by Daniel Wagner — When a company introduces a new product or service, one of the first things it often does is release a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide general information and anticipate questions that are likely to be asked. The ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and CIMS-Green Building (GB) program is no different, having two FAQs readily available on the ISSA.com Web site at www.issa.com/cims. However, there are a series of additional questions that are often asked regarding the program, and I figured that ISSA Today’s “CIMS Corner” was a good place to clarify some misconceptions and provide more information. Of course, my assistant, Plamena Todorova, I, and the entire ISSA Membership Services team are happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Just give us a shout!
What is the difference between, CIMS, CIMS-GB, I.C.E., and I.C.E.-GB certification?
On an ever-increasing basis, you hear individuals and companies claim to be CIMS/CIMS-GB certified or an ISSA Certification Expert (I.C.E). Yet there seems to be some confusion regarding the differences between the designations. Let’s start with CIMS/CIMS-GB.
Simply stated, CIMS and CIMS-GB certification apply to an entire cleaning organization, require a comprehensive on-site assessment by an accredited third-party, and indicate that the organization complies with the CIMS/CIMS-GB standard.
The I.C.E. program prepares attendees to lead customers or their own organizations through the CIMS/CIMS-GB certification process. I.C.E. and I.C.E.-GB certification, applies to an individual, and certification is earned by attending a workshop and passing an examination on the elements of the standard. Further, while the attendee achieves certification as an individual, the organization he or she represents does not become certified.
It is important to note that individuals who attend an I.C.E. workshop and pass the examination achieve both I.C.E. and I.C.E.-GB certification because the workshop covers the elements of both. However, organizations that achieve CIMS certification do not necessarily achieve CIMS-GB certification. Rather, they are separate designations; organizations must first pass a CIMS assessment to be eligible for GB although most applicants do undergo their assessments for CIMS and CIMS-GB simultaneously.
What are the top tips you would give an organization that is going through the CIMS certification process?
Now that the program has been established for almost five years, we have been able to learn quite a lot from the organizations that have been through the process. In fact, you can read about the experiences of those that have achieved certification and the benefits they have enjoyed by reading the CIMS/CIMS-GB Case Studies (www.issa.com/cims-case-studies) the top tips include:
- Appoint a “champion” to lead your organization through the process and make sure everything stays on track. It is undeniable that things come up in our businesses all the time ñ there are new start-ups, personnel changes, etc.
The key to the CIMS/CIMS-GB process, however, is to stay focused and to make a true commitment. Identifying an internal champion and giving that person the responsibility to make sure that the task is completed within an established timeline is one of the most important things you can do. The results will be worth it!
- Involve EVERYONE in the organization in the process. One of the greatest things that you can accomplish by going through the CIMS and CIMS-GB certifications is instilling a sense of pride and “ownership” in your front-line cleaning personnel.
CIMS and CIMS-GB gives you an opportunity to stress the crucial role that cleaning plays in making sure that the indoor environment is healthy and safe. Involving everyone in the process helps cleaning workers understand their true roles as “guardians of public health,” while allowing organizations to maximize their benefit as CIMS/CIMS-GB truly becomes part of the their corporate DNA.
As Marie Walley with the University of North Carolina-Charlotte’s Housing and Residence Life Department explained after achieving certification; “There has been a lot of bragging on the subject of CIMS! In fact, the cleaning workers at the university even demanded that the CIMS/CIMS-GB certified logo be embroidered onto their uniforms.”
What is the difference between CIMS-GB and Green Seal’s GS-42 program?
Both CIMS-GB and GS-42 set forth a series of criteria to assist an organization in the development and delivery of a comprehensive green cleaning program. The biggest difference is that a CIMS-GB certified cleaning provider must also demonstrate compliance with the traditional CIMS elements, proving that they have instituted an effective structure and have implemented the processes and procedures in CIMS’ five sections of management and operational best practices: (1) Quality System; (2) Service Delivery; (3) Human Resources; (4) Health, Safety & Environmental Stewardship; and (5) Management Commitment. Once again, an organization has to achieve CIMS certification to be eligible for the CIMS-GB designation.
It is also important to note that CIMS-GB is based on the green cleaning requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Design for Exhisting Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED)—green building rating system and is specifically designed to position cleaning organizations to partner in the LEED certification process. Further, CIMS-GB is less prescriptive – providing general requirements for product, equipment and procedure selection, rather than requiring the use of specific tools and systems – and it is our understanding that it is much more palatable from a total cost perspective.
How hard is it to achieve certification? Do companies actually fail?
Because CIMS/CIMS-GB was originally developed at the behest of the end-customer community, it has to offer a true level of assurance that a certified organization meets the criteria and is a well-managed, customer-focused company. After all, if the U.S. Army Medical Command is going to rely on the program in its contractor selection process and require that a cleaning service provider be certified to be eligible to clean any Army hospital or healthcare facility nationwide, the program has to have teeth!
Certification, therefore, requires a committed effort. Yet, at the same time, because the elements are based on universally-accepted management principles, they are achievable by all organizations, regardless of size or service-sector. The key is to use CIMS/CIMS-GB as a road map for the development and implementation of a management structure that is based on the principles of quality, customer-satisfaction and the delivery of comprehensive green cleaning services—and not to view the program simply as a documentation exercise or a marketing magic bullet. Truly investing in the program is the best way to maximize benefits.
As for whether organizations fail their assessment, the answer is “yes.” Roughly 15-20 percent of applicants are not recommended for certification after the assessor’s initial visit (applicants are given an opportunity to correct nonconformities within a certain period of time). To be honest, most organizations that fail do so because they did not take the program seriously and believed that they could achieve certification without truly bringing operations into compliance. Others may not understand that the program requires compliance at all operations and accounts or find that achieving consistency is a challenge.
As for requiring compliance “across-the-board” and ensuring that the program means something in the end customer marketplace, ISSA is not foolish enough to claim that there will never be any problems with a certified company. The key is to make sure that the organization is in a position to minimize problems and has the procedures and processes in place to respond to issues when they do come up.
Why should I pursue certification?
This is the most often asked question without a doubt. The answer is actually multi-faceted. First and foremost, compliance with the standard should be a no-brainer given its track record in terms of increasing efficiency, lowering costs, establishing consistency, and improving operations.
Deciding whether to pursue certification involves looking at the marketplace dynamics and considering why more and more end customers are requiring certification. The simple truth is that every organization is going to claim to be a quality, customer-focused company that is capable of delivering an effective green cleaning program. But how does a customer distinguish between those that are truly capable and those that are all talk? And how do you differentiate your company in the marketplace? Can you say that you meet THE industry standard and have truly demonstrated it to an independent third-party? Do you have proof that you are truly one of the best and an organization that can be relied on? Besides, eventually your customers are going to demand it!
Dan Wagner is director of the Cleaning Industry Management Standard—CIMS—and director of facility service legislative affairs for ISSA. He can be reached at daniel@issa.com; phone, 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.