JohnsonDiversey launches White StarTM/MC sustainability certification for Turkish resort facilities
Yagmur Sagnak (far left) addresses the Sustainable Environment and Productivity Summit sponsored by JohnsonDiversey at the launch of the White StarTM/MC hotel sustainability certification program. Yagmur heads JohnsonDiversey's Institutional and Laundry business for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
As a display of our commitment to transform our industry, JohnsonDiversey has initiated a creative approach to help premier lodging facilities meet the demands of tourists attuned to the value of sustainable business practices.
We have partnered with the Turkish Hoteliers Federation and other leading suppliers to the lodging industry to establish the White StarTM/MC program, a systemized approach to evaluating and reducing the environmental impact of a hotel or resort operation. JohnsonDiversey led the creation of the program, partnering with global suppliers Electrolux and Grundfos as cosponsors.
White Star, or Beyaz Yildiz in Turkish, builds on well-recognized star rating systems for the hospitality industry. There are nearly 3,000 hotels in Turkey, one-third of which are rated as five-star accommodations. Any hotel in Turkey can apply for the rigorous White Star audit to assess the environmental impact of its operations and identify areas for improvement. Only those that meet at least 65 percent of the environmental management criteria will earn White Star certification. The White Star audit criteria align with the ISO 14001 environmental management standard, the EU Flower standard of the European Union, and other internationally recognized criteria. To retain White Star certification, hotels and resorts must pass follow-up auditsevery six months.
A White Star audit, conducted by JohnsonDiversey Consulting's environmental engineers, enables participating hotels and resorts to document the environmental impact of their operations, implement a systematic approach to setting and achieving environmental objectives, and regularly assess and improve theirenvironmental profile. These are the key elements ofsustainable environmental operationfor the lodging industry.
We launched the White Star program in August 2008 with a Sustainable Environment and Productivity Summit. Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertug˘rul Günay and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Güler keynoted the summit. A representative of the United Nations Development Program, university professors studying sustainability and corporate environmental responsibility, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations also attended.
"Eliminating non-value adding costs through improving operational efficiency and creating competitive advantage in the international tourism market are very important for making Turkey a destination for environmentally sensitive 'green' tourism. We believe the White Star program is going to be a big step for Turkish tourism," Günay said.
The Energy and Natural Resources Minister also spoke highly of the project.
"One of the most important issues that the earth faces is environmental pollution and environmental disasters that are originating from global warming," Güler said. "Our natural resources are decreasing. Due to this danger at the door of human beings, all the industries of the world have started to rethink the environment and ways of protecting the future of mankind. Environmental consciousness is increasing every day...We should plan many more projects like White Star."
JohnsonDiversey has completed audits of more than 20 hotels, with 14 earning White Star certification. We expect to conduct more than 100 audits in 2009.
White Star certification represents a significant competitive advantage and marketing opportunity for hotels and resorts. The results of the audits will help property managers identify cost savings measures that can range from 20 percent to 80 percent savings on water, air, energy and waste management, while providing facilities that are healthier for human beings and the natural environment.
The White Star program builds on the successful food safety audit and certification model we established with restaurants in Turkey and have since expanded into other areas of Europe. Through the White Lily® program, JohnsonDiversey's food safety experts audit restaurants for compliance with internationally recognized HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) food safety principles. A restaurant that passes the rigorous audit earns White Lily certification, which includes marketing materials that advertise the restaurant's high levels of food safety protection to prospective customers.
The White Lily program has enjoyed high levels of customer awareness throughout Turkey. A recent survey showed that 55 percent of people surveyed knew of the White Lily program in Turkey, and of those, 77 percent said they preferred to dine in White Lily-certified establishments. Sixty-three percent of people who knew about the White Lily program said they would tell others about it and suggest that others look for White Lily icons when selecting restaurants.
We have expanded the success of the White Lily program to other areas of Europe. Chain and independent restaurants alike are seeking JohnsonDiversey's expertise in auditing and food safety consulting through the White Lily program in Poland and Hungary, and we have plans to continue its reach throughout the region.