The Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the world, along with 14 additional facilities around the globe have achieved GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation.
The accreditation comes from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of the worldwide cleaning industry association, ISSA. Currently, more than 3000 facilities in 66 different countries are undergoing the process of earning GBAC STAR accreditation.
Other newly accredited facilities include the Brazilian Court Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, United Scrap Metal in Philadelphia, and The Palace Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.
Patricia Olinger, GBAC Executive Director, said: “We’re excited to announce the Dubai Mall as the largest facility to date to achieve GBAC STAR accreditation along with these other leading venues around the world. GBAC STAR can adapt to a facility of any size, type, or location, assuring all who visit that it follows the proper practices, procedures, and systems to prepare, respond, and recover from the global pandemic—and other infectious disease outbreaks in the future.”
With a total internal floor area of 5.9m square feet, the Dubai Mall welcomes more than 80m visitors each year and is currently undergoing a massive expansion, paving the way to welcome over 100m visitors.
Several five-star hotels, including the historic Ashford Castle, have successfully achieved GBAC STAR accreditation. The Chase Center joins a growing list of accredited arenas, including the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Plus, the addition of the Long Beach, Palm Springs, Phoenix, and Washington convention centres brings the total number of GBAC STAR-accredited convention centres in the United States to 16.
GBAC STAR is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation for all types of facilities, including retail, stadiums and arenas, hotels, restaurants, commercial, and more. Accreditation ensures a facility has highly skilled and trained cleaning professionals who follow a strict cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to minimize risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
ISSA Executive Director, John Barrett, added: “NO matter where a facility is located, GBAC STAR’s program elements can help organisations establish cleaning and disinfection practices that help prevent the spread of infectious disease. GBAC STAR is truly changing the way the world views cleaning.”
