The Ashkin Group is an internationally recognized consulting firm working to green the professional cleaning industry and help organizations implement effective, sustainability programs.

Our expertise is utilized by government, legislators and policy makers, building owners and property management companies, labor unions, trade and professional associations, manufacturers, cleaning service providers, and janitorial product distributors to develop more sustainable cleaning practices around the world.

We are dedicated to creating healthier, more productive indoor environments with lower burdens on natural systems, while creating sustainable value for its clients.

Our commitment to Green Cleaning and sustainability is more than business, it is a passion, a calling, a mission in life – to transform the cleaning industry.

About Steve Ashkin

Steve Ashkin has worked in the professional cleaning industry since 1981 and on the issue of Green Cleaning since 1990. Today he is considered the "Father of Green Cleaning" and the leader of the Green Cleaning Movement and the leading advocate for sustainability in the professional cleaning industry. He has been actively involved with the USGBC since 1993, a past member of the national Board of Directors and served on the Core Committee that wrote LEED for Existing Buildings.

Ashkin consults for public and private building owners where he is closely engaged with the owners themselves along with organizations such as the US Green Building Council, Building Owners & Managers Association, International Facility Management Association, and US federal, state and local institutions. In addition, he works up and down the supply chain assisting major international manufacturers of cleaning chemicals, sanitary paper products, powered cleaning equipment, plastic can liners and others; along with product distributors and providers of cleaning services. Furthermore, he works with major trade associations, labor unions, environmental groups, policymakers and media outlets where he currently has columns in 4 trade publications and speaking frequently at major industry events.

Among his long list of activities, accomplishments and awards includes:
• A founding member of the US Green Building Council, past member of their national Board of Directors and primary author of the cleaning credits in the LEED-EBOM Rating System.
• A member of the Board of Directors of the Green Sports Alliance and author of their “Playbook” (guide) to help professional and collegiate sport facilities “green” their cleaning program.
• A US Presidential Award recipient for his contribution to the development of the President’s Green Chemistry Awards Program.
• An Excellence Award Winner from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Children’s Health for his work to protect children from environmental threats.
• A Presidio Fellow in Sustainability and Sports presented by the Presidio Graduate School.
• The chairman of the ASTM Task Force that wrote the US national standard introducing the concept of “green” into the cleaning industry, and a member of numerous other standard development efforts including ISO, Green Seal, Ecologo/UL and EPA’s Design for the Environment program.
• The chairman of the Sierra Club’s National Toxics Committee’s Cleaning Products Reform Initiative and the Sierra Club’s representative to the BlueGreen Alliance which is composed of the major environmental and labor unions in the US.
• The technical advisor to several NGOs including Practice Greenhealth (the leading health care organization in the US focused on “green” issues”) and Healthy Schools Campaign where he served as lead author on their Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.
• The author of 4 books including Green Cleaning for Dummies and The Business of Green Cleaning, published or quoted in over 700 newspaper and magazine articles; and given over 200 presentations --- all on the subject of Green Cleaning and sustainability.