In this article, Barbara Storey explains what CIMS certification means, what the certification process evaluates, and why it should matter when selecting a janitorial partner.
Choosing a janitorial company involves more than comparing prices and reviewing a list of services. You are trusting a provider with your facility, your employees’ well-being, and the impression your building makes on everyone who enters it.
CIMS certification can help you determine whether a cleaning company has the systems, training, and management practices needed to deliver dependable service.
What is a CIMS certification?
CIMS stands for the Cleaning Industry Management Standard. Developed by ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, CIMS is a recognized management standard for building service contractors and in-house cleaning organizations.
CIMS is not a training certificate awarded to an individual cleaner. It evaluates how the entire organization operates, from employee training and service delivery to quality control, safety, and leadership. To become certified, a cleaning organization must document its procedures and complete an assessment conducted by an accredited, independent third-party assessor.
Certification does not guarantee that a customer will never experience a service issue. It does, however, demonstrate that the company has established processes for delivering quality work, measuring performance, and correcting problems when they occur.
What Does CIMS Evaluate?
CIMS focuses on five core areas that influence the reliability and quality of a janitorial company.
- Quality Systems
A dependable cleaning company needs a process for defining expectations, inspecting completed work, addressing deficiencies, and tracking customer satisfaction.
CIMS evaluates whether the company has documented quality-control procedures instead of relying solely on informal supervision. These systems help the provider identify problems and correct them before they become recurring frustrations for the customer.
- Service Delivery
Every facility has different cleaning requirements. A medical office, warehouse, school, church, and corporate office should not receive an identical cleaning program.
CIMS evaluates how a company identifies a customer’s needs and translates them into an appropriate scope of work. This includes staffing, cleaning frequencies, equipment, supplies, scheduling, and plans for responding to emergencies or service disruptions.
- Human Resources
Even the strongest cleaning plan depends on the people carrying it out. CIMS examines how an organization recruits, screens, trains, supervises, and evaluates its employees.
It also considers whether the provider has established employment policies and a plan for maintaining adequate staffing. For customers, these practices can translate into better accountability, safer work, and fewer disruptions when an assigned cleaner is absent or leaves the company.
- Health, Safety, and Environmental Stewardship
Janitorial employees work with chemicals, equipment, bodily-fluid cleanup procedures, and other potential hazards. Cleaning companies need clear safety policies to protect their employees and the people who use the facility.
CIMS reviews areas such as employee safety training, chemical handling, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and environmental responsibility. These practices can help demonstrate that a cleaning provider approaches health and safety as part of its daily operations, not as an afterthought.
- Management Commitment
Strong cleaning programs require active leadership. CIMS evaluates whether company management provides the resources, communication, and oversight needed to maintain its service standards.
This includes reviewing the company’s mission, planning process, organizational structure, and commitment to continuous improvement. A well-designed program will only remain effective when management consistently supports it.
Why CIMS Certification Matters When Choosing a Janitorial Company
Many cleaning companies make similar promises during the sales process. They may describe their service as reliable, professional, or high quality. CIMS certification gives prospective customers a more objective way to evaluate those claims.
- It Shows the Company Has Established Processes
When a cleaner calls out, a customer reports a problem, or an inspection reveals missed work, the provider should already know what happens next.
CIMS-certified organizations must demonstrate that they have documented procedures for managing common operational challenges. Established processes reduce dependence on informal communication and make it more likely that service will remain consistent across employees, shifts, and locations.
- It Provides Independent Verification
A cleaning company can describe itself as professional, dependable, or committed to quality, but those claims are difficult to evaluate on their own.
CIMS certification cannot be self-awarded. An independent assessor reviews whether the organization meets the requirements of the standard. This gives prospective customers a credible reference point when comparing providers with similar marketing claims.
- It Supports More Consistent Cleaning Quality
A facility may look excellent one week, only for restrooms, floors, trash, or high-touch surfaces to be overlooked the next. This type of inconsistency is one of the most common frustrations businesses experience with janitorial contractors.
CIMS emphasizes training, inspections, performance measurement, and corrective action. Together, these systems help a provider identify gaps, hold employees accountable, and respond to concerns before they become recurring problems.
- It Demonstrates a Commitment to Improvement
Your cleaning needs may change as your business grows, occupancy increases, operating hours shift, or health and safety expectations evolve. A janitorial company should be prepared to adjust with you.
CIMS-certified organizations are expected to evaluate their performance and improve their processes over time. That commitment is particularly valuable when you are looking for a long-term cleaning partner rather than a company that simply completes the same checklist every night.
Is CIMS Certification Enough to Choose a Cleaning Company?
CIMS certification is a valuable qualification, but it should not be the only factor in your decision. The right janitorial company must also understand your facility, communicate effectively, and offer a cleaning program that fits your needs.
When interviewing providers, ask how they will customize the cleaning plan for your facility, train the employees assigned to your building, and inspect completed work. You should also understand how service concerns are resolved, how absences are covered, and which services are included in the proposal. Request references from similar facilities and verify the company’s certification through the official CIMS directory.
Pay attention to how clearly each company answers. A qualified provider should be willing to explain its procedures and show how they will be applied to your account.
Look Beyond the Lowest Janitorial Bid
The lowest proposal does not always provide the best long-term value. A company may reduce its price by assigning too few labor hours, limiting supervision, providing inadequate training, or leaving important services out of the scope of work.
Before selecting a provider, review what each proposal actually includes. Compare staffing, cleaning frequencies, quality-control procedures, communication, equipment, and employee training in addition to the total price.
CIMS certification can make this comparison more meaningful by identifying companies that have invested in organized, independently assessed management systems.
Choose a Janitorial Partner With Proven Standards
A clean facility requires more than hardworking cleaners. It requires trained employees, attentive supervisors, documented procedures, responsive management, and a clear plan for maintaining quality.
CIMS certification offers a useful benchmark when evaluating whether a janitorial company has those systems in place. When combined with strong references, relevant experience, transparent communication, and a facility-specific proposal, it can help you make a more confident hiring decision.
A-Action provides customized commercial cleaning programs for businesses and facilities throughout the Atlanta area.Call (678) 526-7421 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and learn how our team can help you maintain a cleaner, healthier, and more professional facility.
