Hygieia Network Council Connects, Empowers Women in the Global Cleaning Industry

Nathalie Doobin knows how much mentoring can shape someone’s career.

As the owner and CEO of Harvard Services Group—and BSCAI’s current treasurer—Doobin has been actively involved in the building service contracting world for many years. She personally has benefitted from strong mentoring relationships along the way, but knows for many women, it isn’t always as easy.

“I consider myself blessed to have met these people, as they have all played a significant role in shaping the person I am today,” Doobin said.

That’s why she helped start the Hygieia Network Council, a charity through ISSA that aims to connect women within the industry for mentorship opportunities, professional development and more. It was created for both those seeking to be mentors, those in search of mentoring and companies who want to encourage these types of connections among women of all stations in their organization—from cleaners to CEOs.

“A person’s career and work opportunities are influenced by their work performance, as well as their networks—whether formal or informal,” Doobin said. “Nobody does it alone. Networks can bring you new ideas and the information and support you need to bring ideas to your life.”

The council was established in 2015, and was named for the Greek goddess of cleaning and hygiene. According to a 2017 study by Egon Zehnder, only 54% of women surveyed said they had access to senior leadership who act as mentors or sponsors in their career. Doobin said in a male-dominated industry like the professional cleaning industry, it can be hard for women to connect.

“The cleaning industry is evolving with regard to women leaders, in part because the real estate and property management world is evolving, but it’s still not enough,” she said.

In its early stages, the council seems to already be working. Jen Sherman, of Carlisle Food Service Products, said she was interested in receiving mentoring and was drawn to Hygieia at one of its events. Before that, though, she was unaware of any other events like it.

“It was not something I previously considered because I was, unfortunately, not aware of these types of opportunities in my industry,” Sherman said.

Being able to connect with other women about the challenges and frustrations of the industry has been extremely eye opening, she said. It’s also exposed her to women executives. Not only is that inspiring, she said, it helps her define her own clear path to moving up the career ladder.

“I often talk about the Hygieia program to people I know in the industry and the benefit to my career and my life,” Sherman said. “Much of our life is spent at work so it is important to me that I ensure it is challenging and rewarding to both my professional and personal life.”

To learn more about the Hygieia Network, visit https://hygieianetwork.org/