Following in the footsteps of its industry competitors Hilton and Marriott, Hyatt Hotels Corp. on Wednesday announced a new sanitization and safety promise that it said will enhance its operations around employee and guest "safety and peace of mind."
As part of the new program, 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 program that includes detailed training. GBAC is a division of ISSA, the global cleaning industry association. Hyatt intends to complement this program 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 still are in development, but may include colleague certification and trainings; 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 sanitizer stations throughout public and employee areas and entrances; possible purification and sanitization 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 well-being, as well as officials from American Airlines and Maritz Global Events.