#Sustainability Spotlight: Speco

Advancing Indoor Air Quality as a Beneficial Corporation (B-Corp) with a Triple Bottom Line — People, Planet and Profits

Speco CEO Benjamin Chua at the Launch of Speco ION in March 2023

 

Championing Corporate Sustainability in line with International Gold Standards

As a social enterprise that has attained the Beneficial Corporation (B-Corp) certification, a hallmark of holistic corporate sustainability around the globe, Speco lives and breathes sustainability. B-Corp is renowned for its rigorous evaluation criteria and audits that span across environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability.

The Founder and CEO of Speco Benjamin Chua spends an extensive amount of time exploring innovative ways to strengthen the company’s Triple Bottomline of People, Planet and Profit. He holds a strong passion for sustainability-centric entrepreneurship and deeply understands the value of embedding social impact and holistic sustainability into the company from the get-go.

Driven by his belief that a business can do well financially by doing good for both society and the environment, Benjamin focused his efforts on developing Speco into the Smart Hygiene social enterprise that it is today.

From their roots as a traditional cleaning company, Speco has grown and expanded into the coatings and indoor air quality space to remain competitive as an SME in the industry -- whilst advancing a sustainability-centric business model and without having to let go of most of their cleaning staff.

Part of the Speco Team

 

Incorporating Social Sustainability into the Speco Team & Business Model

In support of diversity and inclusivity, which are important aspects of social sustainability, Speco aims to continue providing employment opportunities to marginalized Singaporeans. These locals include single parents, former offenders and disabled peoples.

The Speco management has redesigned jobs for older workers and people with disabilities, adopted new technologies to improve productivity by 60%, and leveraged cloud computing for efficient manpower deployment – all in line with Speco’s transition to Speco 2.0. To-date, Speco has partnered with 91 Social Service Agencies to train, upskill and employ over 300 individuals that are now more future-ready for the evolving economy.

Beyond HR programmes and policies, the Speco lab team also strives to innovate and develop Smart Hygiene solutions and services that are as inclusive as possible -- by making them alcohol-free, safe and simple to use for the elderly, children, pregnant women and even pets.

The Speco Nano Spray with Speco Essential -- Kids Edition (Photo: SFIC)

Speco’s solutions are also biodegradable and do not leave any residue on the environment.

Beyond their everyday business, Speco was driven by the height of the pandemic in 2020 to offer complimentary disinfection services for charities in need. The team has been keeping over 64,000 nursing home residents safe, and are continuing to support various community causes as part of their Pay-it-Forward Programmes.

 

Enabling Healthier and Safer Indoor Environments through Innovative Technology

Currently, the Speco team is busy preparing to launch Speco Ion -- the world's 1st all-in-one advanced air purification and surface sanitization device. Speco Ion combines the use of Medical-Grade HEPA filtration, UV purification, negative ions, and their proprietary Active Antiviral technology that hunts and kills microbes. This combination enables Speco Ion to sanitize surfaces and clean air in a safe and fuss-free manner.

Speco Ion is lightweight, mobile on wheels and compatible with smart homes – it can be synced with Google Home. It is now available for pre-order for your homes and offices here.

Speco Ion – Speco’s latest advanced air purification and surface sanitization device

Stay tuned to their Instagram, Facebook and even Tiktok pages as Speco continues to advance Smart Hygiene products -- with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainability in mind!

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SFIC's Visit to the Speco Experience Centre

From Left to Right: Ms Teng Chu Yu, Sustainability Executive at SFIC

Mr Chua Guang You, Business Development Manager at Speco

Ms Shermaine Ong, Group Executive Director at SFIC

 

Introduction to Speco:

We are a Smart Hygiene company that keeps you safe from viruses, bacteria, and other types of invisible dangers.

Our Made-in-Singapore, Speco Proprietary Active Ingredient was tested and certified by independent accredited Singapore labs in accordance with ISO22196 and ASTM standards.

Website: https://www.speco.sg/

Type of Company: Materials, Components & Services (MCS)

 

Sustainability Themes:

  • Inclusivity / Non-Discrimination, Health & Safety, Community Investment & Waste Reduction

 

Products/Services:

  • Smart Hygiene products & services (cleaning)
    • Here is a map of the 3,066 and counting premises which Speco has protected against Covid-19 through our Anti-Viral Coating Technology:

 

Awards & Certifications:

  • B-Corp, Champions of Good 2022, President's Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2021, IPOS Innovation for Humanity 2020, Enabling Mark & Living Sustainability Award Singapore

         

 

Environmental Initiatives:

  • Waste Management:
    • Offers zero-waste refills of their cleaning products at their Experience Centre @ one-north
    • Produces zero hazardous outputs from their factory and produces only biodegradable and non-toxic products

 

Social Initiatives:

  • Health & Safety:
    • Speco’s cleaning solutions:
      • Neutralise 99.9999% of viruses within 1 minute
      • Provide long-lasting protection for up to 180 days
      • Are non-cytotoxic and do not harm human cells even with long-term use
    • Inclusivity / Non-Discrimination:
      • As a committed social enterprise, Speco provides stable jobs to marginalised Singaporeans, including those with disabilities, ex-offenders and single parents.
      • Speco has partnered with 91 Social Service Agencies to train, upskill and employ over 300 individuals as part of their inclusive hiring practices.
      • To that end, they have aggressively redesigned jobs for older workers and people with disabilities.
    • Community Investment: Pay-it-Forward Programmes
      • At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Speco recognised the immediate need for disinfection services for charities that needed it most. The Speco Team mobilised to protect the most vulnerable in our society with their Pay-it-Forward initiatives, gaining referrals from our Company of Good network to help keep 64,000 nursing home residents safe.

 

Governance Initiatives:

  • Speco has a triple bottom-line of People, Planet and Profits (in that order) and commits to evaluating their sustainability practices through B-Corp's rigorous assessment.

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Introduction to the Speco Experience Centre (by Speco):

Speco’s history at one-north started 5 years ago through a seed fund from the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE). Our Experience Centre integrates science, technology and innovation; providing you with an immersive journey to see, touch and understand what makes us Smart, Simple and Safe. Be part of the next phase of Speco’s journey.

 

Experience Centre Highlights:

Speco ION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speco Ion is the world's 1st all-in-one advanced air purification and surface sanitization device.

Speco Ion combines the use of Medical-Grade HEPA filtration, UV purification, negative ions, and our proprietary Active Antiviral technology that hunts and kills microbes. This combination enables Speco Ion to sanitize surfaces and clean air for you in a safe and fuss-free manner.

Speco Ion is lightweight, mobile on wheels and compatible with smart homes – it can be synced with Google Home. It is now available for pre-order for your homes and offices.

 

ACE

ACE, the first SpecoBot of its series, is an Antiviral Coating Ecobot. It is activated on schedule to sanitise the air regularly using Speco's non-toxic formulation. Utilising cold fogging technology, it covers up to 20,000sqft per manhour in hospitals, retail malls, and commercial and industrial properties.

 

Refill Station

Unique blends of our very own Speco Essential, with floral, citrus, and woody notes, are available exclusively at our Experience Centre. Come and explore how we can work together towards a sustainable future.

 

Visit Speco: (*please make an appointment in advance)

  • Speco Experience Centre
    • 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent #01-01, Singapore 139955
  • Directions to the Speco Experience Centre:
    By MRT: one-north MRT station, cross the road from Exit A
    By Bus: Bus 91, stop at 18051 - one-north station
    By Car: 2 minutes from AYE (parking lots available at Blk 79)

 

Contact Speco:

 

All photos are courtesy of Speco unless otherwise stated.

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