What The Ashkin Group does

The Ashkin Group is a privately held, founder-owned consulting firm specializing in green cleaning and sustainability advisory. Founded by Stephen Ashkin — widely recognized as the "Father of Green Cleaning" with industry experience dating to 1981 — the firm operates from Channel Islands Harbor, California, as The Ashkin Group, LLC. It serves government agencies, building owners and property managers, manufacturers, janitorial distributors, cleaning service providers, labor unions, and educational institutions, both domestically and internationally.

The firm's core offerings are professional services rather than software products: High Performance Healthy Cleaning Workshops, Needs Assessments, Sustainability Programs, evaluation of current procedures/products/equipment, system and procedure development, training and implementation, procedure documentation, marketing support, and public relations. The underlying methodology is a domain expertise–led framework grounded in LEED-EBOM cleaning credits (authored by Ashkin) and certifications including ISSA CIMS Green, TRUE, and Green Seal. There is no disclosed software platform, API, or proprietary technology stack; the technology is effectively the firm's accumulated knowledge and standards-defining contributions to the green cleaning movement.

The business model is sales-led, custom-engagement professional services. Clients contact the firm to begin a proposal process; no pricing is publicly disclosed. The firm is founder-controlled with no institutional investment, no disclosed funding events, and no M&A activity. Adjacent ecosystem entities — Green Cleaning University (co-founded, training), Green2Sustainable (CEO-led, broader sustainability advisory), and the Green Cleaning Network (Executive Director–led, industry coalition) — extend the firm's reach but are structured as related organizations rather than subsidiaries.

Name

The Ashkin Group

Legal name

The Ashkin Group, LLC

Website

https://ashkingroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ashkin Group is a privately held consulting firm founded by Stephen Ashkin, the "Father of Green Cleaning," that advises governments, building owners, manufacturers, and cleaning service providers on green cleaning and sustainability programs worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Harbor City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including High Performance Healthy Cleaning Workshops, Needs Assessment, Sustainability Programs, Evaluation of Current Procedures, Products, and Equipment, System/Procedure/Program Development, Training and Implementation, Procedure Documentation, Marketing Development and Support, and Public Relations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Ashkin Group is a professional consulting firm that advises organizations worldwide on green cleaning and sustainability. Services include High Performance Healthy Cleaning Workshops, Needs Assessment, Sustainability Programs to Reduce Costs, Evaluation of Current Procedures/Products/Equipment, System/Procedure/Program Development, Training and Implementation, Procedure Documentation, Marketing Development and Support, and Public Relations.

Product overview

The Ashkin Group is a consulting firm offering advisory and professional services for green cleaning and sustainability. The company's core offerings include consulting services such as High Performance Healthy Cleaning Workshops, Needs Assessments, Sustainability Programs to Reduce Costs, System/Procedure/Program Development, Training and Implementation, Procedure Documentation, and Marketing Development and Support. Steve Ashkin also serves as Executive Director of the Green Cleaning Network, co-founder of Green Cleaning University, and CEO of Green2Sustainable—related organizations that collectively support the green cleaning movement. The company does not appear to offer a traditional software product but rather provides expertise-based consulting services to governments, building owners, manufacturers, cleaning service providers, and other organizations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Cleaning Consulting Services

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Green Building Council (USGBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStephen Ashkin is a founding member of the USGBC and past member of its national Board of Directors. He was the primary author of the cleaning credits in the LEED-EBOM Rating System. The Ashkin Group works with USGBC on health and sustainability initiatives for buildings.
• Building Owners & Managers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Ashkin consults with the Building Owners & Managers Association on sustainability and green cleaning practices for commercial buildings.
• International Facility Management AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Ashkin consults with IFMA on green cleaning and sustainability programs for facility management professionals.
• ISSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ashkin Group works with ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association) on cleaning industry sustainability initiatives. ISSA recognized Steve Ashkin as one of the most important contributors to the professional cleaning industry in its 100-year history.
• FIFAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ashkin Group works with FIFA helping them develop procedures and programs that help keep facilities clean and building users healthy.
• Project Green SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Ashkin serves as a board member for Project Green Schools. The Ashkin Group is committed to the organization's mission of developing the next generation of environmental leaders through education, project-based learning and community service.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Green Seal: Independent non-profit that sets standards and certifies environmentally responsible cleaning products and services. Directly comparable to The Ashkin Group's green cleaning advisory and certification-adjacent work for janitorial contractors and building owners.
• SCS Global Services: Independent third-party certifier offering sustainability standards, auditing, and advisory across cleaning, buildings, and consumer products. Comparable to The Ashkin Group in providing third-party credibility and standards-aligned advisory for green cleaning and sustainability programs.
• Antea Group: Global environmental, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm serving industrial, commercial, and public-sector clients. Closely comparable to The Ashkin Group's EHS and sustainability advisory services, including work with manufacturers and government.
• Leonardo Academy: Non-profit standards developer and sustainability advisory organization, notably behind the ANSI/LEO-4000 sustainable cleaning standard and LEED engagement. Directly comparable as a niche sustainability standards and advisory peer to The Ashkin Group.
• TRUE Zero Waste (GBCI): Zero waste certification program administered by GBCI that The Ashkin Group explicitly references in its cleaning guidance. Directly comparable as a niche sustainability certification peer serving similar facility and building owner customers.

Broad incumbents

• UL Solutions (UL Environment / UL ECVP): Global safety science company offering sustainability certification and advisory across cleaning, products, and facilities. Overlaps with The Ashkin Group's green cleaning and sustainability advisory, though UL operates at far greater scale across many industries.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Global environmental, social, and governance consulting firm serving corporate and government clients. A much larger incumbent that increasingly competes with boutique sustainability consultancies like The Ashkin Group, especially on corporate ESG mandates.
• Ramboll: International engineering, design, and sustainability consultancy with deep environmental and buildings practices. Competes with The Ashkin Group in sustainability advisory for buildings and facilities, but at much greater scale and breadth.

Others

• ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association): Global trade association for the cleaning industry that publishes standards, training, and certifications including CIMS and CIMS Green. An industry ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but operates in an overlapping standards and education space.
• US Green Building Council (USGBC): Non-profit that administers the LEED green building rating system. Long-standing partner of The Ashkin Group and shared standards territory, but USGBC is a credentialing body rather than a paid consulting competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/stephen-ashkin-9905869

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Ashkin Group