The tell-tale signs of a looming climate crisis cannot be ignored. Rising temperatures, polluted air, plastic waste in oceans, and resource scarcity due to population growth are pressing global concerns. As a cleaning and sanitation company, Diversey Singapore Pte Ltd takes these issues seriously and is committed to sustainable business practices. At its core, Diversey embraces sustainability as the continuous reduction of waste, making waste elimination a top priority in both its own operations and those of its customers.
Sustainability Strategy and Goals
Established on 8 January 1997, Diversey’s sustainability strategy is driven by 12 ambitious targets, including a commitment to delivering sustainability benefits to its customers. The company’s 2025 goals focus on three major pillars: improving the environment, protecting and caring for people, and innovating sustainable solutions. Each goal is measured through specific metrics, monitored by an in-house sustainability action team that provides regular updates to senior leadership and board members.
Diversey aligns its goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is a member of the International Association for Soaps, Detergents, and Maintenance Products for Sustainable Cleaning.
Transforming Waste into Social and Economic Value
Diversey’s sustainability initiatives are structured around three flagship programs: Soap For Hope, Linens For Life, and CoffeeBriques. These programs operate under a simple premise—waste should not end up in landfills but instead be upcycled to generate economic and social value.
Soap For Hope
Soap For Hope transforms used soap remnants from hotel rooms into new bars of soap. Diversey collaborates with hotels to collect discarded soap and trains at-risk communities in the process of soap recycling. The new soap bars are then distributed to underserved communities, addressing a critical hygiene gap, as 2.5 billion people globally lack proper sanitation.
The initiative has made a significant impact across 188 cities in 44 countries, with over 800 hotels participating. Since its inception, 3,800 tons of used soap have been collected, resulting in the production of 31.6 million reconstituted bars of soap. The entire process takes under ten minutes and requires no running water or electricity. Hotels, Diversey, or partner organizations often buy back the soap bars from local communities, creating a sustainable livelihood for disadvantaged women and slum dwellers. Many participants previously earned as little as US$10 per month, but through Soap For Hope, they can earn up to US$50 per month.
Diversey covers all logistics costs, supplies soap-press machines and disinfectants, and provides training through its employees. It also maintains partnerships with NGOs and hotels to ensure ongoing success.
Linens For Life
Each year, a typical 400-room hotel generates two to three metric tons of used linens. Instead of discarding them, hotels participating in Linens For Life donate these materials to vulnerable communities, where they are repurposed into useful products such as clothing, reusable shopping bags, and stuffed toys.
In Singapore, Diversey partnered with National Trades Union Congress Health Co-operative Ltd to implement the program in 12 senior centers, achieving three key objectives. It empowers seniors by providing them with purposeful work, slows the progression of dementia through engaging activities, and facilitates intergenerational interaction between seniors and children. The initiative has proven successful, fostering a sense of accomplishment among elderly participants.
CoffeeBriques
Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage, with over 400 billion cups consumed annually, generating vast amounts of coffee waste. In 2018, Diversey introduced CoffeeBriques, an initiative that repurposes used coffee grounds into eco-friendly fuel for cooking and heating.
Compressed into rectangular briquettes, CoffeeBriques provide an affordable and sustainable alternative to firewood and charcoal, helping reduce deforestation. The initiative benefits not only rural communities but also corporations seeking greener operations.
Hilton Hotels in Myanmar implemented CoffeeBriques, collecting over 140 kilograms of used coffee grounds within two months and converting them into an alternative fuel source for their properties.
A Commitment That Stands the Test of Time
Diversey’s partnerships with NGOs are built for the long term. The company operates on a principle of permanent commitment, ensuring that communities reach self-sufficiency before concluding its support.
Diversey’s long-term commitment to the communities it partners with is truly admirable. Its long-term goals succeed where many other corporate initiatives have failed -Shanggari Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer, MORS Group
The community care champions live by a simple philosophy. When it collaborates with an NGO or community, it is committed to help, nurture, and strengthen the partnership, no matter the time it takes - Dr. Jayanthi Desan, Lead Jury, ACES Awards
