Social Sustainability

Becoming the world’s leading frontline employer

At ISS, our strategic ambition is to become the world’s leading frontline employer. Social sustainability is central to that ambition. We define social sustainability as the measurable positive impact we create for our placemakers, our customers, and the communities where we operate. Through a combination of global commitments and local initiatives, we work to advance inclusion, create opportunity, and drive social progress. Our goal is to help every employee feel valued, engaged, and respected. 

As a workplace partner, we recognise our shared responsibility to strengthen community resilience and wellbeing. By supporting both our people and the places where we work, we aim to create lasting social value — today and for generations to come. Our inclusive culture empowers people to contribute through their unique skills and perspectives. In Hong Kong, this commitment includes nurturing the next generation of youths with special educational needs through our SHINE@ISS programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is SHINE@ISS creating opportunities in Hong Kong?

SHINE@ISS helps young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities build skills, confidence, and independence through training, mentoring, and meaningful employment opportunities. By connecting participants with real workplace experience and ongoing support, the programme creates long-term value for individuals, employers, and the wider community.

Speak to the SHINE@ISS team

“Hiring colleagues through SHINE@ISS demonstrates our commitment to being a place where you can be yourself. We encourage every colleague to express themselves in the workplace, build on their strengths, create value, and contribute to the company and society.”

- Vincent Ma

Chief Executive Officer, ISS Hong Kong
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Social Sustainability at ISS

We are a gateway to decent work for people from all  backgrounds and through our core social sustainability commitments, we offer our placemakers to achieve their aspirations for themselves and their families.
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Living wage

ISS is advancing the implementation of living wages across its global operations, in collaboration with our customers, policy makers and NGOs, and aligned to local labour market regulations. 
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Recognised qualifications

ISS is committed to providing an additional 250,000+ placemakers and their families with access to recognised qualifications by the end of 2030, equipping them with skills for the workplaces of the future. 
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Inclusive workplaces

ISS is committed to inclusive hiring and providing a workplace which is inclusive, respectful, and equitable, and as such enabling all of our placemakers to have a sense of belonging whilst bringing their true self to work and experience a level playing field so they can achieve their full potential. 
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Social Value Portal

Through our partnership with Social Vaue Portal,ISS measure, report and communicate the social and financial impact of our initiatives. Using the Global TOMs framework, we create a standardised, credible and comparable way to track social value across markets.  
Report

Download our report on Unlocking the S in ESG

Social sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in shaping today’s workplaces. This report explores how more inclusive work environments and collaboration between companies and service providers can create meaningful social impact. Through shared responsibility and partnership, we can create workplaces where people feel valued - and build better futures together.

"Building a culture where everyone is respected and valued puts us on the path to our ambition of becoming the world's Leading Frontline Employer, which is why social sustainability is of paramount importance to us. - Margot Slattery, Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging & Social Sustainability, ISS World Services A/S."

- Margot Slattery, Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging & Social Sustainability, ISS World Services A/S
Insights

Social Sustainability Stories

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Corporate Responsibility

Creating an inclusive workplace for youths with special educational needs

At ISS, our goal is to help our employees feel valued, engaged and respected. Our inclusive culture means we focus on empowering people to contribute with their unique skills and perspectives.
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Corporate Responsibility

ISS and Tent partnership sees over 1,000 refugees hired since 2022

ISS is committed to providing refugees with job opportunities to help them to integrate into their new communities. As part of our partnership with Tent, we have already hired 1,000 refugees since 2022 and will hire at least 2,000 across North America and Europe by the end of next year.
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Corporate Responsibility

Giving our people a second chance on education

The Education for All programme was introduced in ISS India in 2023 as a way of giving our placemakers educational opportunities they previously were unable to reach.
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Corporate Responsibility

Driving inclusion: ISS Spain’s measurable impact through its partnership with ONCE Foundation

ISS Spain is among the first markets to implement the methodology for measuring and reporting social impact using the international dollar as a unified metric.
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Impacting millions of people every day

325,000+

Placemakers

6 countries

measuring social value impact. ISS UK&I, Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Spain.

100,000+

placemakers or family members have received an ISS-recognised qualification since 2022.
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Empowering people through better workplaces

Let’s create workplaces that support your people and help your organisation perform at its best.

Speak to a service specialist