Is ‘sustainability‘ really one of the trends for 2022 in facilities services? Yes and no. No, because sustainability has obviously been high on the agenda for several years. Yes, because within the broad term ‘sustainability‘ there are new developments every year. Among the trends for 2022 in facilities services, we already see two evolutions in the field of sustainability: the increasing importance of circular economy and the broader focus on people.
What is sustainability?
A quick reminder: what is the meaning of sustainability or sustainable development again? According to the United Nations definition, sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Thus, we must seek a long-term balance between people, the environment and the economy (the so-called 3 Ps: ‘people’, ‘planet’ and ‘prosperity’).
In the early years, the emphasis when striving for sustainability was mainly on the environment, on making production and consumption greener. For example, by emitting less CO2. Now, we are in the midst of an evolution that goes one step further and will continue to do so in 2022.
Circular economy is one of the sustainability trends for 2022
In order to achieve the climate targets, it is no longer enough just to produce and consume ‘greener’. We also need to start reusing raw materials. The supply of minerals, fossil raw materials and metals is simply not endless.
In many sectors, including facility services, we therefore see an increasing focus on circular economy. This is, according to the EU definition “a model of production and consumption in which existing materials and products are shared, leased, reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled for as long as possible in order to create more value.” In this way, the life cycle of products is extended and waste is minimised.
In facilities services, this evolution towards circular economy is expressed in various ways. Think, for example, of better waste management (e.g. recycling of cigarette butts or the recycling of hygiene paper), but also of work tools based on recycled materials.
In 2022, this trend towards circular economy will become even stronger.
Attention for people is also one of the trends for 2022 in the context of sustainability
Another trend within sustainability is the increasing focus on people. Companies are increasingly focusing on the social aspect – partly by necessity (the War for Talent, you know). You can pamper your people financially or through all kinds of benefits, but more and more attention is being paid to people’s health.
Not just in the sense of ‘not being sick’ (although in corona times this is of course very important), but in the sense that is in line with the definition of the World Health Organisation (WHO), namely: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.”
Attention to safety and ergonomics has existed for some time, think for example of the VCA training courses. What is newer is the focus on mental health and social welfare. As a company you can, for example, contribute to the integration of people from disadvantaged groups. Or you can offer healthier food in your company restaurant. Or encourage your employees to exercise. Just like the step towards circular economy, this will also be one of the trends for 2022 in facilities services in the field of sustainability.
Multi Masters Group and sustainability
Driven by the HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, Quality) and OPEX (Operational excellence) departments, Multi Masters Group closely follows the trends in the field of sustainability.
Our efforts resulted in the following certificates and attestations for one or more of our divisions:
- EcoVadis (silver medal)
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- VCA P or VCA*
- Sustainable development from ABSU
- Reference certificate for Inclusive Enterprise
Want to know more about our CSR policy? Click on the link.
Find out how we put our values ‘Masters‘, ‘Respect‘, ‘No-nonsense mentality‘ and ‘Trust‘ into practice every day, take a look at our webpage ‘Our values in practice‘.
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