At Julius Rutherfoord & Co, achieving B Corp certification was more than just a milestone; it was a reflection of who we are as a business.

In a recent interview with FM Director Magazine, our Managing Director, Chris Jarvis, and Business Support Services Director, Lauren Hanley, shared their thoughts on the journey, the challenges, and what it means to use business as a force for good.

From sustainability to community impact, here’s a closer look at how JR&Co is shaping the future of ethical and responsible cleaning.


A business built on accountability and responsibility

Since day one, JR&Co has been driven by a commitment to fairness and quality. This foundation naturally aligned with the principles of B Corp certification, which prioritises accountability, transparency, and positive impact.

Reflecting on this alignment, Chris Jarvis explained:

“The founding value of the business was the desire to create a fairer, higher quality cleaning company, and to ultimately impact the industry in a positive way. That aligns very well with B Corp’s values, which revolve around accountability and responsibility.”

While the certification marked an important recognition of our efforts, Chris emphasised that it’s only the beginning:

“We’re not perfect, and there’s lots more to be done, but it’s great to get that recognition. The challenge now is looking at what we can do to improve. Complacency is a dangerous thing. You can’t rest on your laurels; you must keep moving.”

Complacency is a dangerous thing. You can’t rest on your laurels; you must keep moving.

Beyond certification: real action, real impact

For JR&Co, the B Corp framework has helped enhance initiatives that have long been part of our DNA—particularly in giving back to the community.

Lauren Hanley highlighted the increase in volunteering hours as one example of how we’re turning values into action.

“We’ve always done lots of charity and volunteer work, including with a food waste charity in London called The Felix Project,” she said. “We want to contribute more than just money; we want to make a real impact and so we’ve recently increased our volunteering hours by 80% from last year.”

Our sustainability efforts are another key focus. From reducing single-use plastics to improving recycling rates, we’re proving that cleaning can be a driver for environmental change.

“We’ve minimised our single-use plastics at head office, actively seeking out different providers that we can work with to help improve our own recycle rates,” Lauren shared. “We try and find a recycle stream for everything—we even have around 10 different bins at head office for everything from coffee grounds to flexible plastics to batteries.”

We’ve minimised our single-use plastics at head office, actively seeking out different providers that we can work with to help improve our own recycle rates.

Innovating for a changing industry

The cleaning industry faces growing challenges, from rising costs to shrinking workforces. For Chris, the answer lies in innovation, particularly in how technology can make cleaning smarter and more sustainable.

“The challenge in the cleaning industry now is about how to become more productive and how to do more with less resources. You have to look to technology to solve that problem,” he explained.

One such innovation is data-led cleaning, which leverages smart building technology to align cleaning tasks with actual usage. While still in its infancy, Chris sees it as a major opportunity:

“These technologies are still in their infancy, but I definitely see more of this in the future of cleaning.”

Looking ahead: raising the bar

As a B Corp-certified company, JR&Co is committed to continuous improvement. With recertification required every three years, the focus is on embedding the values of B Corp into everything we do, both internally and externally.

Lauren outlined her vision for the year ahead:

“For this year, I think for me it’s about just strengthening the understanding across the business and clients of what it actually means. I want to make sure we keep having these conversations to ensure that eventually our staff live and breathe the values and standards of the certification.”

Chris added:

“We are always looking for opportunities to improve by thinking outside the box and considering what more we can do as a business to have that positive impact on the community around us.”


Explore the full interview

To read more about our journey to B Corp certification and the insights shared by Chris and Lauren, check out the full interview in FM Director Magazine or on FM Business Daily.