New online course debuts during Hispanic Heritage Month, equipping cleaning professionals with practical skills to create cleaner, safer, and more welcoming spaces

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month  (September 15–October 15) and as part of its ongoing commitment to workforce development, ISSA, The Association for Cleaning and Facility Solutions, in partnership with Tork, an Essity brand, today announced the launch of Frontline Excellence: Delivering Clean, Safe, and Welcoming Spaces via the Inclusive Hygiene Framework, a new online bilingual course developed for frontline cleaning professionals.

Available in both English and Spanish, the 30-minute, self-paced course fills an important need by providing training that reflects the realities of today’s diverse workforce and recognizes the essential role cleaning professionals play in creating clean, safe, accessible, and welcoming environments. The course equips frontline cleaning professionals with practical skills and confidence to deliver hygiene services that go beyond appearance, helping create environments that are clean, safe, accessible, and welcoming for everyone who uses them. Designed for today’s diverse workforce, the course provides practical, real-world guidance that cleaning professionals can immediately apply in the facilities they service.

The launch also aligns with ISSA’s continued investment in professional development through its VEO Conference, taking place September 28–29 in Dallas. By offering the course in both English and Spanish, ISSA and Tork are expanding access to high-quality education while supporting one of the industry’s most diverse and essential workforces.

“Frontline cleaning professionals have never played a more important role in protecting public health while creating positive experiences in the built environment,” said ISSA Executive Director Kim Althoff. “This new training reflects ISSA’s commitment to providing practical, accessible education that helps professionals build confidence, strengthen their skills, and elevate the important work they perform every day. Offering the course in both English and Spanish allows us to reach even more of the dedicated professionals who keep our facilities healthy, safe, and welcoming.”

This enhanced course integrates key insights from the Tork Inclusive Hygiene Playbook to provide a more holistic approach to hygiene – one that recognizes that people experience and access spaces differently. Built on the foundation of training from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, the training empowers cleaning professionals to deliver more consistent, high-quality hygiene outcomes that benefit both facility users and employers.

The course includes five interactive learning modules:

• Infectious Disease & Workplace Hygiene
• Cleaning, Disinfection & Chemicals
• Risk Assessment & Personal Protective Equipment
• Equipment & Tools
• Communication, Training & Validation.

Designed for frontline cleaning technicians, supervisors, site leaders, facility managers, building service contractors, and organizations investing in workforce development, the course is well suited for onboarding, upskilling, and continuing education programs.

Tork research highlights a clear opportunity for facility managers to better support and empower cleaning professionals. With 70% of cleaners reporting inadequate employer support and 38% leaving roles due to burnout or a lack of recognition[1], investing in training and professional development can have a meaningful impact. Helping cleaners build new skills while strengthening their connection to the purpose and value of their work can increase engagement, improve retention, and support more consistent, high-quality hygiene outcomes for building occupants.

“Cleaning professionals are essential to the health, safety, and experience of every facility they serve,” said Amy Bellcourt, VP of Communications at Essity. “Inclusive hygiene is about designing and maintaining spaces that work for as many people as possible. By partnering with ISSA to deliver this comprehensive training, we’re equipping frontline teams with the tools to succeed—improving retention, raising cleaning quality, and creating better experiences for facility users.”

The course is available through the ISSA Academy and is free for ISSA members and $50 for nonmembers.

For more information or to enroll, visit the ISSA Academy. Organizations can also learn more about building a comprehensive approach to inclusive hygiene at torkglobal.com/us/en/about/inclusive-hygiene.

About ISSA

ISSA is The Association for the Cleaning and Facility Solutions, representing more than 11,000 member organizations and professionals worldwide—including manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associate service members. The association is committed to elevating the built environment by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Milan, Italy; Toronto, Canada; Sydney, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Tork

The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissues, soap, napkins and wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity and a committed partner to customers in more than 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkglobal.com/us/en/.

About Essity

Essity is a global, leading hygiene and health company. Every day, our products, solutions and services are used by a billion people around the world. Our purpose is to break barriers to well-being for the benefit of consumers, patients, caregivers, customers and society. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands such as Actimove, Cutimed, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic and Zewa. In 2025, Essity had net sales of approximately SEK 138bn (EUR 13bn) and employed 36,000 people. The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at essity.com.

Tork Contact:

FH-Tork NA [email protected]

[1] Tork Insight Survey 2025, conducted in US, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and Poland among 11,500 people from the general public and 1,000 cleaning staff.