Wednesday, May 31, is the last day for ISSA members to take advantage of the early bird discount for ISSA Show North America 2023. The event will take place November 13–16 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. There you’ll find the latest products and innovations, access to career-advancing education, and an opportunity to engage with industry leaders on critical topics facing today’s cleaning professional. ISSA members can receive exclusive pre-sale member-only pricing for the show. However, these rates are only valid until May 31, and pricing is contingent upon being an active ISSA member and maintaining active ISSA member status in 2023. Show registrations can be cancelled without penalty up to October 1. Members who register early will receive access to the official housing portal from OnPeak. Nonmembers may register to attend and book housing when the industry-wide registration opens in June. Exhibitor registration is set to open in July. Don’t miss out on your discounted rate! Register today!
Period Poverty Awareness Week is upon us (May 22–28, 2023), and it’s a significant moment for ISSA to reflect on the progress made in tackling this issue in recent months. As an organization dedicated to promoting cleanliness, hygiene, and public health, ISSA recognizes the importance of menstrual care solutions and is actively involved in educating, advocating, and supporting legislative measures to end period poverty. In the pursuit of creating lasting change, ISSA has lent its support to legislative initiatives across the United States aimed at addressing period poverty. In 2023, ISSA has played a vital role in supporting legislation that was signed into law in Arizona, New Mexico, and Minnesota. These landmark bills ensure the provision of menstrual products in schools, acknowledging that period supplies are essential for the well-being and dignity of students. With these recent successes, 16 states now require menstrual products in schools, and six additional states have appropriated money for their purchase. “We are proud to see the positive impact of the legislation ISSA has supported. By advocating for the availability of menstrual care solutions, we are taking a step towards ensuring that no one’s education or well-being is hindered due to lack of access to period supplies,” said ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft. ISSA and the ISSA Hygieia Network, an ISSA Charities™ signature program dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry, firmly believe that menstrual care solutions should be as accessible in away-from-home bathrooms as soap, toilet paper, and paper towels. Recognizing the importance of education in addressing period poverty, ISSA actively engages with the cleaning industry community to raise awareness about these issues. ISSA provides training programs that emphasize the importance of proper disposal of these products in bathroom facilities to ensure the safety and hygiene of all users. Be sure to check out ISSA’s Best Practices for Menstrual Care in Public Bathrooms for more information. During this year’s Period Poverty Awareness Week, ISSA encourages everyone to join the cause and make a difference. Here are a few steps you can take: Promote period dignity: Help reduce the stigma associated with menstruation by initiating conversations, sharing educational resources, and subscribing to related alerts and news so you can stay informed and up to date on this issue. Attend our free webinar: This complimentary webinar, which takes place May 25 at 1:00 pm CT, will offer insights into the issue and provide practical ways to get involved in ISSA’s efforts to end period poverty. Contact your legislators: Engage with your local and national representatives to express your support for legislation addressing period poverty. Urge them to distribute menstrual products in schools and public facilities. Contribute to our cause: Your support today in this cause ensures that we have the resources necessary to effectively advocate for period dignity. Period Poverty Awareness Week serves as a reminder that menstrual care is an essential part of maintaining dignity, health, and equality for all. ISSA’s commitment to advocating for the availability of period supplies and its efforts to educate the cleaning industry community demonstrate the association’s dedication to addressing this issue. By coming together, raising awareness, and supporting legislative measures, we can work towards a future where period poverty is eliminated and every individual has access to the menstrual care they need and deserve. For more information on ISSA’s efforts to end period poverty, contact ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft at johnn@ISSA.com.
ISSA Hygieia Network, an ISSA Charities™ signature program dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry, is hosting a networking and leadership conference sponsored by Maintex and American Paper Converting on August 23 from 9 a.m.–6:15 p.m. PT in Portland, Oregon. The in-person event is titled Workplace Allies: The Power of Having Someone in Your Corner and will take place at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. During this conference, Jeffery Tobias Halter, President of YWomen, will host a workshop titled “Engaging ALL Allies: Moving from Awareness to Advocacy,” designed to help attendees create a deeply internalized approach to gender equity with a lens of intersectionality and a sense of urgency that will drive competitive advantage in the workplace and marketplace. Throughout the day’s conference, allies will gain strategies to better advocate and support employees from every level in the organization, senior leaders will gain insights on how to make their organizations more inclusive for everyone to thrive, and employees will discover how securing mentors, sponsors and peer relationships can help them reach their goals. Other speakers include Laurie Sewell, President and CEO of Servicon; Gary Phillips, Director of Merchandising at Staples; Deb Mazzuca, Key Account Manager-Service Providers and Tork Solutions at Essity Professional Hygiene North America; Linda Silverman, Executive Chair of the Board of Directors at Maintex and conference facilitator Lydia Work, President at American Paper Converting. To register, visit ihnconferences.org. To join ISSA Hygieia Network, visit hygieianetwork.org/join.
Welcome to the May/June issue of Cleaning & Maintenance Management. This edition focuses on hard-floor care, with articles on flooring trends and maintenance. Prepare for heavy rains of the spring/summer season by learning which types of flooring stand up best to flooding. Learn how to remove pollen and other allergens from hard floor surfaces. Discover how refurbishing your old floor—instead of replacing it—can benefit your budget and the environment. This issue also takes a hands-on approach to personal protective equipment (PPE) with an article on disposable glove best practices, and offers practical advice on finding the best cleaning service for your facility. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in this issue: Flooding, Fungi, and Flooring Choosing the right flooring for flood-prone facilities A Walk Through Hard Flooring Trends Examine the pros and cons of today’s hard floor options Resilient Flooring Technology Delivers New Life to Old Floors Facility managers can leverage limited budgets to gain floor-care efficiencies Are Allergens Underfoot in Your Facility? Consider flooring type and maintenance routines to eliminate dust and allergen build-up Choosing Quality Tips for finding the best cleaning service for your facility Hands-On PPE Advice Consider fit, form, and function when choosing disposable gloves Check out the table of contents to see all this edition of CMM has to offer including a special floor-care case studies/profiles section.
Welcome to ISSA’s May Period Project Update. This communication from ISSA, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry, will keep you up to date on the association’s efforts to end period poverty through advocacy and education. We encourage you sign up for this monthly update. Features Hygieia Network Webinar: Advocating for an End to Period Poverty Join ISSA–the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association—and the ISSA Hygieia Network on May 25 during Period Poverty Awareness Week to learn about what period poverty is, how the industry is impacted, and how you can help advance the issue. This webinar will feature John Nothdurft, Director of Government Affairs at ISSA, and Jennifer Gaines, Program Director at Alliance for Period Supplies. The webinar is sponsored by Aunt Flow and Hospeco Brands Group. Register for free today! The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) is pleased to announce the winners of its “Ending Period Poverty with NFWL Contest” sponsored by Kimberly-Clark and its U by Kotex brand. Each winner will receive a US$1,000 donation of period products to the community initiative of their choice, and the opportunity to be featured on NFWL’s social media channels throughout the month of May leading up to Period Poverty Awareness Week, May 22–28, 2023. Reminder: May 22–28 is Period Poverty Awareness Week We anticipate the federal Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2023 will be reintroduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) this week. Legislative Updates Canada has made changes to the labor code requiring all federally regulated workplaces to provide free menstrual products to their employees, beginning December 15, 2023. Arizona is finalizing its budget, which includes a $2 million appropriation for the education department to pay for feminine hygiene products in schools. California has a Senate Appropriations hearing (SB 59) on May 18. This bill would further expand the requirement for state-owned and leased buildings, local government buildings, and hospitals receiving state funding. The bill has already passed through the other relevant committees. In Florida, HB 389 passed the House and Senate. The law pending the Governor’s signature would authorize, but would not require school districts to make period products available at no cost. There was an amendment restricting advertisements other than the manufacturer on the dispenser. The Louisiana house Committee on Appropriations unanimously voted to report LA HB 117 favorably out of committee. The bill would require each public-school governing authority to make menstrual products available in easily accessible locations at no cost. Maine held a hearing in the House Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on May 9 on LD 348, an act to make menstrual products available in certain schools. No vote was taken. In Minnesota, language to require public and charter schools to provide students access to free menstrual products in student restrooms for grades 4-12 was added to H2497, the education omnibus funding bill. It is currently in conference committee, but the language has been agreed upon. Pending Governor Tim Walz’s signature, Minnesota will become the 16th state to require menstrual products in schools. The New Jersey Assembly Women and Children Committee unanimously moved A1349, which would require and fund menstrual products in grade 6-12 school restrooms. There have been many iterations of this legislation dating back to 2019. The legislation has already passed the Senate. This bill has been referred to the education committee and we expect it will pass the full Assembly and be signed by the Governor this session. There are also quite a few states, like South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin, considering repeals of their sales tax on menstrual products. News Period Poverty: Barriers to Safe and Equitable Menstrual Hygiene Building Services Management Magazine – Equal Treatment in Bathrooms Facility Executive: Period Products Instead Of Ping-Pong? Feminine Hygiene Products Market to Surpass USD 37.26 Billion by 2030 Federal rules don’t require period product ingredients on packaging labels. States are stepping in. Please contact us with any ISSA government affairs questions and/or comments that you may have. And thank you for supporting our advocacy efforts. You can find out more about ISSA’s End Period Poverty campaign and contribute here.
The Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI), a Division of ISSA, has formally rebranded as ISSA Residential. This move is designed to strengthen the association’s residential cleaning members as active participants of the greater ISSA membership community, which represents the entire cleaning industry value chain. Members that previously joined the association under the ARCSI name will immediately transition their membership to ISSA rather than maintaining a separate division identity. While the name changes, the core values remain the same by continuing to prioritize the needs and concerns of the residential cleaning community, and provide the resources, support, and networking opportunities members expect. “ISSA Residential membership provides a vibrant professional community and continues to strive to be the competitive advantage for residential cleaning companies by delivering valuable tools, content, education and certifications, networking, and commercial opportunities,” said ISSA Residential Program Manager Erin Lasch. “Additionally, we will be the leading voice of the profession by advocating for government policies that align with our members’ needs.” ISSA Residential members represent a flourishing and essential community within the worldwide cleaning association. They complement the entire industry value chain and connect the residential segment to an influential consumer audience. The ISSA Residential Cleaning Council, a group of volunteer ISSA Residential-member business leaders, has been instrumental in leading this transition. “The residential cleaning community has become more connected than ever to everything happening at ISSA and taking advantage of the many resources available to them,” said ISSA Residential Cleaning Council Chair Jeannie Henderson. “The timing is perfect to clarify who we are within the association—we are the home cleaners for the worldwide cleaning industry.” ISSA Residential will continue to focus on residential cleaning companies by: Facilitating ongoing education, networking, and commercial opportunities for members Providing members with the highest quality, industry-specific, relevant news, content, and information Offering the most widely accepted resources for professional best practices to help members establish the scientific connection on cleaning for health Leading the way to establish a global residential cleaning community. PLUS: Tune into the below Straight Talk! video to learn more about ARCSI’s new brand identity.
The Healthy Workplaces Coalition recently hosted its first-ever in-person meeting in Washington, D.C., where it announced its membership has nearly doubled in size since launching last year. Formed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and ISSA in May 2022, the Healthy Workplaces Coalition is a collaboration of national organizations, industry leaders, and trade associations. The Coalition supports and advances federal policies that help organizations better afford and implement health and safety improvements in workplaces and across the built environment—benefiting the well-being of employees, customers, and the public. The Coalition has grown from nearly 40 members at its inception to its current count of almost 80. At the inaugural meeting, hosted at the headquarters of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), members discussed and mapped out policy opportunities for the year, while highlighting relevant studies and other recently published reports. The coalition also created two working groups: one focused on indoor air quality (IAQ) policy opportunities and another focused on identifying executive actions that could help accelerate healthy workplaces. ISSA members who have already joined the Healthy Workplaces Coalition include Arxada LLC, Fellowes Brands, Honeywell Safety Products USA Inc., Kimberly-Clark Professional, PortionPac Chemical Corp., Pritchard Industries Inc., and Spartan Chemical Co. The coalition continues to welcome interested participants and anticipates even further expansion of its membership. Contact ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft for more information at johnn@issa.com.
ISSA Hygieia Network, an ISSA Charities™ signature program dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry, has announced the launch of its Educational Program Grants. The ISSA Hygieia Network will award a limited number of Educational Program Grants that will provide recipients from the commercial and residential cleaning industry access to all of Hygieia’s online educational programs and one in-person Networking and Leadership Conference. Applicants must be ISSA and ISSA Hygieia Network members, currently employed in the commercial or residential cleaning industry for a minimum of 12 months. They must submit a letter of recommendation, personal statement, and online application to be considered. There is no guarantee that a grant will be awarded if you apply. The Grant Program is subject to the availability of the grant funds, which are limited. Therefore, not all who apply and qualify will be awarded a grant under the program. Grants will be awarded to those who qualify on a first come, first served basis until such time as the grant funds are exhausted. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Learn more about requirements and apply for an Educational Program Grants here.
In response to industry demand, ISSA has merged its Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification and the GBAC® STAR Service Accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, into one comprehensive certification program. CIMS is a consensus-based management standard that outlines the primary characteristics of a successful, quality cleaning organization. GBAC STAR Service is an accreditation program that provides third-party validation of a building service contractor’s (BSC’s) cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention protocols. The new program is based on the successful CIMS criteria, but with a renewed emphasis on protecting building occupants’ safety and health through GBAC’s proprietary cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention procedures. This marks the first major update of components for the CIMS standard since the addition of CIMS-GB. GBAC’s expertise in infection prevention best practices will help BSCs better support their customers and help internal stakeholders create more hygienic environments for building occupants. For more information on this power-packed partnership, visit cims.issa.com.
Today ISSA is launching the first-ever ISSA Grand Challenge to leverage the power of ChatGPT for the benefit of the cleaning industry. The goal of this competition is to quickly mobilize as many cleaning professionals as possible to utilize this burgeoning artificial intelligence technology to provide essential solutions to improve our industry. To participate in this challenge, simply go to chat.openai.com, log in, and begin chatting and asking questions about the cleaning industry. Some sample questions to get your conversation with ChatGPT started include: I am trying to decide if I should become a member of ISSA. What does ISSA do for the cleaning industry? I need more information in making my decision about if I should join ISSA. Who are some of the current members of ISSA, and what areas of the cleaning industry do they represent? I work in the cleaning industry, and I need to clean a lot of large tables. What is the best cloth for the job? Should I use a microfiber cloth, cotton cloth, or paper towel? I am still unsure what to use. Can you compare the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of cloths for cleaning? I also need to know how much they cost and how long they last. Once you’ve completed your discussion with ChatGPT, submit your conversations to Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Senior Director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, at gavinms@issa.com. All submissions have a chance to be included in a future presentation and article from Dr. Macgregor-Skinner. In addition, ISSA could use your ChatGPT quote in an upcoming book—How to use ChatGPT in the Cleaning Industry—in which you will receive full recognition, including your headshot and company name. But don’t delay! The deadline for submissions is April 30. Tune into the latest Cleaning Industry Update to hear more from Dr. Macgregor-Skinner on how you can use ChatGPT to help change the way the world views cleaning.
The Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI), a Division of ISSA, is accepting nominations for three new members of the ISSA Residential Cleaning Council, the oversight body for residential cleaning members. The ISSA Residential Cleaning Council works with ISSA staff to develop the overall strategic plan for ARCSI. “Serving as a member of the ISSA Residential Cleaning Council is both a personally and professionally rewarding experience,” said ARCSI Program Manager Erin Lasch. “This is a momentous time in the cleaning industry and our council has a critical role in shaping ARCSI’s future. I encourage you to consider applying yourself or nominating a colleague for this leadership opportunity.” Several desired attributes for potential council members include, but are not limited to: Demonstrated leadership commitment and involvement with ARCSI and the residential cleaning community Recognized leader in the residential cleaning community Relevant expertise in the disciplines of business management Commitment to participate in six plus council meetings annually Commitment to having a presence at many ARCSI events both virtual and in person Positive leadership attributes including emotional intelligence and the ability to work collaboratively and engage in appropriate debate and discussion Visionary and strategic thinker. The deadline to submit your nominations is June 30, 2023. Incoming 2023–24 ISSA Residential Cleaning Council members will be announced later this year.
The March/April edition of ISSA Today—now available in digital format for your desktop, smartphone, or tablet―helps you stay up to date on the latest cleaning industry and ISSA-member news. In the latest issue of ISSA Today magazine, learn how ISSA and distributors have worked together over the past century to strengthen the cleaning industry and find out how your organization can overcome recruitment challenges. Here’s some of what you can find in the March/April 2023 issue: Challenges for Distributors and the Supply Chain in 2023 Preparedness and resilience will help distributors with obstacles. Can Work Clothes Spread Germs? Let’s take a close look at the research. Reshaping Distribution Centers and Warehouses The transformation continues in the world of robotics and the supply chain. Avoid the Blindside ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) helps you establish a balanced, structured business model. Straight Talk! The details of all that makes up ISSA, your worldwide cleaning industry association. And so much more! Why not see for yourself? Check out this edition’s table of contents to get started.
