More than ever, clients, staff, or partners expect businesses to operate ethically and transparently. In 2024, a research report showed that 70% of Brits are committed to buying from ethical small and medium-sized businesses. This is what governance is all about. It is the way a business is managed and structured, but governance is not just one part of ESG—it’s the foundation that supports both environmental and social sustainability.
Without clear strategies, ethical leadership, and accountability, no business can achieve long-term success. Strong governance ensures that environmental and social initiatives aren’t just promises—they become real actions backed by clear policies and responsible leadership.
So, what exactly does the G in ESG stand for, and how can your cleaning business use strong governance to build trust, improve operations, and secure long-term success? This article explores the role of governance in ESG and provides practical steps for implementing it in your cleaning business.
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance—three key areas used to evaluate a company’s sustainability and ethical impact. ESG reports help businesses track progress, improve performance, and demonstrate results to clients, staff, and investors.
The G, Governance, focuses on how a company is run—its leadership, policies, and accountability. It ensures a business operates fairly, transparently, and in line with regulations. For cleaning businesses, strong governance is essential to keeping clients happy, protecting staff, and staying compliant with industry rules.
Focusing on these governance areas can strengthen compliance, reduce stress, and improve business stability:
To see how governance can shape your business success, let’s look at examples of good and bad governance of fictive cleaning businesses.
The Good: Fictive company 1
This cleaning business is small with a staff of 20. A year ago, they were struggling with late timesheets, payroll errors, and last-minute schedule changes. Staff were frustrated, and the owner was overwhelmed. To turn things around, they introduced a simple app to track working hours, held weekly planning meetings, and created a basic code of conduct for everyone to follow. They also assigned one team leader to oversee health and safety and client communication. The result? Staff turnover dropped, errors in payroll disappeared, and the owner finally had time to focus on growth. Today, this company is taking on bigger clients—and keeping them.
The Bad: Fictive company 2
This cleaning business started with good intentions but lacked structure. The owner handled everything—from client bookings to payroll—by memory or in a messy notebook. There were no written policies, and staff didn’t know who to talk to when problems came up. Complaints from clients were ignored or forgotten. Some staff members were paid late, which led to frustration and several quitting without notice. Eventually, the company failed a labour inspection due to poor documentation and was fined heavily. Within a year, the company lost its biggest clients and had to shut down. The lack of clear governance turned everyday issues into serious risks.
Governance may sound complicated, but small changes can make a big difference. While a full ESG report might not be realistic for a small cleaning business, you can still take practical steps to improve governance. Here are some key areas to focus on with additional steps:
✔ Define clear responsibilities, so everything doesn’t fall on your shoulders.
✔ Assign a team member to handle daily scheduling and minor client issues.
✔ Use a simple planning system – a board, an app, or a daily morning briefing.
✔ Be open about challenges and share how your company is addressing them.
✔ Ensure your staff get paid correctly and on time – payroll mistakes create frustration.
✔ Stay up to date with cleaning industry labour laws to avoid fines or legal trouble.
✔ Keep track of taxes, invoices, and contracts to prevent financial surprises.
✔ Work with reliable suppliers that follow fair labour and sustainability standards.
✔ Clear work schedules and good communication reduce absenteeism.
✔ Have a backup plan for sick days to avoid last-minute stress.
✔ Show staff they are valued – small incentives can improve loyalty.
Many cleaning businesses lose money because extra tasks aren’t billed.
✔ Use a simple system to track work hours, such as an app or a basic Excel sheet.
✔ Make sure all work is completed and recorded before sending invoices.
✔ Store staff and client details securely and delete outdated records.
✔ Use a safe storage system (cloud or encrypted files) instead of paper notes.
✔ Follow GDPR rules to avoid data breaches and legal issues.
✔ Use fair hiring practices that promote equal opportunities.
✔ Provide training on diversity and workplace respect.
✔ Offer growth opportunities, so staff feel valued and engaged.
Good governance isn’t just about following rules—it’s about building a stable, trustworthy business that benefits owners, staff, and clients.
By focusing on clear leadership, legal compliance, and transparency, your cleaning business can:
In an industry where trust and reliability matter, strong governance is not just an advantage—it’s essential for long-term success.
With CleanManager you have access to tools that enhance leadership, compliance, and transparency:
With CleanManager, governance isn’t just a concept—it’s a practical tool that makes your cleaning business more efficient, compliant, and ready for the future. Read more about our software in our article, Scheduling Software for Cleaning Services – Revolutionise Your Workflow with CleanManager.
If you want to hear more about the role of cleaning in environmental sustainability, then check out our article Cleaning With a Conscience: Uncovering Environmental Sustainability.