From alternative energy to water filtration and a variety of natural resource conservation practices, finding new ways to simultaneously protect the environment and accordingly control costs remains a priority for linen, uniform and facility services companies. TRSA members’ exemplary efforts have been recognized with TRSA Clean Green Innovation Awards, to be presented March 25 at TRSA’s 10th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.

Halsey M. Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Co., Spartanburg, SC, recently appeared as a panelist in a discussion about sustainable practices at the National Geographic Circular Economy Forum in Washington, DC. Milliken was a sponsor of the forum, alongside Waste Management and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which convened approximately 400 thought leaders, to explore solutions for eliminating waste.

Roughly 100-plus attendees at TRSA’s recent Food and Beverage (F&B) and Hospitality Conferences in Las Vegas enjoyed visits to two leading area laundries catering to restaurants and hotels in and around “Sin City.”

VF Corp., Denver, recently published the latest iteration of its Made for Change Sustainability & Responsibility report, including the announcement of industry-leading science-based targets (SBTs) and a bold vision for sustainable materials, according to a news release.

TRSA closed its 2019 slate of webinars with a presentation titled “Energy and Utilities Cost Control: Digitalization, Demand and Distributed Generations.” The webinar was hosted by executives and energy experts from TRSA Business Solutions partner APPI Energy.

Phelps Uniform Specialists recently affirmed their commitment to environmental stewardship by achieving TRSA’s Clean Green Certification. Phelps Uniform Specialists is located in Muscatine, Iowa, and is a family owned and operated laundry serving uniform and facility services customers in Iowa and Illinois.

The European Textile Services Association (ETSA) hosted its National Associations meeting in London earlier this week with more than a dozen association executives representing the linen, uniform and facility services industry throughout Europe and North America. Participating organizations included Belgium (FBT), Denmark (BVT), Finland (Tekstiilihuoltoliitto), France (Geist), Germany (DTV), Italy (Assosistema), Sweden (Sveriges Tvätteriförbund), Switzerland (VTS), United Kingdom (TSA) and North America (TRSA). Hosted by the Textile Services Association (TSA-UK) and facilitated by ETSA Secretariat Robert Long, National Association delegates discussed their respective new initiatives and potential collaborative projects focused on promoting the industry to customers, regulators and potential employees, standards development, and training and research.

In a time of rapid economic change – coupled with shifting attitudes toward the role of corporations in society – a number of companies in the last decade have distinguished themselves through new growth, a repositioning of their core businesses and robust financial performance. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review highlighted the “Top 20 Business Transformations of the Last Decade.” Ecolab Inc. earned 16th place among a prestigious group of corporate innovators that includes Netflix (No.1), Amazon (No. 3), Nestle (No. 12) and Cisco (No. 15). 

Several TRSA committees gathered on Sept. 17, the first day of TRSA’s 106th Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor. Committee members gathered in person to provide updates on projects and discuss the latest issues of importance to the linen, uniform and facility services industry.  

TRSA operator member Foussard Montague Associates Inc. recently renewed the company’s Clean Green certification at the following facilities that it manages: Aid to Hospitals Inc., Rochester, NY; Health Systems Cooperative Laundries (St. Paul, MN; Denver; and Pueblo, CO); Hospital Central Services Association, Auburn, WA; North Texas Healthcare Laundry, Grand Prairie, TX; Texas Healthcare Linen, Abilene, TX; United Linen Services of New England, Lawrence, MA; and United Linen Services, St. Paul, MN.