Hive Cleaning's Story
Hive Cleaning is a commercial office cleaning company who value their customers, their staff and the world around them.
As well as providing an extraordinary level of service, the difference with Hive is that they are also are fully committed to sustainable and ethical values.
Their principles are immaculate cleaning, motivated staff, innovative green technologies and environmental protection.
As a cleaning business, Hive are aware that what they do will inevitably have an environmental impact. From cleaning chemicals to water usage, carbon emissions to waste, but Hive were not prepared to accept that their business had to work this way.
Since the very beginning, the founders of Hive have been determined to create a truly sustainable business with environmental stewardship and strong ethical values at the heart of everything they do and work tirelessly to deliver a high quality, eco-friendly and sustainable service.
Sourcing eco-friendly cleaning products instead of harsh chemicals, toilet paper made from bamboo, zero 'to landfill' waste management, using green technologies, buying British, all help Hive to be truly sustainable and one of the most environmentally friendly cleaning companies in London.
Hive's cleaning products are harmless to people and the environment. Most chemicals come in concentrate form and are diluted into reusable trigger bottles on-site to minimise plastic waste and reduce chemical miles. Pulse mops and filtration buckets reduce water use and waste water. Waste is collected and either effectively recycled or burnt to create electricity. The Hive fleet is 100% electric-powered reducing harmful emissions. Hive HQ is powered by sustainable green electricity. Hive is an aerosol-free company.
Hive is proud to be certified by Planet Mark which has enabled them to think about their environmental and carbon reduction targets in the structure of 'measure, engage, communicate' which allows progress and action to be recorded and shared with customers and staff.
Eco-friendly and caring cleaning methods also mean safer, healthier space for Hive employees and customers alike and they share their values and motivate by holding workshops, working with environmental charities and promoting green technologies.
One of their landmark and most popular initiatives is to adopt a beehive with every new contract to increase the urban bee population. Vital pollinators are in decline with a loss of habitat, pesticide use and climate change, so this solution provides a much-needed boost to the bee population. Hive currently supports over 1 million bees in London and the home counties and Hive honey is then shared with staff, customers and community charities.
Useful Learnings from Hive Cleaning
Our advice as an ethical business would be to create a culture of open and respectful communication.
This begins with our Managing Director Louis Beaumont whose enthusiasm and commitment to environmental sustainability is contagious and spreads throughout the whole team.
Louis was proud to be the winner of the Planet Mark Sustainability Influencer Award and is a role model for the values our business represents.
Our staff are valued, paid well (in line with the London Living Wage), receive bespoke training and we listen and respond to their feedback and ideas. We hold staff awards to motivate and show our appreciation of their hard work and share their achievements on our website.
Our staff become our ambassadors and appreciate the benefits that working in an ethical and sustainable way bring, not only to our customers, but to themselves and the planet. Many of our staff are then keen to make changes in their own lives, such as switching to green energy. Positive changes have a ripple effect and with Hive, they learn sustainable transferrable skills for life, not just work.
Initial costs can be a barrier to investing in sustainable initiatives, but we aim to consider the long-term financial, social and environmental benefits. With technology evolving so quickly there is no longer the need to rely on harsh chemicals and we are happy to take advantage of innovation that is good for us and the environment.
With the name Hive, it seemed a natural step to work with a social enterprise that protects and promotes the urban bee population. With each new contract, we either pay for a new hive or to maintain an existing one. Each customer has their company brand logo added to the hive and can see photos of its progress or even visit the hives in Kennington Park. It's fun but with an underlying important message.
We learnt that surprisingly the bees are thriving even in the city with all the rooftop gardens and green spaces, parks and gardens. It is rewarding for us to support a social enterprise that is making a genuine difference and to use our business to raise awareness of the importance of bees and pollinators so vital for the pollination of the plants we rely on for food.
Bees perfectly represent our company ethos – working hard together to create a positive outcome. In the case of the bees, this is in the form of delicious honey which is a treat for our customers. A fantastic and original way to create a buzz about biodiversity, sustainability and working together to make a positive environmental difference.
The pandemic has given us some difficult times, but it has made us aware of the need for effective but sustainable cleaning and hygiene and the importance of working as a team, looking after each other and our planet.
Hive Cleaning's Metrics
Reduction in cleaning miles.
Reduction in plastic waste.
Reduction in carbon footprint.
Employee engagement.
