At CleanConscience, we believe in adding social and environmental benefit with every step that the organisation undertakes.
We support amazing organisations all over the world
We operate as both a charity and a social enterprise in order to provide the best resource for our clients, partners, supporters and beneficiaries. We have been fortunate to be grant funded in our foundation stage and are now fully self-funded through our clearance and redistribution service and product sales. We work closely with our partners and trustees to create new opportunities for future growth and expansion of services.
November 2013 a kompost client challenged Gwen to come up with a solution to address the huge volume of party used hotel soap and toiletries being sent to landfill, or being incinerated, in the UK each year.
Soap recovery and recycling was already well under way in many parts of the world, but the proper recovery and repurposing of the toiletries had not been done anywhere in the world.
May 2014 – after some research, Gwen and Dennis started running trials from their one-bedroom apartment and it took 6 months of negotiations with the Environment Agency to obtain a special Waste Exempt, to make CleanConscience the first and only organisation in the UK to legally treat the partly usedsoap and toiletries discarded by the hospitality sector.
March 2015 – CleanConscience’s achieved charity status, in the form of a Charitiable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), and then the search started to find a specialist Insurance Company, willing to uinderwrite our Public and Product Liability.
This type of activity had never been done in the UK before, so a 27-page Standard Operating Procedure, to include Risk Assessments and Method Statements, had to be written up and submitted for the Insurance Company to find an Underwriter.
Zurish Insurance has been our Underwriter since 2016, and we currently carry Public and Product Liability cover for £5m each:
July 2015 – The CleanConscience Unit officially opens its doors at Thimble Farm Business Park, just outside Holyport, halfway between Windsor / Maidenhead to the west of London.
To enable CleanConscience to become a financially sustainable organisation, initially with start-up support from Foundations and Trusts, we had to convince the hotels to pay a Programme Fee.
August 2015 – our first hotels, led by Brown’s Hotel and The Ritz London, joins immediately.
October 2015 – we hosted our first SEND volunteers.
November 2018 – appoints its first Patron, Ciarán Fahy.
February 2019 – with Ciarán’s networking and support from The Ritz, in the form of a marketing event hosted by them, Gwen manages to grow CleanConscience by doubling the number of hotels that were taking part, and they were serving +- 8,000 bedrooms in London pre-lockdown.
2020 – the year that the COVID pandemic entered our lives, was a significant turning point for CleanConscience.
January 2020 – we secured our first hotel clearance project, the Holiday Inn Mayfair
October / November 2020 – two more hotel decants, the Cambridge Hotel City Centre on the River Cam and The Randolph Hotel (Oxford)
2021 – 2022 – CleanConscience goes into hibernation, as their programme partners are not yet ready to re-join the soap and toiletry recycling programme, but still manages to build more than 20,000 CareKits in 2022, as part of their efforts to support the Ukrainian diaspora scattered across Europe and also those arriving in the UK
February 2023 – CleanConscience relaunches, supported by the PPHE Hotel Group with their London Park Plaza properties
April 2023 – CleanConscience donates in excess of 2,500 CareKits to the Frimley Health Foundation Trust (NHS)
June 2023 – appointed their new Patron, Daniel Pedreschi.
May 2024 – another pivot in the CleanConscience operations, this time a brand-new project in the form of CleanC Crews
The UKHA is now the largest Housekeepers Association in Europe, and is the platform to share knowledge, develop and support each other.
Today, the UKHA is a nationally recognised Association. We still hold our original objectives as our passion, they are the same, but we have moved with the times, and we are now also assisting, developing and profiling the Housekeeping Managers.
We are one of the front runners of Associations which represent hotel and catering professionals, and we are the sole organisation in the United Kingdom, representing Housekeeping and Accommodation Management.
Considerate Hoteliers is an organisation run by hoteliers, for hoteliers, with a belief that sound business practices, common sense and social responsibility will impact positively on the bottom line as well as bring about change for the good.
The range of services available to both members and non-members has grown considerably with bespoke technical advice, auditing, strategy and reporting for hotels offered.
CIWM works with key stakeholders to develop strategies and guidance on ensuring sustainable resource and waste management.
As the pace of change within the industry increases, so do the demands around infrastructure and investment to ensure businesses remain competitive.
These, combined with the EU Policy Review, legislation and compliance, mean organisations need to fully understand both the markets available, the sustainable opportunities and true procurement requirements.
The Disability Confident scheme supports employers and organisations to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to a workplace.
The Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the world.
CleanConscience in partnership with Henley Business School, Greenlands Campus (part of Reading University) was a finalist in the Green Gown Awards 2015, in the Facilities and Services Category.
Retired Chief Executive Officer, Ellerman Investments Ltd (Hotels Division)
Ciarán is a retired member of the Executive Committee of the Master Innholders. He is a former Chairman of the Jermyn Street Association and a former member of The London Committee of the BHA and a former Board Member of the Heart of London Business Alliance.
CleanConscience is delighted to announce the appointment of its new patron, Hotel Catey’s Hotelier of the Year 2021, Daniel Pedreschi.
Daniel is the Regional Vice President Operations, The United Kingdom of the UK for PPHE Hotel Group and oversees all UK hotels, restaurants, and bars in collaboration with each individual General Manager, as well as a focus on new properties, developments, and the general PPHE Hotel Group strategy. Daniel has been with PPHE since 2009, originally taking the position of Hotel Manager at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London, and in 2011 he moved to the General Manager position. In October 2013 Daniel took on the additional role of supporting the Central Reservations Office as a General Manager next to his existing responsibilities. With over 30 years’ experience, Daniel’s passion for hospitality and attention for detail have always been key drivers in his career, striving to find improvements to always keep ahead of the competition and enhance PPHE’s position in the industry.
Daniel sat on the London committee of the British Hospitality Association.
Commenting on Daniel’s appointment, Founder & CEO Gwen Powell said:
‘We’re delighted to welcome Daniel Pedreschi as our latest patron. His passion for the hospitality sector and enthusiasm for our work will be invaluable to ensure our endeavours remain sustainable. We are excited to work with Daniel, and indeed carry on our great partnership with the PPHE Hotel Group!’
Daniel’s response:
‘This appointment is very much in step with my commitment to enhance PPHE Hotel Group’s commitment to sustainability and through that to encourage my peers in the hospitality industry to follow suit.’