Our Commitment toESG & CSR
NIC Local’s Commitment to ESG and CSR: Building a Cleaner, Fairer and More Sustainable Future
At NIC Local, part of NIC Services Group, we are committed to protecting the environment, supporting our people, strengthening communities and working responsibly with our clients and suppliers.
Our ESG and CSR commitments are not separate from the services we deliver; they are embedded in the way we operate, the partnerships we build and the standards we set for ourselves every day.
As a family-owned business with a nationwide presence through our network of franchisees, we recognise the responsibility we have to make decisions that create long-term value for our colleagues, clients, communities and the environment.
Environmental Management and Carbon Reduction
NIC Services Group is accredited to ISO 14001, an internationally agreed and recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems.
This means we identify, manage, monitor and control our environmental processes within an audited framework, ensuring environmental performance remains central to our operations.
We are also working towards ISO 50001 certification, the international standard for energy management systems.
Group also works in partnership with Planet Mark, who support businesses in becoming carbon neutral and reducing emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3. Applying the Planet Mark methodology enables us to calculate our carbon emissions across operations, purchased energy and our wider value chain. This measured approach helps us track progress, identify areas for improvement and take meaningful action.
NIC Services Group is also a signatory to The Climate Pledge, a global commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement target. Through this pledge, we disclose our commitments, measurements and initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and support our ambition to create a net zero value supply chain.
Our goals include:
- 100% electric fleet by 2030
- Net Zero supply chain by 2040
- Zero carbon emissions from operations at our clients’ premises by 2030
- Zero carbon emissions at our support office by 2030
Sustainable Cleaning, Waste and Responsible Resource Use
Environmental responsibility happens shift by shift.
Across our operations, we focus on reducing waste, chemical use, packaging and unnecessary emissions while maintaining the highest standards of cleaning performance.
Where traditional chemical use is unavoidable, NIC Local has transitioned entirely to concentrate chemicals diluted on site, reducing plastic usage by 98%. We have also reduced chemical usage by 70% over the last five years.
We use sustainable cleaning solutions wherever possible, including Odorbac, a 100% biodegradable, non-irritant and non-hazardous product. Odorbac replaces over 90% of customers’ existing cleaning products, helping to reduce risk, training requirements and costs while improving efficiency, speed and results.
Reusable trigger spray bottles and containers made from 100% recycled plastic further support customers in reducing single-use plastics to zero, with closed loop recycling. Microfibre cloths and pads are also used across client buildings, helping to collect dust, dirt and bacteria while reducing reliance on disposable materials.
Our ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ philosophy helps keep recycling at the forefront of colleagues’ minds and supports a better understanding of the impact our teams have on the planet.
We also make efficient use of natural resources by reducing the use of energy, plastics, paper and chemicals. Energy-efficient equipment and locally sourced products are used to reduce transportation emissions, while our operational approach is continually reviewed to identify further opportunities for improvement.
Greener Transport and Operational Footprint
NIC Local is reducing heavy fuel consumption vehicles from its fleet and transitioning to hybrid and electric vehicles.
We have already made significant progress, with 75% of our Group fleet now hybrid vehicles and a goal to be fully hybrid by the end of the year.
Electric vehicle charging ports have been installed at company car parks, enabling colleagues to charge their vehicles free of charge and encouraging the use of electric vehicles.
Beyond the cleaning service itself, the direct group has invested in its own operational footprint, including 26 electric vehicle charging points at our offices, secure cycle storage and 150 solar panels generating around 60% of annual office energy consumption and cutting office emissions by approximately 50%.
Working with Sustainable Suppliers
NIC Local works closely with sustainable suppliers to review new and alternative environmentally friendly products, using biodegradable solutions wherever possible and supporting client supply chain sustainability goals.
Our chemical supplier, Bunzl, supports us in recommending sustainable solutions and ways to reduce products at site. Our machinery supplier, ICE, uses SmartCall, a mobile application that enables onsite teams to diagnose machinery faults through a video call with an ICE engineer.
This has reduced downtime, improved continuity of service and heavily reduced unproductive engineering visits and vehicle emissions, saving a total of 57.4 tonnes of carbon per year.
All potential and current suppliers are heavily vetted and consistently audited to ensure they meet our strict sustainability and environmental criteria. We are committed to working with suppliers who ensure that their manufacturing and packaging procedures produce environmentally friendly products.
Supporting Communities Through Practical Action
NIC Local is already involved in a number of national social initiatives, which we continue to develop at a local level:
- Our support office staff volunteer at our Local Pantry on a monthly basis.
- Our partnership with The Salvation Army supports young adults in the UK who do not have access to a laptop or other devices.
- We have donated digital appliances to the charity, including 593 phones, 66 tablets and 43 laptops since August 2024.
- NIC Local also celebrates Wear It Pink Day annually, created by Macmillan to spread breast cancer awareness. In 2024, Group raised just over £1,000, which was doubled in 2025.
Our long-term vision is to extend our community initiatives, creating more office charity days and extending involvement to our site-based teams and clients.
Partnerships Rooted in Shared Values
Group works in active partnership with the Co-op Academies Trust, contributing practical resources, staff expertise and tailored school-based activities.
This includes World of Work Week at Co-op Academy Delius, support for the REACH programme at Co-op Academy Priesthorpe, and “There Is More to Cleaning” sessions at Woodlands Co-op Academy and Penny Oaks Co-op Academy, introducing students to robotic cleaning technology and innovation within the modern facilities sector.
Our Ongoing Commitment
NIC Local is committed to protecting the environment, both now and in the future. We aim to work in unison with our clients and suppliers to achieve the highest environmental standards in all our strategies, policies and actions.
Through measured carbon reduction, sustainable innovation, community partnerships and responsible supply chain management, we continue to deliver exceptional service while creating lasting value for people and the planet.
