Join industry leaders from around the world as we bring together the foremost cleaning and facility management associations for an inspiring global gathering. This event explores how associations can stay relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape while continuing to create meaningful value for their members. Together, we’ll exchange insights, share best practices, and learn how local organizations can collaborate globally to elevate the industry’s visibility and impact. With major themes such as sustainability regulation and the transformative power of AI, this meeting offers a unique opportunity to connect, grow, and shape the future of our sector. Be part of the collective momentum driving the industry forward.
This event is in principle for association executives, staff and board members but all interested Interclean visitors and exhibitors are welcome to attend.
Monica’s presentation will begin with an overview of the key sustainability pressures and emerging trends shaping the professional cleaning industry—chemistry, circularity, verified environmental performance and evolving regulatory requirements—that are also strengthening the competitive position of companies able to capitalize on them. We will outline the foundations of our sustainable product certification program, emphasizing the role of rigorous third party verification in preventing greenwashing, the importance of certifications in market standards and procurement frameworks, and the growing importance of data and AI enabled tools for discovering sustainable products.
Drawing on nearly 20 years in essential industries and current work as a CPD-accredited AI trainer, Ceris Burns cuts through the hype to deliver a practical reality check on AI adoption across the cleaning and FM sectors.
Association leaders worldwide are fielding the same questions from members: Where do we start? What's actually working? How do we avoid wasting time and money? The challenge isn't awareness or tools - it's readiness, prioritisation and leadership alignment across manufacturers, distributors and service providers who are all "using AI" but in uncoordinated ways.
The session addresses the gap head-on. Ceris will examine where AI initiatives are stalling and why, how adoption risks differ across the value chain, why certain functions offer safer starting points than others, and what leaders actually need in place before AI delivers consistent ROI.
Building on live insight from scorecard-based readiness assessments and leadership programmes now running across the sector, this session equips association leadrs with practical frameworks to support their members in moving beyond experimentation towards deliberate measureable implementation.
Opportunities and challenges across the globe. Association leaders from across the globe join the two keynote speakers to discuss best practice and differences across their regions
Monica Becker is the Senior Director of Strategy & Development at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and drives growth and impact of the certification program across global sectors. Her work sits at the intersection of sustainable chemistry, circular economy— two of the most consequential shifts reshaping how products are made and used. She leads new program development and strategic partnerships, including with on-line retailers featuring Cradle to Cradle Certified products.
Before joining the C2C Certified Program in 2020, Monica served as Director of Collaborative Innovation at the Change Chemistry (formerly the Green Chemistry & Commerce Council), where she expanded the organization's reach across five major sectors and launched some of its most ambitious programs, including collaborative green chemistry innovation challenges that united major retailers, brands, and suppliers. She built Change Chemistry’s Startup Network and Technology Showcase from the ground up.
Earlier in her career, Monica led her own sustainability consultancy, advising businesses (e.g., Nike, Seventh Generation, Harris Radio), government agencies (e.g., UNEP), trade groups, and NGOs. She's also held leadership roles at RIT's Golisano Institute for Sustainability/REMADE and specialty chemical company Nouryon.
Monica holds dual Master's degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Technology & Policy from MIT, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Robert Stelling has been active in the professional cleaning and hygiene industry for over 14 years. In several roles at RAI Amsterdam he has organized conferences and exhibitions for the professional cleaning and hygiene industry in Europe, the America and Asia and has developed a network and reputation as thought leader within the industry.
Ceris Burns is Managing Director of CBAi and a CPD-accredited AI trainer specialising in practical AI adoption for cleaning, facilities management and environmental sectors. With over 20 years' experience working exclusively in essential industries, she helps organisations and industry associations move beyond AI experimentation towards deliberate, ROI-driven implementation.
A Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ceris has worked with leading international organisations and industry bodies including ISS, JCB, BICSc and i-team Global. She's also a Chartered Environmental Cleaner, bringing deep sector knowledge to her strategic AI consultancy and training programmes.
Ceris founded CBAi to address a critical gap: businesses want to adopt AI but don't know where to start, how to prioritise, or what readiness actually looks like. Her work focuses on leadership alignment, scorecard-based readiness asessments, and practical frameworks that work across sales, marketing, operations and service delivery - supporting association members across the value chain to build confidence and capability.
Fluent in five European languages and known for her direct, warm approach, Ceris cuts through AI hype to enable manufacturers, distributors and service providers to build practical, sector-relevant AI strategies.
