Sustainable-actions
Charter for Sustainable Cleaning
Charter for Responsible Cleaning
Soleil Malin Campaign
Sectors concerned with detergents, maintenance products, cosmetics and adhesives have long participated in voluntary initiatives in keeping with one or more of the pillars of sustainable development. Often conceived in a global and progressive manner, these initiatives form a virtual exhibition on the website: http://www.sustainable-actions.be/
The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning is a voluntary global initiative of the detergents and soap industry and producers of maintenance products. It is based on the life cycle of the product and involves the integration of a series of sustainability 
procedures within signatory companies.
These procedures address the safety of used chemical products, the rate of work accidents, consumer safety, consumer advice, energy consumption during production, water consumption, packaging waste, the biodegradability of ingredients, etc…
Businesses must gain entry verification (decided by an independent operator) and be involved in improving performance indices. The charter constitutes a dynamic and progressive framework that pushes companies to deepen their commitment to sustainability.
When the required performance levels of different procedures have been reached, a company is allowed to use the Charter logo on its products’ packaging.
The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning supports Washright and the use of pictograms for safety instructions.
The Charter for Responsible Cleaning concerns companies active in professional cleaning. It involves respect for the following principles:
• A professional and ethical attitude
• Innovation and promotion of the best systems for cleaning
• Guarantees of technical and commercial compliance of machines and products
• Appropriate training of professional users in usage and optimal maintenance of machines and/or products and more respect for the environment
• Prompt, efficient after-sales service
• Products/systems that have a lowered impact on the environment.
As in the case of the Charter for Sustainable Cleaning, an independent verifier monitors the appropriateness of procedures set up in a company using criteria that must be met for a company to be certified. It is a system that is evolving, destined to become more demanding over time. Certified businesses are allowed to use the Responsible Cleaning logo in their communications.
Over the past few decades, rates of skin cancer have risen sharply. Overexposure to the sun has been the main cause.
In May 2007, several organisations including Detic, essenscia’s professional section dealing with cosmetics, launched the Soleil Malin campaign. Its goal is to sensitise the public at large to protect itself better against the damaging effects of the sun. This initiative falls within the framework of the European Union recommendation inviting Member States to develop local communication measures to acquaint the public at large with pictograms displayed at sun-exposed areas (beaches, mountains, shores, the countryside…)
The website Soleil Malin gives warnings based on the time of sun exposure and instructions for the correct use of sun protection products. The site contains a clear and easy-to-use guide that allows you to choose a sun protection product according to your skin type and how sunny it is. To facilitate choosing the right sun protection for you, four categories of protection are offered: minimum protection, average protection, high protection, and very high protection.
The partners in this campaign are: DETIC; the SPF public health organisation; the distribution sector (FEDIS); and the Centre for Research and Information for Consumer Associations (CRIOC).