to the office for storage. Our solution was a comprehensive move to digital operations:

Paper Elimination: We introduced Chromebooks and moved all operations to Google Workspace, saving everything to the cloud.
Digital Processes: We now use Dochub for digital signing and our bespoke system for digital auditing, allowing clients to view all policies and compliance documents via a digital portal.
Impact: This change drastically reduced the need for transport and storage, saving dozens of trees' worth of paper annually.

Cleaner Operations & Fleet Management

Minimising fuel consumption and travel has been a major priority:

Virtual Meetings: We now conduct meetings, interviews, and supplier discussions via platforms like Google Meet, Teams, and Zoom to reduce mileage and fuel costs.
Fleet Transition: As van leases expire, we are actively downsizing our vehicles and replacing them with electric or hybrid models.
Optimised Logistics: We have reduced the need for central storage and transport by arranging for suppliers to deliver stock and products directly to client sites.

Product & Pollution Innovation

Our commitment to a safer, greener, cleaner environment involved a thorough search for better products:

Plastic Reduction: We have made a major push to remove as much plastic, especially single-use plastic, across the business and ensure all remaining plastic is recyclable.
Safer Chemicals: We scoured the UK and Europe, visiting exhibitions (e.g., Amsterdam), to find new, environmentally friendly cleaning products that are safer for our staff, clients, and the environment, and minimise pollution.

Partnering for a Greener Future

While we focus on reducing our direct emissions, we are also investing in the future of the planet through strategic partnerships:

Carbon Strategy & Reporting: Imvelo provides crucial guidance, measurement, and the production of our official Carbon Reports.
Carbon Offsetting: We have partnered with Ecologi to plant trees, working towards our first goal of 1,000 trees as part of a strategy to responsibly offset unavoidable emissions once all possible reductions have been made.

We are dedicated to continuing this essential work through better planning, liaising with suppliers, and brainstorming new ideas with our team. We are confident we will achieve our Net Zero target well before the 2030 deadline.

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Discover more about Edwards Cleaning's expertise, team, and services. Each section offers insight into how we maintain the highest standards for our clients.