ServiceMaster Ltd, which owns a number of cleaning franchises, has been awarded national accreditation following its successful efforts to improve its carbon footprint.

The franchisor, which owns the brands ServiceMaster Clean, Furniture Medic, TruGreen and Merry Maids, was awarded the ISO 14001 Environmental Accreditation after it introduced an Environmental Management System project to help reduce wastage, improve on recycling and save on electricity use in the workplace.

Steve Emmerson, Managing Director at ServiceMaster Ltd, said: “ServiceMaster is committed to its corporate objectives of ‘doing the right thing’ in all aspects of business. Looking at our impact on the environment was a natural progression to looking at how we treat our customers and employees. I am delighted that we have been able to demonstrate our commitment by gaining this accreditation.”

Having met the objective to gain this standard, ServiceMaster Ltd intends to continue with the project and produce objectives for both further improvement and a management programme to achieve them. Regular reviews will take place to ensure continued development.

Wendy Buck, Administration Manager at ServiceMaster Ltd, has been in charge of the Environmental Management System project since its inception in 2010. She will continue to lead the drive to improve environmental impact across all ServiceMaster brands.

Buck said: “The first year involved obtaining base figures for energy use and recycling. By just introducing a managed recycling system, this has enabled us to greatly increase the amount of waste we recycle instead of sending it to a landfill. We have also introduced a switch off policy for lights and electrical equipment overnight. All of our staff have been made aware of our new initiatives and our success is down to them embracing these within the workplace.”

Published: 11 April 2012

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