With the ever-growing pressure on all industries to reduce their carbon footprint, particularly in the wake of the UK government’s net zero 2050 legislation, businesses are increasingly looking at ways they can soften their impact on the environment.
One way to do this is by looking at the contractors in your supply chain and making sure – where you can – you make greener choices.
One of these greener choices is Green Facilities Management Ltd., an eco-friendly commercial cleaning company created from the frustrations of its founder, Manu Sareen. Manu was tired of the unethical practices he consistently witnessed while working as Franchisee for a Multinational cleaning Franchised businesses. He knew it could be done better, and so Green Facilities was born!
That was almost 15 years ago now and the company has been growing steadily ever since. Today, it is an ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO 45001 company with a dedicated team of skilled and experienced operatives, carrying out regular, periodic and one-off contract cleaning services for offices, retail stores, pubs and clubs, as well as Gyms and Health Clubs across London.
FM Director’s Claire Middleton recently sat down with Manu Sareen, founder and CEO of Green Facilities, to find out more about the company and its sustainability-led values.
Starting with what led him to establish Green Facilities, Manu explained: “Prior to this, I was a franchisee for a big international cleaning company for five years. It didn’t go very well. The Franchisor wasn’t great, and I lost everything, including my house as a franchisee.
“The way the Franchisor worked was very unethical. The cleaning industry is poorly regulated, and some companies take advantage of that. I learned my lesson the hard way.
“That’s when I decided that rather than try something different, I’d start my own cleaning company and try to be as ethical as possible. We’ve grown steadily ever since. Next year, we’ll celebrate our 15th anniversary, which is a big achievement. I’m very happy and proud to be where we are today.”
Although Green Facilities is in a good place now, Manu faced his fair share of challenges in the beginning, as does anyone starting out with a brand-new business.
He explained: “When I was a franchisee, my role was to manage operations and ensure clients were happy with our services. As a franchisee, I didn’t get involved with sales and marketing, the tendering process, etc. When I started out with Green Facilities, it took a
lot of work to get new clients on board. Luckily, one of my previous clients – a large chain of health clubs – supported me by moving their business to Green Facilities, so things were great for the first couple of years. We were looking after seven of their large health clubs and all was well. That was until they were bought out by a vast international company that decided to move their contract to a national contractor. We lost everything in the space of a month and had to start all over again.
“It taught me that you shouldn’t have all your eggs in one basket. You always need to look for new clients; you can’t rely on one big company because losing them means losing everything.”
And so what did Manu do next? He picked himself up and got back out there! “I’d been taught a hard lesson, but I was determined to carry on. I started working hard on sales, making cold calls and visiting potential clients in person.
“It was hard work,” Manu said. “I didn’t know how to price a contract, and understanding pricing and tendering for work took me a couple of years. And because I had no money, the investment in the company was very minimal, so it was tough. But, after five years, the brand started growing as we managed to influence like-minded clients who wanted to work with ethical partners. Green Facilities ticked all the boxes as an ethical, eco-friendly commercial cleaning company. We did a good job early by achieving our ISO accreditations and haven’t really looked back since.”
One of the biggest drivers for Manu starting his own cleaning company was the desire to offer an eco-friendly service. But how hard is it to make sure that a company sticks to this whilst also carrying out that service to the highest possible standards?
He explained: “When we got our certification, there was a common misconception that green chemicals cannot clean as well as others. So, I started researching and trying various green products at home and in some of our client’s facilities. I came across some new products that were not popular in the cleaning industry, as these are relatively expensive compared to standard cleaning products. Being an operations guy, I didn’t mind dirtying my hands, so I tried them out myself and found them very useful.
“It’s just about using them correctly, with the right equipment, and training your staff properly. And now we’ve improved our cleaning, which is good for our clients and good for the planet!”
Looking to the future, what do the next few years hold for Manu and Green Facilities?
“We’re not just about being the biggest,” Manu adds. “Our goal is to make a real difference – for our clients, our employees, and the planet.”
“I just want to have our niche market where we partner with like-minded businesses and build long-term relationships.
“I also want the Green Facilities to actively participate in community initiatives and support sustainable causes. To do that, we are applying for a B-CORP certification this year. We’ve filed our application, and hopefully, in the next three to four months, we’ll achieve it, which will help us reach that goal.
Looking ahead, my vision extends beyond business success. I want to examine how we can improve things for our employees and community.
I am passionate about employee development, focusing on education and career growth opportunities for my team.
For more information about Green Facilities, please visit https://www.greenfacilities.co.uk/.
