Iris employs more than 50 nationalities, mainly in the cleaning sector, in large companies, hospitals, nuclear power plants and petrochemicals, among others. They are often low-skilled people from vulnerable backgrounds. They are committed to what is by far the biggest bottleneck profession: VDAB speaks of more than 8,500 vacancies that remain open. Integrating all these people into the Belgian labor market and creating mutual cohesion is a major challenge. One that Iris takes up with genuine commitment.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Three tips for creating a lasting connection with and between vulnerable workers"},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"1. Invest in people","richBody":{"value":"It's no secret there's a shortage of good workers in the labor market. Iris turns that weakness into a strength by training unskilled workers themselves. And they go a long way in doing so. The workers are not only trained technically, they also receive language courses and by engaging in dialogue at regular intervals, their mental well-being is also taken care of. Projects are also launched to fill difficult job vacancies. "A few years ago, we had a pilot project where refugees were trained through an intense process to become aerial workers. A number of them are still employed by Iris today," says Sandra de Kerckhove.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"left","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/1bfe2d53-e777-4adc-8fe5-55ef1032ec6d/Sandra-de-Kerckhove-CFO-Managing-Director-Iris-Group","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/26f069df4e62260c/original/Sandra-de-Kerckhove-CFO-Managing-Director-Iris-Group.jpg","extension":"jpg"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"2. Overcome your prejudices","richBody":{"value":""They don't have the right work mentality" is a prejudice that stops employers from hiring vulnerable people. However, with the right guidance and an empathetic attitude, they do succeed, Iris proves. "A lot of time and energy goes into supporting the workers, but the satisfaction when you see them thrive in their job is priceless." A win-win: employees have future prospects and Iris prospers as a company.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"3. Guide the manager","richBody":{"value":"At Iris, people work on-site at customer sites. This decentralized structure means that management is further away from the workers. This makes it all the more important to provide good support to the immediate supervisor so that he or she has the necessary tools to coach the people in the field. The feeling of not being alone is reassuring.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Frontrunner"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"In their pursuit of sustainability, social commitment and governance, Iris is assisted by her financial partner ING. This collaboration is based on a long-term relationship of trust. "Iris is playing a pioneering role in the field of ESG," said Philippe Wallez, Head of ESG at ING Belgium. "Long before there was so much focus on ESG, Iris took far-reaching initiatives and we have always supported them in that. That approach is paying off: where other companies now face a huge task to keep up with the imposed expectations, Iris is already a long way ahead."
"At Iris, social engagement is really intrinsic to their strategy, it permeates all layers of their business and that is not the case in all companies," says Philippe Wallez. "They are an inspiration to others in that respect. "That's pleasing to hear," says Sandra de Kerkhove. "It shows that our efforts don't go unnoticed."
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"right","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/00f5908c-907e-49f4-b27b-d12734c5cfcf/Sandra-de-Kerckhove-CFO-Managing-Director-Iris-Group-en-Philippe-Wallez-Head-of-ESG-bij-ING-Belgie","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/3ab18be10064727/original/Sandra-de-Kerckhove-CFO-Managing-Director-Iris-Group-en-Philippe-Wallez-Head-of-ESG-bij-ING-Belgie.jpg","extension":"jpg"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"And what about ecological sustainability in the cleaning sector?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"It goes without saying that the ecological impact of their activities is a focus point at IRIS. The company meets the strictest standards and makes efforts to still do better. What are good practices for working in such an environmentally friendly way?
1. Use eco-friendly cleaning products
Chemical cleaning agents can be harmful to both the environment and employee health. Choose biodegradable and ecologically certified products.
2. Use less water
The cleaning industry uses large amounts of water. Work with microfiber cloths and mops, which clean effectively with less water, and reusable water purification systems for cleaning equipment.
3. Optimize energy consumption
Gradually replace energy-intensive machines, such as vacuum cleaners and scrubbers, with energy-efficient alternatives with an A+++ label.
4. Encourage waste reduction and recycling
Where possible, use sustainable alternatives to disposable materials, such as plastic gloves and packaging. In this way, you are curbing the waste stream. Also introduce waste separation at customer sites and establish a plan to improve recycling.
5. Reduce transportation footprint
Many cleaning staff travel to client sites, which often results in high carbon emissions. Sustainable transportation can reduce the impact. Consider electric or hybrid vehicles, as well as working with local employees as much as possible.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"Wondering what ING can do for you?","richBody":{"value":"Find out how ING supports businesses in the sustainable transition.
These article was previously published in Trends/Tendances.
"}}]},"legalZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. See how we’re progressing on ing.com/climate.
"}}]}}}