Phoenix Convention Center Pursues Gbac Star™ Facility Accreditation

PHOENIX — The award-winning Phoenix Convention Center announced its commitment to pursue the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. The accreditation is offered by the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), the world's leading trade association for the cleaning industry. GBAC is the industry's only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation.

“Safety and cleanliness have always been a priority for meeting professionals, and the Phoenix Convention Center has done an excellent job of maintaining its facility over the years to meet these expectations," said Visit Phoenix President and CEO Steve Moore. “Pursuing the GBAC STAR™ accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), further demonstrates our commitment to maintain best-in-class safety standards that ensure confidence within the minds of our clients and their attendees."

The GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program establishes requirements to assist facilities with work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as COVID-19.

“Representing the nation's 5th largest city, the Phoenix Convention Center is a dedicated industry leader providing innovative services and cutting-edge amenities for our clients and guests," said Phoenix Convention Center Director John Chan.

The Phoenix Convention Center shares its commitment to GBAC accreditation with other large convention centers across the nation including the Orange County Convention Center, Georgia World Congress Center, Las Vegas Convention Center, and McCormick Place. Pursuing this accreditation demonstrates a facility's dedication to the health and safety of its employees and visitors as a top priority. More than ever, the timing is essential for facilities undergoing GBAC STAR™ accreditation to be prepared to reopen and safely resume in person events.

The GBAC Star program provides venue-cleaning professionals best practices on how to prepare and respond to infectious diseases and biohazards. The program's guidelines are created by GBAC's scientific advisory board, consisting of experts from Harvard, Penn State and Emory universities, as well as governmental agencies. The advisory board members are experienced in microbial-pathogenic threat analysis and mitigation and many of them have experience working directly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, facilities must demonstrate compliance with the program's 20 elements, which include standard operating procedures, risk assessment strategies, personal protective equipment/emergency preparedness and response measures. The program is backed by 10 industry organizations, including the International Association of Venue Managers, International Facility Management Association and International Association of Exhibitions and Events among other leading organizations.

For more information about the GBAC STAR™ accreditation program, visit www.gbac.org. For Phoenix Convention Center event status updates and Coronavirus protocol, please visit www.phoenixconventioncenter.com.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.