Corporate Responsibility

How We Deliver — and the Difference It Makes

At ISS, corporate responsibility is a throughline connecting every site we run, every Placemaker we hire and every community we work within. Our environmental, social and governance focus and commitments shape the way we partner with clients across North America, resulting in workplaces that protect people, places and planet without sacrificing the experiences provided or quality of services delivered. 
The ISS Approach

A Way of Thinking — Not a Separate Discipline

Corporate responsibility is built into how ISS operates. With more than 5,000 Placemakers in North America and 325,000+ across our global organization, we have both the reach and responsibility to act. Our work is organized around people, planet, prosperity and governance, and grounded in the principles of the United Nations Global Compact. Together, these pillars provide the framework for translating our strategy into measurable initiatives, transparent reporting and shared accountability with clients and suppliers. 
Three Pillars, One Approach

How Our Commitments Translate into Client Value

We believe the workplace has the potential to transform lives, strengthen communities and shape a better future. We put that belief into action by creating environments where people thrive and businesses grow with purpose.  
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Environmental Impact

From AI-driven food waste reduction and single-use plastics elimination to fleet electrification, green cleaning programs and Energy Star-certified building operations, our environmental work shows up at the asset level and rolls up into our clients’ own ESG reporting. 
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Social Value

Our social responsibility starts with our people and extends to the clients and communities we serve. Through partnerships with organizations like Genesis Works, the USO, Goodr and Hives for Heros, and participation in initiatives like the DoW SkillBridge program, we create employment pathways, support service members, deliver resources to those in need, and engage with certified diverse vendors and suppliers. Our Employee Resource Groups create space for belonging. 
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Governance and Accountability

ESG is only as strong as the data supporting it. We make our impact measurable, auditable and accountable to the people we serve through our Watershed carbon platform, science-based emissions targets validated by the SBTi, supplier compliance standards and an EcoVadis Gold rating that places us in the top 15% of assessed companies worldwide. We’re at our best when partnering with clients, vendors and suppliers who share our focus and concern for the planet. 
Improving Our Planet

Building the Path to Net-zero Emissions

ISS has committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2030, and full-scope net zero by 2040. We measure carbon at the country, account and site level, giving clients the data needed to act on their own goals. Our ROC framework — Reduce, Optimize, Change — guides decisions across energy, water, food, waste and procurement.

On the food side, our North America culinary division, Guckenheimer, has committed to reducing food waste, promoting plant-forward eating and whole-person health, and supporting sustainable, local sourcing, among its environmental sustainability initiatives. Those commitments have yielded extraordinary results, including a 64% reduction in food waste since 2020. This surpassed our 50% target and made Guckenheimer the first in U.S. food service to reach that goal.

Guckenheimer has also ranked #1 in the Humane World for Animals' annual protein sustainability scorecard for five consecutive years, and implements solutions to reduce single-use plastics in its supply chain.  
See ISS' global goals
Read more about Guckenheimer
Impacting People and Communities

Commitment Brought to Life

Explore how ISS collaborates with clients and partners to give back to our communities. 
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Partnering to Feed NYC

God’s Love We Deliver prepares and delivers medically tailored meals to New Yorkers living with serious illness. As a corporate partner of the nonprofit, ISS is proud to help expand God’s Love’s reach, supporting its mission to provide 4 million free meals annually. 
Watch our video
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Collaborating for a Cause

When wildfires swept through parts of Los Angeles, they left a trail of devastation. ISS and Guckenheimer, hosted a fundraiser with ArtCenter College of Design to help rebuild Altadena and Pasadena, as well as provide support for two local, women-owned businesses — Amara Kitchen and The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop. 
Learn more
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Aligning with the Client’s Sustainability Mission

Sustainability is at the forefront of Guckenheimer’s business and service strategies. With sustainability also top of mind for our clients, we collaborate on ways to ensure protection of the planet and preservation of our lands for those that follow. 
Find out how
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Ready to Connect

Let’s build something together

Whether you are advancing a portfolio-wide sustainability strategy, re-imagining your workplace experience around community impact or looking for a partner who treats ESG as part of the service rather than a sidebar, we would love to talk.
Contact us