Sustainability
Delivering responsible growth and driving positive change for a cleaner future.
Principle Cleaning Services has always led the way in sustainability, prioritising care for the environment and support for local communities. From our head office to our supply chain partners and everything in between, our decisions always take our impact and ability to influence the market around us into consideration.
We are committed to sustainability through innovative solutions and responsible practices. Our core initiatives include:
- Introducing advanced services and technologies: continuously enhancing our offerings to deliver exceptional results while supporting environmental goals;
- Cutting carbon emissions: promoting products and services designed to reduce our carbon footprint;
- Championing best practice waste management: ensuring efficient, sustainable waste handling across all operations.
As a responsible company, we prioritise minimising travel impacts, conserving water, and reducing energy consumption. Our vision is ‘to deliver responsible growth and drive positive change for a cleaner future.’
Partnering with Simply Sustainable.
In 2023, we partnered with Simply Sustainable, ensuring our sustainability efforts are both impactful and measurable. With input from our stakeholders, we developed a robust ESG strategy that is now embedded in our operations, empowering our teams to drive meaningful progress.
Focusing on key priority areas, our strategy includes:
- Achieving Net Zero by 2040;
- Delivering carbon and climate change training;
- Equipping employees with Personal Development Plans;
- Increasing ethnic minority representation across senior management;
- Creating an R&D fund to drive innovation;
- Achieving the Workplace Wellbeing Charter accreditation.
Two years into our partnership with Simply Sustainable, we’ve made great progress, and now – we’re proud to launch our first Sustainability Report:
This report highlights our teams’ achievements, their dedication to sustainability, and the cultural shift driving real change. It showcases our commitment to innovation, responsibility, and long-term impact.
Our commitment
to social value.
Creating meaningful change within our communities has always been a priority, at Principle Cleaning Services. Since 2021, we have measured our social value using the TOMs framework, contributing over £443,436 to impactful initiatives.
We are proud to collaborate with social enterprises that drive lasting change, including WorkFit, 100 & First and Groundwork.
Inclusive employment with WorkFit
Our partnership with WorkFit, the Down’s Syndrome Association’s employment programme, began in 2022 to foster more inclusive recruitment opportunities. Through this initiative, we have successfully placed eight individuals into employment alongside our clients, with plans to expand further in collaboration with WorkFit.
Driving change and rehabilitation with 100 & First
We are committed to breaking cycles of re-offending by supporting 100 & First Foundation, a charity that helps ex-offenders transform their lives. Inspired by their mission, “Using the power of incredible real-life experiences to drive change,” we were thrilled to take this partnership further in 2024 by creating our first collaborative employment opportunity.
Environmental and community action with Groundwork
Since 2022, we have partnered with Groundwork, a federation of charities dedicated to tackling poverty and environmental issues. Groundwork empowers people and communities to build a greener, fairer future.
Our employees have actively contributed through 523 volunteer hours, engaging in projects that enhance green spaces and local environments.
Partnering with Richard House Children’s Hospice
Charitable giving is a cornerstone of our social value strategy.
Since 2019, we have proudly supported Richard House Children’s Hospice, helping to improve their facilities through painting, decorating, and gardening projects, as well as taking part in fundraising efforts to support their vital work.
Through these initiatives, we strive to make a meaningful difference; one partnership and project at a time.
Supporting Under One Sky
Under One Sky is a charity dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness by providing essential items such as food, clothing, and emotional support. Beyond direct assistance, they work to raise awareness and advocate for systemic change to address the root causes of homelessness.
Principle Cleaning Services is proud to support Under One Sky, with our employees joining their outreach efforts to deliver food, hot drinks, and clothing to those in need across London. Through these experiences, our team has seen first-hand the vital work Under One Sky does and remains committed to helping make a difference.
Our strategy.
OUR EMPLOYEE-OWNED BUSINESS DELIVERS RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DRIVES POSITIVE CHANGE FOR A CLEANER FUTURE
Inspiring and taking positive action towards a low carbon economy
We want to be a leader and inspire others through our positive actions. We understand proactiveness is key and will set targets to achieve net zero.
- Climate change
- Carbon emissions and energy
Nurturing a supportive culture for individuals to flourish
Our success relies on our people’s diverse talent; we want to lead with empathy and foster an inclusive work environment that provides equal opportunities.
- Employee engagement, training and development
- Fair and decent work
- Diversity and inclusion
Embracing innovation to enhance our service and support our people
We strive to deliver quality, reliable and sustainable services and always seek opportunities to innovate for efficient working and to make the lives of our people easier.
- Innovation
Championing a safe workplace that promotes health and wellbeing
We want to champion a supportive and safe culture. Our people are our greatest asset, and we want to ensure that everyone goes home safe and healthy at the end of every day.
- Health, safety and wellbeing
- Stakeholder insights
A total of 252 stakeholders were engaged through interviews and surveys. - Double materiality assessment
A Business Impact Assessment (BIA) was combined with the results of the stakeholder analysis to produce a materiality matrix. - Strategic analysis
The strategic analysis was conducted to understand the internal and external drivers. - ESG framework and targets
Using the outputs from the materiality assessment and strategic analysis, we developed a strategic framework with four pillars and a suite of KPIs and targets. - Action plans and governance
A set of action plans were created to integrate the strategy over 3-18 months.
On the journey to Net Zero.
We take our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint seriously. Recognising the environmental impact of our operations and our clients, we’ve aligned all our targets with the 1.5°C pathway outlined by the Paris Agreement.
Having developed a net-zero strategy, Principle Cleaning Services is actively working to establish long-term targets that are aligned with the SBTi’s (Science-Based Targets Initiative) net-zero criteria.
The SBTi’s Target Validation Team has classified Principle Cleaning Services’ scope 1 and 2 near-term target ambition and has determined that it is in line with a 1.5°C trajectory. Our scope 1, 2, and 3 long-term target ambition has also been evaluated, and the SBTi’s Target Validation Team has determined our long-term target(s) are aligned with the SBTi’s 1.5°C mitigation pathways for reaching net-zero by 2050 or sooner.
Carbon emissions and energy.
As a responsible company we have developed near and long-term carbon reduction targets. They include:
Net zero targets:
- Principle Cleaning Services commits to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by FY2040.
- Principle Cleaning Services commits to reduce 97.00% per by FY2040 from a FY2023 base year.
Near-term targets:
- Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% by 2030.
- Principle Cleaning Services commits to reduce intensity scope 3 emissions per operational profit (£m) by 58.24% by 2030 from a 2023 base year.
- Principle Cleaning Services commits that 73.0% of its suppliers by emissions from purchased goods and services will have science-based targets by 2029.
Emissions Reduction Efforts
Principle Cleaning Services is proud to be Planet Mark Certified, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and meaningful climate action. This certification reflects our ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve resource efficiency, and drive positive environmental impact across our operations.
Partnering with Planet Mark keeps us accountable, ensuring we continue to make measurable progress in reducing our environmental footprint while supporting our clients in achieving their own sustainability goals.
In line with our Planet Mark certification, we reduced our carbon footprint in 2023-24 by 16%. This includes our emissions from scope 1, 2 and 3 (waste, water, business travel and employee commuting). This was achieved through converting to renewable energy tariffs, reductions in water and waste at our head office.
Reducing our carbon footprint and that of our clients will continue to remain a priority up to and long after 2050.
Supply chain engagement.
- ESG clauses in contracts; embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into our agreements;
- Net Zero workshops: Collaborating with partners to promote shared solutions and best practices;
- Supporting our clients’ sustainability goals.
Achieving EcoVadis Bronze Medal rating
EcoVadis is a globally recognised platform that assesses companies’ sustainability performance across four key areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
Principle Cleaning Services has been awarded an EcoVadis Bronze Medal rating. With a commitment to continuous improvement, we are actively working to enhance our score and exceed industry standards.
Supporting our clients’ goals.
Principle’s dedicated, in-house sustainability team works closely with our clients to craft bespoke ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmaps tailored to their unique needs and objectives.
From reducing carbon footprints and optimising waste management to enhancing social value initiatives, our team combines expertise and innovation to drive meaningful change. By aligning sustainability strategies with operational goals, we empower clients to meet compliance standards, achieve certifications, and create lasting environmental impact.
Awards success.
- Metsa Tissue Sustainability Award 2023
- Green Apple Environment Awards 2023 and 2024
- ECH Awards 2024
