Speco started in 2017 as Spic & Span, a social enterprise committed to providing stable jobs for marginalised Singaporeans. We wanted to positively impact the lives of our employees by ensuring that they have safe working environments. Our journey to become a B Corp certified Invironment Protection (Indoor Environment) company started with observing the effects of off-the-shelf cleaning products. 

The disturbing reality

The danger of being a cleaner revealed itself over time. We noticed the erosion of our employees’ fingerprints and the redness of their skin, consequences of long-term exposure to regular cleaning products. It became clear that without a product that can protect our employees from harm, we would never live up to our promise of helping people have better lives.

Most cleaning products contain active ingredients designed to kill pathogens such as Covid-19. In killing pathogens, most active ingredients will also kill healthy human cells. Some of the most common cleaners contain:

• Carcinogens — chemicals proven to cause cancer
• Endocrine disruptors — chemicals that mimic human hormones
• Neurotoxins — chemicals that affect brain function
• Allergens — ingredients that trigger allergic reactions

Sustainability has always been in the DNA of Speco, which led us to search for a solution that would be safe for long-term use on the environment, pets, children and the elderly.  

When we found that no such solution existed, we decided to invest in our R&D to make it happen. We are thankful that at the point of conversation, there was also a paradigm shift for businesses to embark on innovation journeys as part of the Industry Transformation Roadmap. This allowed us to raise a seed fund to embark on our R&D journey by bringing together a team led by a veteran chemist. We had a vision to revolutionise the industry and set a new gold standard for being effective, safe and green. Settling for products that poison our environment and damage human cells would become a thing of the past.

Use less, do more

Two years later, we achieved that dream when Speco products were tested to be four times less toxic than table salt. This meant that Speco products were considered even more food-grade safe than the seasonings we use daily. We continuously enhanced our proprietary ingredient to make it non-cytotoxic, causing no damage to human DNA. Being safe on sensitive skin and for long-term exposure, Speco has become an integral part of daily hygiene routines, especially during the pandemic.

Going beyond product safety, we wanted our products to be all-around sustainable and invested in minimising waste creation. This meant more than just recyclable packaging, which is simply not doing enough.

Guided by our “Use Less, Do More” philosophy, we worked on increasing the durability of our solutions such that a single application can now provide self-disinfection for up to 180 days.  A Speco product works better and longer than the average cleaning product. Less product also means less packaging, as do refillable applicators that optimise the amount of solution dispensed.

B Corp certified

Being one of the 5,000 companies worldwide to attain B Corp certification has been one of our proudest achievements since developing our proprietary formula. It was an honour to officialise our commitment to sustainability, and we are grateful to have a network that holds us accountable to the highest global standards.

It is important that our sustainability extends beyond our products and is embodied in every aspect of our business. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are our guiding star, and we are committed to ten goals in creating positive environmental, social and dual impact. Among our commitment to the UN SDGs, our global mission would be SDG 3, providing Good Health and Well-being to all parts of the world. This has given our clients confidence that we are a company with the foresight and a commitment to the longevity of our business. 

Delivering more for less

As an Invironment Protection company, we are constantly looking for new ways of keeping premises safe. For us, the horizon holds more innovation to create products that can fulfil our mission of 720-Degrees Protection, being able to protect premises holistically. 

In a post-pandemic world, there will be a shift in sanitisation regimes. Sending in a disinfection team in full PPE would remind everyone too much of Covid, something everyone is trying to move forward from. A common pain point businesses now face as they try to attract their employees back to the workplace would be to juggle hygiene costs and manage the disruptive nature of a sanitisation regime, all while assuring their employees that the workplace is safe and clean to work in.

Automating sanitisation regimes would be vital in addressing both business cost concerns and assuring workplace health, an area that Speco has invested heavily in during the past two years and identified as our key growth driver for the next 12-24 months.

With even more innovations ready and a mandate to deliver more for less, Speco is prepared to help more people fight the good fight and create a world with zero hidden dangers – sustainably.