---
title: Celebrating 125 Years of ISS
description: Visit our virtual museum to explore our 125-year heritage of making space for people and businesses to thrive.
image: https://www.discoverissuk.com/hubfs/iss125-lp-ogimage_1200x628.png
---

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![2025_ISS 125th anniversary_logo_edge_RGB-HEX_White](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hubfs/2025_ISS%20125th%20anniversary_logo_edge_RGB-HEX_White.svg "2025_ISS 125th anniversary_logo_edge_RGB-HEX_White")

## 125 years, billions of experiences, one global story

A story that began in Copenhagen in 1901 has grown into one of the world’s leading service organisations. From a small night watch company founded to protect the streets of the Danish capital, ISS has continually reinvented itself — guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, a commitment to people, and a belief in the power of service.

Over more than a century, the company has expanded across continents, navigated world events, pioneered new service concepts, and shaped the modern outsourcing industry.

##### Browse our 'virtual museum' below to learn more about our story.

1901 – 1930s

### From night watch to service pioneer

ISS began as *Kjøbenhavn–Frederiksberg Nattevagt* (Copenhagen-Frederiksberg Night Watch) on 1 April 1901 — a night watch company created to protect local businesses during the early hours of the morning. Under the guidance of visionary leaders, notably C.L. David and Philip Sørensen, ISS developed rigorous professional standards, training, and a focus on people, long before “facility services” existed as a concept.

In 1934, a transformational idea took hold: using the gap between night‑watch shifts to deliver organised commercial cleaning. This insight created *Det Danske Rengøringsselskab* (The Danish Cleaning Company), or DDRS, and cemented ISS as a pioneer of contract cleaning — an innovation that would later support its expansion far beyond Denmark.

- ![Original night watchman](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-orig-nw_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-orig-nw_1920x1440.png)
- ![New recruits to the night watch](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-recruits_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-recruits_1920x1440.png)
- ![Female cleaner](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-orig-clnr_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-orig-clnr_1920x1440.png)
- ![Group of male cleaners](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-men-clnrs_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-men-clnrs_1920x1440.png)
  
   Hover message
- ![Mixed group of cleaners](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-mixed-grp_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-mixed-grp_1920x1440.png)
  
   Hover message
- ![Man beside a DDRS car](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-ddrs-car_1920x1440.png?width=1920&height=1440&name=iss125-lp-sec1-gallery-ddrs-car_1920x1440.png)
  
   Hover message

Click on the images above to expand.

 WELFARE

 TRAINING

 STANDARDS

 INNOVATION

![iss125-lp-sec2-tab-gerda_1920x1080](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec2-tab-gerda_1920x1080.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=iss125-lp-sec2-tab-gerda_1920x1080.png)

Gerda Buhl (right) transformed employee welfare at ISS by offering compassionate, practical support to cleaning workers. Through home visits, social counselling, access to benefits, housing help and respite holidays, she strengthened wellbeing, stability and dignity. Her legacy is a culture of care that recognised employees as people first and set new standards for workplace welfare.

![iss125-lp-sec2-tab-training_1920x1080](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec2-tab-training_1920x1080.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=iss125-lp-sec2-tab-training_1920x1080.png)

Training transformed ISS in the 1940s–60s by professionalising cleaning, introducing scientific methods and modern equipment, and raising service quality. Dedicated schools, structured instruction and technical innovation empowered employees, improved efficiency and supported rapid expansion. This commitment to skills and standards helped ISS evolve from a national cleaner into an emerging international service leader.

![iss125-lp-sec2-tab-standards_1920x1080](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec2-tab-standards_1920x1080.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=iss125-lp-sec2-tab-standards_1920x1080.png)

ISS's growth after the war enabled us to standardise methods, training and equipment across expanding operations. This consistency improved quality, efficiency and reliability, allowing services to scale nationally and internationally. Standardisation strengthened our brand, enhanced customer trust and created a unified way of working that supported rapid diversification and the evolution of modern integrated service delivery.

![iss125-lp-sec2-tab-equipment_1920x1080](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-sec2-tab-equipment_1920x1080.png?width=1920&height=1080&name=iss125-lp-sec2-tab-equipment_1920x1080.png)

ISS has always embraced innovation — pioneering new tools, equipment and methods to make work safer, faster and higher quality. From early mechanised polishing machines to scientific cleaning techniques and modern service technologies, ISS continually led the industry, transforming efficiency and elevating standards across every service it delivered.

Browse the tabs above to learn more.

1940s – 1960s

Growth through a changing world

The mid‑20th century saw profound global and societal upheaval—from World War II to the rise of the welfare state and increased industrialisation. Through it all, ISS focused on service quality, professionalisation, and better working conditions for its people.

Key developments included:

- Establishing dedicated training programmes and Denmark’s first cleaning school
- Introducing new technologies such as early mechanised polishers
- Expanding into Sweden and Norway and, later, into Switzerland and Germany
- Building large‑scale operational capability across hospitals, industry, transport and public institutions

By the 1960s, ISS had become a modern, international business — and the foundations were laid for its future global scale.

## Our evolving brand

Over the years, our visual identity has signalled who we are as a business - evoking our services, but also reflecting our leadership and entrepreneurship during changing times.

From single service security and cleaning to a global leader in integrated facility services, our logos capture the spirit of our purpose: Connecting people and places to make the world work better.

##### Explore the different ways ISS has 'looked' over the past 125 years.

![iss125-lp-iss-logo1-dfvs_1200x1200](https://142377380.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hub/142377380/hubfs/iss125-lp-iss-logo1-dfvs_1200x1200.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=iss125-lp-iss-logo1-dfvs_1200x1200.png)

**1** An original logo of the night watch company: *De Forenede Vagtselskaber*, or 'The United Security Companies'.

The vigilant owl, a nod to the night watchman, sits above two heavy keys, representing the security we provide and, most importantly, the trust of our customers.

© ISS A/S Archives

![iss125-lp-iss-logo2-swan_1200x1200](https://142377380.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hub/142377380/hubfs/iss125-lp-iss-logo2-swan_1200x1200.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=iss125-lp-iss-logo2-swan_1200x1200.png)

**2** The logo of *Det Danske Rengøringsselskab* (DDRS), or 'The Danish Cleaning Company'. 

The swan represented cleanliness, purity and professionalism. Introduced with the cleaning company, it conveyed grace, high standards and the transformation of cleaning into a respected, uniformed, modern profession. The expression “*Purgamen – Efficit – Sanitatem*”,  
which translates as “Cleanliness  
ensures healthiness”, was the motto of  
DDRS until 1973.

© ISS A/S Archives

![iss125-lp-iss-logo3-iss70s_1200x1200](https://142377380.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hub/142377380/hubfs/iss125-lp-iss-logo3-iss60s_1200x1200.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=iss125-lp-iss-logo3-iss60s_1200x1200.png)

**3** The first logo of the International Servisytem, or ISS, unveiled in 1970.

After years of change and acquisition, the ISS logo unified diverse service lines under one identity, signalling a shift from separate companies to an integrated, modern service organisation with shared purpose and direction.

© ISS A/S Archives

![iss125-lp-iss-logo4-today_1200x1200](https://142377380.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hub/142377380/hubfs/iss125-lp-iss-logo4-today_1200x1200.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=iss125-lp-iss-logo4-today_1200x1200.png)

**4** The official global logo of ISS today, designed at the start of the new millennium.

The modern ISS logo reflects global scale, unity and trust—clean, bold and recognisable—symbolising reliability, professionalism and the company’s evolution into a leading international service partner.

 

© ISS A/S Archives

1960s – 1990s

### ISS comes to the UK & Ireland

The 1960s and 70s unleashed strong economic growth and the rise of outsourcing. During this period of rapid expansion across Europe, led by CEO Poul Andreassen, ISS crossed the North Sea and landed on British shores in 1966.

The UK swiftly became one of the most important early growth markets outside Denmark and Scandinavia:

- ISS won **15 national contracts** in the early years of tendering and quickly became a key player in the UK's contracting market.
- In the early 1980s, the UK Government’s push for outsourced cleaning and maintenance services opened major opportunities.
- In 1989, ISS made a defining move by establishing itself as a major partner to the NHS (a relationship we proudly continue to this day).

[![iss125-lp-iss-launches-uk-v2_1200x1200](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iss125-lp-iss-launches-uk-v2_1200x1200.png?width=1200&height=1200&name=iss125-lp-iss-launches-uk-v2_1200x1200.png "iss125-lp-iss-launches-uk-v2_1200x1200")](https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0bWXj90)

ISS established operations in the Republic of Ireland in 1994.

![issuk60-lp-fashioning-fab_1200x1200-4](https://www.discoverissuk.com/hubfs/issuk60-lp-fashioning-fab_1200x1200-4.png "issuk60-lp-fashioning-fab_1200x1200-4")

TODAY AND BEYOND...

An engine of growth for a global powerhouse

As the largest region within ISS globally, the UK & Ireland continues to play a defining role in shaping the enterprise's future. We are proud to drive innovation, leadership and vision across our services and markets, strengthening the Group’s performance and purpose.

##### Our contributions have helped build ISS’s historic legacy, and we remain committed to elevating standards, inspiring progress and creating places that work better for everyone.

## Where will the next 125 years take us?

Wherever time takes us, ISS is proud to be an innovator, working in true partnership with our customers to build the workplaces of tomorrow and, of course, working to achieve our mission of creating space for people and businesses to thrive.

#### Help us write the next chapter of our story...

[Explore our services](https://www.issworld.com/en-gb/services/services-we-offer/all-services-and-industries)

[Grow your career with us](https://www.issworld.com/en/career/your-career-at-iss/your-career-at-iss)

[Visit our Investor Portal](https://www.issworld.com/en/investor/investor-relations/investor-relations#:~:text=GL-%2CInvestor%20Relations%2C-Coming%20events)

##  PEOPLE MAKE PLACES 

## 350,000+ people

## 30+ countries

## 40,000+ customers

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---

ISS, a leading workplace experience and facility management company, provides placemaking solutions that contribute to better business performance and makes life easier, more productive and enjoyable — delivered to high standards by people who care. ©2026

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