CASE STUDY: Mitie

Over the past 18 months, Mitie has engaged, trialled and tested new eco-friendly cleaning products to replace traditional cleaning chemicals. Its supplier, BioHygiene, is a family-run SME, manufacturing biotech and plant-based cleaning products out of facilities in Wales. The BioHygiene range is being used in areas including New Covent Garden Market and in locations in Essex.

 

New Covent Garden Market is the largest fruit, vegetable and flower wholesale market in the UK.  Ensuring it protects the world from which its produce is grown is of utmost importance to the market as well as its tenants and customers. It has worked with Mitie to identify innovative ways to improve sustainability across all areas, including cleaning.

After being approached by Mitie in summer 2021, BioHygiene carried out analysis which showed it could help Mitie reduce carbon emissions by 95 per cent, plastic waste by 79 per cent, and the total number of cleaning chemicals by 40 per cent, while still controlling spend at New Covent Garden Market.

Mitie trialled the products at New Covent Garden Market over six weeks.  Tenants and cleaning operatives remarked on the vast improvement in washroom smells, the products’ ease of use, and the cleanliness of the floors in the Food Exchange Office building, agreeing that the new product range delivered exceptional results. As a result, at the end of the trial, New Covent Garden Market requested to continue with BioHygiene and for it to be the exclusive product range used in cleaning operations.

In February 2020, Mitie launched the industry-leading Plan Zero initiative, a pledge to use its extensive expertise and influence to help decarbonise Britain and reach Net Zero emissions by 2025. BioHygiene will help support Mitie achieve this and wider sustainability targets:

 

1. Eco-solvent ingredients are sourced from within Europe and achieve a 75- 100 per cent carbon reduction compared to traditional technology.

2. Less product means fewer deliveries, helping Mitie reduce its carbon from transportation into New Covent Garden Market by 72 per cent.

3. By supplying products in concentrate form with superior dilution rates, BioHygiene also supported Mitie in cutting its single-use plastic waste by up to 79 per cent at New Covent Garden Market.

 

Meanwhile, a similar process was underway in Mitie’s partnership work for Essex County Council.

There, analysis showed BioHygiene and Mitie would deliver carbon emissions savings of 77 per cent, 27 per cent less plastic waste, and a reduction in the number of cleaning products of 56 per cent at Essex County Council sites.  As such, it would help the Council achieve its own carbon neutrality goals.

A key goal was also hazard reduction and the safety of cleaning operatives.  One example was being able to remove a number of harsh toilet cleaners and descalers carrying the corrosive classification in exchange for a single organic acid-based toilet cleaner/descaler carrying the same hazard classification as Fairy Liquid. This same approach was taken when looking at the entire range.  All site support managers were then trained on the new products prior to rollout.

This is an example of a large supplier using its knowledge and reach to help partners in multiple locations reach sustainability goals by spreading innovation – and helping an SME supplier in the process.

For more information on BioHygiene, please visit biohygiene.co.uk or contact mitie@biohygiene.com