Following in the footsteps of its industry competitors
Hilton and Marriott, Hyatt Hotels has announced a new sanitation and safety
promise that it said will enhance its operations around employee and guest
"safety and peace of mind".
As part of the new programme, dubbed its Global Care &
Cleanliness Commitment, Hyatt plans to introduce in May the Global Biorisk
Advisory Council STAR accreditation process for its more than 900 hotels
worldwide. GBAC STAR is a cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease
prevention programme that includes detailed training. GBAC is a division of
ISSA, the global cleaning industry association. Hyatt intends to complement
this programme with regular internal and third-party auditing.
In addition, by September, every Hyatt hotel will have at
least one person on property trained as a hygiene manager who will be
responsible for their hotel adhering to new operational guidance and protocols,
the company said. The protocols are still in development, but may include colleague
certification and training; increased frequency of cleaning with hospital-grade
disinfectants; enhanced food safety and hygiene protocols for restaurants, room
service and meetings and events; prominently placed hand sanitiser stations
throughout public and employee areas and entrances; possible purification and
sanitation device installation to ensure enhanced air quality; protective masks
and other equipment for employees; and social distancing guidance in public
areas.
Hyatt also said it has sought the advice of multiple experts
about various aspects of its operations, including health and hygiene, employee
safety, food and beverage safety, space design, technology and wellbeing, as
well as officials from American Airlines and Maritz Global Events.