Funded through the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments, the certification program addresses the following topics – green, clean, and safe. Green signifies being environment-friendly and becoming more aware of avenues to reduce water, fuel and energy consumption, and recycling and taking steps to protect the environment by ongoing improvements to structures and property.
By ‘clean’, the program seeks to ensure cleanliness of not just restaurants and lodging properties, but becoming proactive by preventing outbreaks of bed bugs, flus and viruses. Safety ensures taking a proactive approach from harmful activities and pandemic flu, taking the necessary steps to protect visitors and residents from hazards on the property, working with local police to provide physical safety, and to develop emergency plans to include procedures for informing guests of local dangers and evacuations during hurricanes or fires.
The Green Clean Safe certification trainer has involved management and employees in assessing Staybridge Suites’ existing practices and comparing them to the Green Clean Safe criteria. With the managers and instructor doing a walk-through of the property and completing the checklist of criteria, identifying any deficiencies, a plan of action will then be developed to include staff training on the various aspects of the program as they relate to their specific businesses, and improving the identified deficiencies.
With 50% of the plan being developed with a timeline for completion, a final walk-through will be conducted wherein a business has to meet at least 90% of the criteria to be certified.
The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association serves to promote the industry’s needs, ensure a healthy tourism economy and educate its membership and the public about industry issues.
