CHICAGO — McCormick Place, one of the largest convention centers in North America, achieved the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s GBAC STAR Accreditation — considered to be the gold standard in the industry — in August. The council is a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning association.
The GBAC STAR program is a rigorous process whereby venues are trained in bio-risk management, decontamination and infection control and develop a cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention program to control risks associated with COVID-19 (and other infectious diseases).
“With nearly 3 million visitors each year in addition to thousands of employees and contractors, we are acutely aware of our responsibility to ensure that we are adhering to the highest standards of public health,” said David Causton, General Manager of McCormick Place.
To achieve GBAC STAR accreditation, McCormick Place had to demonstrate that it has the proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques and work practices in place, along with trained cleaning professionals.
Related. Combating COVID at Trade Show and Event Facilities with ISSA’s GBAC STAR Program
Just a handful of convention centers have achieved GBAC STAR status, among them the Anaheim Convention Center; Las Angeles Convention Center; Orange County Convention Center in Orlando; Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans; Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan.; Palm Beach County Convention Center in Palm Beach, Fla.; and San Diego Convention Center.
“Working alongside a third-party group of experts at the Global Biorisk Advisory Council ensures that our facility is held to the highest standard of cleaning worldwide,” said Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. “We know this accreditation is an integral step to ensuring that safety and welcoming back events within our space.”
