2. Let the personnel see what’s involved; explain the process.
a. Audits of housekeeping procedures, chemicals, equipment, paper, matting, supplies and
other materials.
b. Discuss the basic plan development, which can identify the easy and inexpensive steps,
the difficult and costly and a timeline to implement.

3. ASK FOR THEIR COMMITMENT! Even the best sales person won’t get the order unless they ask
for it. If management isn’t ready to commit at this time, ask if there would be a time to revisit
the program. At the same time suggest you conduct a facility audit so you will have that part
of the process already completed when the time is right.

Keep reminding management that the process is dynamic. As you conduct the pilot program you will keep them informed of results and needed changes. And most importantly, continually re-confirm the management and personnel commitment.

Develop an Implementation or “Green” Team General thoughts – assemble a team from operations, purchasing, supply management, human resources, vendors, training and occupational safety to develop, implement and assess the green program. Someone from top management will also need to be included on your “green team” in order to demonstrate support and add the “muscle” if needed.

Others you may want to include on your “green team” are building occupants, service contractors and vendors. All of the team members may have specific agendas and concerns so be sure to select a team leader with the ability to communicate, manage multiple priorities and processes and fosters a sense of teamwork.

“Green team” for schools should include: school district representative, school administrator, teacher, plant operations, custodians, teachers, school nurse, parent-teacher organization representative, school board representative, transportation and students.

“Green team” for a healthcare facility should include: administration, nurse, doctor, infection control, purchasing, environmental services, operations, patient advocate group, laundry, food services, transportation and community relations.

The key to selecting your “green team” is finding people with the time and desire to participate in this process.

Evaluate Current Cleaning Products, Equipment, Procedures and TrainingPick items that you can realistically measure and take action on. Keep it simple and collect data that is readily available and can be communicated easily. The Betco Green Cleaning survey form will assist with the evaluation. Items to consider:

Inventory cleaning products – review purchasing records and conduct a walk through to survey what is actually being used. Also during the walk through, inventory what “other” chemicals are found and determine how they are brought into the facility. During the survey collect any product, vendor or distributor information concerning the cleaning products including MSDS sheets and review labeling information. Identify any products that have been linked to worker injuries or occupant complaints. Determine alternatives that are environmentally preferable.

Survey all powered cleaning equipment – identify all equipment used, where it is used, the current condition of the equipment and review the maintenance records. Determine alternatives that are environmentally preferable.

Survey and inspect all other tools and supplies used in the cleaning process – mops, buckets, wringers, paper, wipers, liners, toilet tissue, etc. Determine alternative tools and supplies that are environmentally preferable.

Evaluate current training programs – review all training and safety literature and materials. Evaluate and look for compliance with the existing procedures. Determine what adjustments will need to be implemented for the green cleaning program. It will be essential to tell cleaners why a procedure is done a certain way or why a certain product is being used. Let them participate in the planning and implementation of the green cleaning program.

Conduct a general housekeeping walk through – evaluate the overall quality of the current cleaning and look for problems as well as opportunities for improvement. If the housekeeping is outsourced, get a copy of the current cleaning specifications and look for compliance.

Consider doing a survey of cleaning employees and building occupants for overall satisfaction – this will help you identify specific areas of concern and place proper priorities for the greening program.

Document and review any recycling program in place – look for evidence that the program is being used and producing the intended results.

Do a survey of building occupants – identify any people with special needs or sensitivity to cleaning chemicals.

Changes in products and procedures – below is a partial list of changes in products and procedures that could be implemented easily and without significant cost impact:

– Switch to a Green Seal certified cleaner.
– Clean hard floors with a back pack vacuum instead of dust mopping.
– Add or upgrade entrance mats.
– Switch to recycled paper products and install roll-type dispensers where practical.
– Switch to microfiber mops and dust cloths.
– Implement effective methods of dilution control.
– Add portable spot cleaners and mop and bucket to facilities where spills normally occur.
– Purchase products with high post-consumer recycled content.
– Use floor finishes without heavy metal ingredients.
– Limit use of disinfectants to critical and required areas.

Establish Effective Communication Between Building Employees and OccupantsSuccessful implementation of a stewardship plan depends on everyone understanding and carrying out their individual parts of the green cleaning plan. Therefore, your central communications goal is to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. The better they understand the overall plan and how their efforts fit into the success of the plan, the more likely you are to succeed.

The general guideline for most of the communications is to be positive. Introducing a green cleaning program should send the message that you are trying to make the building better and not that the building was bad that needed to be fixed.

A best practice suggestion for successful implementation is developing an overall theme or brand for the green cleaning program. Encourage participation from all segments, management to employees to occupants, in the naming of the new program or in the expansion of a current program. Also it is helpful to create a mission and/or vision statement which will give focus and importance to the green cleaning program.

Let everyone know what is going to happen, why it is going to happen, when it is going to happen and encourage feedback for everyone on a continual basis. The following are helpful hints for a successful communication plan.

Introduction of the green cleaning program – tell people about how important cleaning is in general. Many of your building’s occupants probably think of cleaning as little more than pulling the trash, replacing the paper towels and vacuuming up the stray bits of paper on the carpet. This is your chance to really explain the value of cleaning in general. You can emphasize how green cleaning with enhance their health and the indoor/outdoor environment.

Stress improvement – you need to explain how the products, services, procedures and strategies in the plan reduce the impact on the health of the employee, building occupant and visitor and the environment will be positively effected. Everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me”.

Setting expectations – set realistic expectations from the beginning; it won’t be perfect but we can make it better. People (employees or occupants) you have identified that suffer from asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems, may think the new program will fix everything. You need to emphasize the green cleaning program will make things better but you can’t make them perfect.

Explaining the changes – what are you doing differently and why is that better for employees and occupants. Highlighting the benefits derived from new equipment, chemicals, supplies and procedures being implemented will yield a long list o potential communication points.

On-going communication – the initial communications explained what, why and how the green cleaning program will be implemented and effect employees and building occupants. After implementation you will want to continue your positive communication process by letting people know when you’re planning to conduct major cleaning activities that they are likely to smell, see, hear, notice or otherwise be affected by. The key is to let them know before the project occurs, don’t wait for them to complain about it. Examples would be – scrub and recoating, stripping and recoating, carpet spotting, shampooing or extracting, application of pesticides, fertilizers or weed killers, wall washing, ceiling tile cleaning, deep cleaning of restrooms or other major projects.

Examples of ways to communicate your message are: newsletters, news releases, bulletin board information, company Intranet information, posters, periodic emails, provide means for communicating questions or comments, anything that will communicate your message. Betco has a number of communication templates for your use included in their module.

Develop a Pilot PlanThe green team should develop a green cleaning pilot plan based on all the information that they collected and then prioritized in order to make sure that everyone is on the same page. The plan typically covers what products and procedures will be changed, including when those changes will happen and who will be responsible and area(s) affected. Analyze the information and look for the best opportunities for improvement. As you analyze the results of the surveys, prioritize the opportunities. You need to look for and document the changes you propose for products, procedures and other pollution-prevention strategies. The key for your pilot plan is to gain buy-in from your green team and upper management and to show results after you implement each stage.

You don’t have to do everything at once. By getting the pilot plan in place, achieving real results and communicating progress, you provide the foundation for the more challenging opportunities and continual improvement.

Priorities for your Pilot Plan

•  Most immediate results – strategies that eliminate the most immediate risks to building
employees and building occupants or that demonstrate harm to the environment.

•  Greatest potential gain – changes in products or procedures that yield the greatest health
benefits for employees or building occupants.

•  Easiest to demonstrate and measure – opportunities for improvement that are measurable
and demonstrate progress to employees and building occupants.

•  Most cost-effective – opportunities that produce little visible change but offer measurable
cost savings.

The specific points in your plan will depend on the findings from your survey. Normally your plan will address the following topics. The specific recommendations for each area are outlined in the Betco Green Cleaning Workbook.

•  Communicate the progress of the green program and what the next steps are and who will
be affected. Use the same process as before to select the next area(s) for implementation. If it
worked before, it will work again.

Make a plan how you will celebrate the success of the program and how you will communicate it to the staff, building occupants and the community. Take advantage of opportunities for positive press and staff recognition to set the stage for further implementation. Continue to use previous successful communication tools.

Also develop an awards program for employees and occupants who contribute to continuous improvement for offering successful ideas on green procedures or environmentally preferable products.

Need help implementing a green program – contact us

2. Let the personnel see what’s involved; explain the process.
a. Audits of housekeeping procedures, chemicals, equipment, paper, matting, supplies and
other materials.
b. Discuss the basic plan development, which can identify the easy and inexpensive steps,
the difficult and costly and a timeline to implement.

3. ASK FOR THEIR COMMITMENT! Even the best sales person won’t get the order unless they ask
for it. If management isn’t ready to commit at this time, ask if there would be a time to revisit
the program. At the same time suggest you conduct a facility audit so you will have that part
of the process already completed when the time is right.

Keep reminding management that the process is dynamic. As you conduct the pilot program you will keep them informed of results and needed changes. And most importantly, continually re-confirm the management and personnel commitment.

Develop an Implementation or “Green” Team General thoughts – assemble a team from operations, purchasing, supply management, human resources, vendors, training and occupational safety to develop, implement and assess the green program. Someone from top management will also need to be included on your “green team” in order to demonstrate support and add the “muscle” if needed.

Others you may want to include on your “green team” are building occupants, service contractors and vendors. All of the team members may have specific agendas and concerns so be sure to select a team leader with the ability to communicate, manage multiple priorities and processes and fosters a sense of teamwork.

“Green team” for schools should include: school district representative, school administrator, teacher, plant operations, custodians, teachers, school nurse, parent-teacher organization representative, school board representative, transportation and students.

“Green team” for a healthcare facility should include: administration, nurse, doctor, infection control, purchasing, environmental services, operations, patient advocate group, laundry, food services, transportation and community relations.

The key to selecting your “green team” is finding people with the time and desire to participate in this process.

Evaluate Current Cleaning Products, Equipment, Procedures and TrainingPick items that you can realistically measure and take action on. Keep it simple and collect data that is readily available and can be communicated easily. The Betco Green Cleaning survey form will assist with the evaluation. Items to consider:

Inventory cleaning products – review purchasing records and conduct a walk through to survey what is actually being used. Also during the walk through, inventory what “other” chemicals are found and determine how they are brought into the facility. During the survey collect any product, vendor or distributor information concerning the cleaning products including MSDS sheets and review labeling information. Identify any products that have been linked to worker injuries or occupant complaints. Determine alternatives that are environmentally preferable.

Survey all powered cleaning equipment – identify all equipment used, where it is used, the current condition of the equipment and review the maintenance records. Determine alternatives that are environmentally preferable.

Survey and inspect all other tools and supplies used in the cleaning process – mops, buckets, wringers, paper, wipers, liners, toilet tissue, etc. Determine alternative tools and supplies that are environmentally preferable.

Evaluate current training programs – review all training and safety literature and materials. Evaluate and look for compliance with the existing procedures. Determine what adjustments will need to be implemented for the green cleaning program. It will be essential to tell cleaners why a procedure is done a certain way or why a certain product is being used. Let them participate in the planning and implementation of the green cleaning program.

Conduct a general housekeeping walk through – evaluate the overall quality of the current cleaning and look for problems as well as opportunities for improvement. If the housekeeping is outsourced, get a copy of the current cleaning specifications and look for compliance.

Consider doing a survey of cleaning employees and building occupants for overall satisfaction – this will help you identify specific areas of concern and place proper priorities for the greening program.

Document and review any recycling program in place – look for evidence that the program is being used and producing the intended results.

Do a survey of building occupants – identify any people with special needs or sensitivity to cleaning chemicals.

Changes in products and procedures – below is a partial list of changes in products and procedures that could be implemented easily and without significant cost impact:

– Switch to a Green Seal certified cleaner.
– Clean hard floors with a back pack vacuum instead of dust mopping.
– Add or upgrade entrance mats.
– Switch to recycled paper products and install roll-type dispensers where practical.
– Switch to microfiber mops and dust cloths.
– Implement effective methods of dilution control.
– Add portable spot cleaners and mop and bucket to facilities where spills normally occur.
– Purchase products with high post-consumer recycled content.
– Use floor finishes without heavy metal ingredients.
– Limit use of disinfectants to critical and required areas.

Establish Effective Communication Between Building Employees and OccupantsSuccessful implementation of a stewardship plan depends on everyone understanding and carrying out their individual parts of the green cleaning plan. Therefore, your central communications goal is to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. The better they understand the overall plan and how their efforts fit into the success of the plan, the more likely you are to succeed.

The general guideline for most of the communications is to be positive. Introducing a green cleaning program should send the message that you are trying to make the building better and not that the building was bad that needed to be fixed.

A best practice suggestion for successful implementation is developing an overall theme or brand for the green cleaning program. Encourage participation from all segments, management to employees to occupants, in the naming of the new program or in the expansion of a current program. Also it is helpful to create a mission and/or vision statement which will give focus and importance to the green cleaning program.

Let everyone know what is going to happen, why it is going to happen, when it is going to happen and encourage feedback for everyone on a continual basis. The following are helpful hints for a successful communication plan.

Introduction of the green cleaning program – tell people about how important cleaning is in general. Many of your building’s occupants probably think of cleaning as little more than pulling the trash, replacing the paper towels and vacuuming up the stray bits of paper on the carpet. This is your chance to really explain the value of cleaning in general. You can emphasize how green cleaning with enhance their health and the indoor/outdoor environment.

Stress improvement – you need to explain how the products, services, procedures and strategies in the plan reduce the impact on the health of the employee, building occupant and visitor and the environment will be positively effected. Everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me”.

Setting expectations – set realistic expectations from the beginning; it won’t be perfect but we can make it better. People (employees or occupants) you have identified that suffer from asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems, may think the new program will fix everything. You need to emphasize the green cleaning program will make things better but you can’t make them perfect.

Explaining the changes – what are you doing differently and why is that better for employees and occupants. Highlighting the benefits derived from new equipment, chemicals, supplies and procedures being implemented will yield a long list o potential communication points.

On-going communication – the initial communications explained what, why and how the green cleaning program will be implemented and effect employees and building occupants. After implementation you will want to continue your positive communication process by letting people know when you’re planning to conduct major cleaning activities that they are likely to smell, see, hear, notice or otherwise be affected by. The key is to let them know before the project occurs, don’t wait for them to complain about it. Examples would be – scrub and recoating, stripping and recoating, carpet spotting, shampooing or extracting, application of pesticides, fertilizers or weed killers, wall washing, ceiling tile cleaning, deep cleaning of restrooms or other major projects.

Examples of ways to communicate your message are: newsletters, news releases, bulletin board information, company Intranet information, posters, periodic emails, provide means for communicating questions or comments, anything that will communicate your message. Betco has a number of communication templates for your use included in their module.

Develop a Pilot PlanThe green team should develop a green cleaning pilot plan based on all the information that they collected and then prioritized in order to make sure that everyone is on the same page. The plan typically covers what products and procedures will be changed, including when those changes will happen and who will be responsible and area(s) affected. Analyze the information and look for the best opportunities for improvement. As you analyze the results of the surveys, prioritize the opportunities. You need to look for and document the changes you propose for products, procedures and other pollution-prevention strategies. The key for your pilot plan is to gain buy-in from your green team and upper management and to show results after you implement each stage.

You don’t have to do everything at once. By getting the pilot plan in place, achieving real results and communicating progress, you provide the foundation for the more challenging opportunities and continual improvement.

Priorities for your Pilot Plan

•  Most immediate results – strategies that eliminate the most immediate risks to building
employees and building occupants or that demonstrate harm to the environment.

•  Greatest potential gain – changes in products or procedures that yield the greatest health
benefits for employees or building occupants.

•  Easiest to demonstrate and measure – opportunities for improvement that are measurable
and demonstrate progress to employees and building occupants.

•  Most cost-effective – opportunities that produce little visible change but offer measurable
cost savings.

The specific points in your plan will depend on the findings from your survey. Normally your plan will address the following topics. The specific recommendations for each area are outlined in the Betco Green Cleaning Workbook.

•  Communicate the progress of the green program and what the next steps are and who will
be affected. Use the same process as before to select the next area(s) for implementation. If it
worked before, it will work again.

Make a plan how you will celebrate the success of the program and how you will communicate it to the staff, building occupants and the community. Take advantage of opportunities for positive press and staff recognition to set the stage for further implementation. Continue to use previous successful communication tools.

Also develop an awards program for employees and occupants who contribute to continuous improvement for offering successful ideas on green procedures or environmentally preferable products.