Hyatt has announced a Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment that will include accreditation by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) at all of its hotels around the world, increased training and support resources for employees, and a cross-functional working group of medical experts and industry professionals that will contribute to various aspects of the hotel experience.
“The world as we knew it has been fundamentally changed by COVID-19 and when we are all ready to travel again, we want to make sure that every Hyatt colleague and guest feel confident that each aspect of our commitment is designed with their safety in mind, and that we’re putting their wellbeing first,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO, Hyatt.
“To do this, we must critically examine the hotel experience from every vantage point—from our rooms and our lobbies to our spas and dining—bringing in the latest research, technology and innovation to make that happen. Hyatt’s Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment is an important expression of our purpose to care for people so they can be their best—now and in the future.”
Global cleanliness accreditation
In May 2020, Hyatt plans to introduce a GBAC STAR™ accreditation through a performance-based cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention program that will focus on establishing hotel environments that are sanitary, safe and healthy.
GBAC is a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and is composed of leaders in the area of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis and mitigation, designed specifically to deal with biological threats and real-time crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The GBAC STAR™ accreditation will include detailed training at more than 900 Hyatt hotels worldwide. Hyatt intends to complement this with regular internal and third-party auditing.
Hotel-level sanitization specialists
In response to COVID-19, Hyatt is continuing to develop new work procedures and mandatory training in an effort to ensure safety for employees and guests. Daily employee surveys will be introduced to measure employee comfort, a hotel’s cleanliness, working order and customer service. The results will enable hotel leaders to address opportunities, make necessary adjustments and meet colleagues’ needs in real time.
In addition, as of September 2020, every Hyatt hotel will have at least one person on property trained as hygiene manager. This person will be responsible for their hotel adhering to new operational guidelines and protocols, some of which may include:
- Colleague certification, training and recertification process for hygiene and cleanliness
- Increased frequency of cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants on all high-touch surfaces, guestrooms and shared spaces
- Implementation of enhanced food safety and hygiene protocols for restaurants, room service and group meetings and events
- Prominently placed hand sanitizer stations throughout hotel public and employee areas and entrances
- Exploring purification and sanitization device installation in an effort to ensure enhanced air quality
- Protective masks and other equipment for hotel colleagues
- Social distancing guidelines in public areas across hotel properties
Cross-functional panel of industry experts and professionals
At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Hyatt assembled a global cross-functional response team and engaged infectious diseases and occupational health experts to support efforts with COVID-19 research findings and information. This enabled Hyatt to promptly update detailed guidance to hotels and address specific needs and situations.
This working group will continue to provide counsel on key areas of the company’s business. Topics and advisors under discussion include:
- Health & Hygiene | Dr. Daniel Lucey, M.D., M.P.H., Infectious Diseases Professor, Georgetown University Medical Center; Fellow, Infectious Disease Society of America
- Colleague Safety | Dr. Charles Yarborough, M.D., M.P.H., Preventive/Occupational Medicine Expert; affiliated with Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
- Food & Beverage Safety | Dr. Elaine Black, Ph.D., Food Science and Microbiology, Ecolab
- Travel Journey | Julie Rath, vice-president, Customer Experience, Innovation and Delivery, American Airlines; and David Peckinpaugh, president, Maritz Global Events
- Space Design | Tom Ito, FAIA, LEED® AP, Global Hospitality Leader, Principal, Gensler
- Technology | Ahmad Ouri, CEO, Sonifi
- Wellbeing | senior leadership from the Global Wellness Institute
Additional COVID-19 relief efforts underway by Hyatt include The Hyatt Care Fund, a program designed to support employees with the most pressing financial needs due to COVID-19, through a series of coordinated efforts around the world. Impacted Hyatt employees in owned, managed and franchised hotels and in Hyatt’s corporate offices around the world are eligible to apply. More information is available at www.hyatt.com/hyattcarefund.