The cleaning industry has always been about more than appearance. At its best, our industry protects public health, improves indoor environments, supports worker safety, and helps organizations operate more efficiently.

Today, advocacy and sustainability are becoming increasingly connected, and companies that understand this relationship may be better positioned to succeed in a changing marketplace.

Sustainability is about business

For many people, the word “sustainability” still creates confusion. Some view it politically, while others associate it only with climate change debates. But for most businesses, sustainability is not really about politics, the science of climate change, or whether human activity contributed to it. Instead, sustainability is increasingly about business strategy, operational efficiency, risk management, and access to future-looking information that help organizations make smarter decisions.

In many ways, sustainability reporting is simply the next evolution of business intelligence. Traditional financial reporting tells companies what has already happened. Sustainability metrics such as energy use, waste generation, workforce stability, supply chain risks, and greenhouse gas emissions help organizations better understand future risks and opportunities. Customers, regulators, investors, and building owners increasingly want this information as part of procurement and business decisions.

Whether companies agree with these changes philosophically is almost irrelevant. The marketplace is moving in this direction. In a mature and highly competitive industry like cleaning, companies that better understand risk, efficiency, workforce stability, and customer expectations may gain a competitive advantage.

Why advocacy matters

This is where advocacy becomes critically important.

The cleaning industry cannot afford to simply react to new regulations, labor discussions, chemical policies, or procurement standards after decisions have already been made. Our industry must help shape practical policies that recognize operational realities, especially for small, medium-sized, and entrepreneurial businesses operating with limited staff and tight margins.

Importantly, advocacy should not only focus on influencing policy, but it should also help businesses succeed. Effective advocacy can help companies compete more fairly, access practical resources and training, better understand changing customer expectations, and prepare for emerging reporting and procurement requirements.

Advocacy should also focus on elevating the professionalism of the industry and protecting the workforce that keeps buildings healthy, safe, and operational every day. ISSA and industry leaders should continue supporting workforce development, training, certification opportunities, and stronger recognition of frontline cleaning workers. Greater investment in training, safety, career development, fair wages, and appropriate benefits can improve retention while strengthening service quality across the industry.

The industry should also advocate for responsible procurement practices that look beyond the lowest cost alone. Far too often, cleaning contracts are awarded almost entirely on price, creating pressure that can contribute to unrealistic workloads, insufficient training, worker misclassification, poor safety practices, and high turnover. Building owners and facility managers should evaluate providers based on overall value, worker practices, safety programs, and operational performance, and not simply the lowest bid.

Just as importantly, the cleaning industry must find its voice. For too long, cleaning professionals have worked quietly behind the scenes despite the essential role they play in protecting health, supporting businesses, and maintaining healthy indoor environments. If our industry does not participate in conversations involving sustainability, workforce development, procurement, public health, and building operations, others will make those decisions for us.

Fair competition matters

The industry must also continue addressing worker misclassification and other unfair labor practices that create artificial cost advantages for irresponsible competitors. Companies that properly classify employees, invest in training, provide protections, and comply with labor requirements should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage against organizations that cut corners at the expense of workers.

The cleaning industry believes in free markets and fair competition. But markets only function properly when companies operate transparently and meet established legal and ethical requirements. Responsible employers that invest in workers, safety, and compliance should not be disadvantaged by companies that reduce costs through questionable labor practices or noncompliance.

At the same time, the industry should support practical approaches to sustainability reporting that small and medium-sized businesses can realistically implement. Many ISSA members do not have large compliance budgets or dedicated sustainability staff. Advocacy efforts should encourage simplified reporting tools, technical assistance, and industry-specific guidance that help companies participate without becoming overwhelmed.

Think sustainably

This is where the concept of “think sustainably” becomes valuable.

“Think sustainably” is not about perfection. It is about developing a mindset where organizations begin asking better questions before making decisions. Will this improve worker safety or retention? Could this reduce operational risk? Will this help customers meet their own sustainability goals? Could these decisions help us become more efficient, competitive, and resilient?

Sustainability also includes sustaining a capable, trained, fairly compensated, and respected workforce. Companies that begin incorporating this type of thinking into everyday operations are often better prepared for changing market conditions.

At ISSA, the Sustainability Committee continues working to help the industry navigate these changes in practical, business-focused ways. Today, the committee includes more than 250 volunteers from 18 countries representing manufacturers, distributors, service providers, consultants, and other stakeholders committed to advancing sustainability throughout the global cleaning industry.

If you are interested in helping shape the future of the industry, learning from peers, sharing ideas, or better understanding how sustainability and advocacy are influencing business, we encourage you to join ISSA’s Sustainability Committee. Simply go to issa.com/sustainability for more information. Together, we can continue building an industry that is cleaner, healthier, safer, more resilient—and better prepared for the future.