Our people, our procedures and our processes make us stand out as a facilities services company.
As proof of this, C&W Services recently renewed our Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification from ISSA—a leading trade association for the cleaning industry. We were also awarded the CIMS Green Building designation, with honors, which demonstrates an organization’s capability to assist customers in achieving LEED EB: O&M points and offers customers assurance that the organization they select is prepared to partner with them in the LEED process. While many firms achieve certification at a fraction of their sites, C&W Services achieved the relatively rare award of certification to the company as a whole, something we have consistently earned in every review over the past 10 years. The certification is the result of an exhaustive evaluation that includes written documentation of cleaning protocols, a formal presentation of company processes and procedures, and client site audits to verify candidates deliver consistently high-quality service.
To achieve certification, C&W Services submitted an extensive written document that highlights the ways in which we comply with the requirements of the five key sections the certification demands. These are quality systems; service delivery; human resources; health safety and environmental stewardship; and management commitment. Organizations must achieve 100 percent of the five mandatory elements and 60 percent of the recommended elements in each section.
The second part of the certification process includes a report from an ISSA-accredited third-party assessor. This person holds an on-site review of the organization’s systems, processes and documentation. He or she then visits client sites, interviews customers and C&W Services management, and inspects the processes, safety and cleaning performance conducted at each site. The assessor ensures that everything is compliant with the documentation delivered to ISSA early in the process. The assessor visited 13 of C&W Services client sites across the country.
Holly Borrego, senior director of cleaning services for C&W Services, accompanied the assessor on his site tours to get a first-hand view of the operations at each individual site. A 29-year industry veteran who joined C&W Services earlier this year, Holly was impressed by the dedication and high-quality work she saw while touring client sites nationwide
“Everyone was very enthusiastic to show us their operations and processes,” says Holly. “One of the most favorable findings was the level of consistency throughout the country. This is a testament to the discipline of the C&W Services operations team, and the company’s investment in training, process efficiency and the sharing of best practices.”
After the presentation and the site visits from the third-party assessor, we were awarded with the recertification.
“While the team that coordinated the CIMS certification process did an amazing job, the real story is in the ability to deliver consistent service across 600 million square feet nationwide, every day,” says Holly. “We recognize that success in this industry depends both on the engaged employees who interact with our clients every day, and the larger organization that supports them by enabling and rewarding excellence and continuous improvement.”