Sustainability Report

We’re happy to present our first ever Sustainability Report.

Sustainability is important because it tackles the wicked problems we face as a planet like climate change and social inequality.

Every year we ask our major stakeholders, our team, if our values around people and planet still resonate. So far, the team has been keen to keep these values, so we focus on four impact areas: financial equality, wellbeing, social mobility (learning), and kaitiakitanga (looking after the planet for future generations).

Kaitiakitanga: Our Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability of the planet is a key part of Fresh Desk’s strategic goals.

Overall, we want to help our customers to be more efficient and sustainable, and do the best by people and the environment. What’s changed in 2024 is our reporting, in that we are putting the health of the planet first. This is in line with the framework used by EcoVadis.

EcoVadis: Sustainability Auditors

Our first Sustainability Report is inspired by Xero, whose accounting software we use, and whose offices we clean. Our shared commitment to corporate social responsibility in their supply chain linked Fresh Desk to sustainability auditor EcoVadis, and we use the EcoVadis framework in this report.

EcoVadis is one of the main global ratings to analyse the sustainability performance of companies and their value chain. In late 2024 Fresh Desk began collecting data for a baseline audit. The process led to a review of policies and practices and helped us to identify gaps and goals. As a result, we make the following

Environmental Commitments

By 2028, 100% of cleaning products used in our work must meet the Eco Choice Aotearoa standard. Achieved already.
Commit to supporting our customers’ goals to refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle. Already happening, more please!

1. Commit to responsible carbon use, reducing by 50% (vs. 2022).

2. Commit to reducing transport use as a priority and develop a responsible travel and fuel policy in 2025

3. Review Sustainability Policy in 2025 and run an energy reduction training with our team.

4. Review Supplier Code of Conduct in 2025 and introduce energy reduction commitments for our suppliers and cleaning partners.

5. Commit to being carbon net zero by 2050.

2024 Waste Diverted from Landfill

22% Average customer % diversion from landfill
21 Waste reports provided to corporate and government agency customers
1 Partnership with a sustainable local waste management provider established

2024 Carbon Emissions

*Estimated emissions based on data entered by the user, using the* *Ministry for the Environment emission factors, published in May, 2024. The data has not been checked by any other party.*

We have estimated our carbon use for the 2024 at 5 tonnes (CO2e) using the calculator in the Climate Action Toolbox.

Our biggest use of carbon by far is fuel for cars (~80% of carbon use) followed by business travel (~20% of carbon use), so our mahi focuses on reducing fuel and travel.

5 tonnes in comparison to previous years shows a pleasing reduction. The reduction is mostly attributed to fuel use in taxis for a late night cleaner working alone. In 2024 the customer closed the site.

2024 Carbon Offset

We planted five native trees: one karaka and four tī kōuka (cabbage trees). We know natives sequester slightly less carbon than say pinus radiata, but we want to promote what’s local to this land. The 23 exotic Mexican sunflower trees we planted at home in 2022 were thinned out.

We learned about fatalities amongst forestry workers, and about disconnected pine landlords stretching soil resources instead of letting the whenua lie fallow. We are keen to learn more about the business of carbon offsetting, and how we can be true kaitiaki of the planet alongside our team and customers.

EcoVadis isn’t only about the environment, it’s also big on labour and human rights.

We got ideas from EcoVadis on how we might improve the social offering to our team. Fresh Desk makes the following

Social Commitments

By 2028, achieve that 100% of Fresh Desk staff will earn at least the living wage. Already achieved for 10 years.
By 2028, ensure that 70% of workers feel satisfied and respected in the workplace. Already achieved for 3 years.
Commit to measuring the number or work incidents, accidents and near misses. Already measuring and achieved zero in 2024.
Provide free and confidential counselling services to Fresh Desk staff and their families by way of the Xero Assistance Programme. Already achieved - thank you Xero!
Commit to providing all employees with a safe working environment by conducting frequent health and safety risk assessments and providing adequate personal protective equipment. Already happening.

1. Maintain a low incidence of work incidents, accidents and near misses, below 10% increase (vs. 2022) year on year.

2. By 2028 conduct at least 3 workshops to strengthen equality and equity at work and develop work skills.

3. By 2028 gain one New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning at level 2.

4. By 2028 continue to support Fab Cleaning in their first three years of operations.

5. By 2028 enable one customer to participate in Fresh Desk’s mentoring programme.

6. Progress equitable health and well-being in our sector by continuing to measure and improve.

2024 Staff Wellbeing and Retention

89% staff wellbeing (stable over the last 3 years)
Staff retention 66%
Staff numbers grew to 14 employees in 2024, or 9.0 FTE, including 3 cleaners who transferred their employment to Fresh Desk under Part 6A.

What would be helpful is some sort of control group to compare our data. If you are another cleaning company and you’d like to collaborate, please get in touch! Thanks to E tū for the helpful suggestion to add the management data.

The average size of the sites we clean increased as we secured larger customer contracts and let go of smaller sites.

2024 Health and Safety

Fresh Desk is committed to addressing health and safety issues encountered by employees at work, including safety at work, physical and mental health at work, and minimising psychosocial risk factors.

0 work accidents, incidents or near misses. This is down from last year when there was one incident of back pain.
21 Toolbox hui (meetings) held
21 Health and Safety Reports provided to customers

2024 Quality

43 Quality audits (QAs) conducted with customers
97% average QA score
5 sites audited monthly (others quarterly)

2024 Mentoring Programme

Fresh Desk team members have achieved NZ Certificates in Cleaning, but what happens after that? Some people have left Fresh Desk to work outside of the cleaning sector. One person, Lynette, went on to a supervisory role at another cleaning company. How might we encourage cleaners who want to innovate within our sector and bring positive change?

This year we did something new - we developed and ran our own programme for cleaners who wish to run their own business. Who better to launch their own business than Pradeep and his partner Subasri?

Following a successful launch, Fab Cleaning is going from strength to strength! Take a look here.