RIC Achieves GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation

Richmond International Airport (RIC) has announced that it has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, RIC has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in its facilities.

“The GBAC STAR™ Facility accreditation program provides third-party validation of our Building Services team’s cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention protocols and procedures,” said Perry J. Miller, A.A.E., I.A.P., president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Commission. “While we are happy to be a leader among Virginia facilities, becoming the first and only airport in the Commonwealth to earn such accreditation was not our aim. Our single motivation for achieving this certification was to do all we could to ensure passenger safety. We want people to know that it is safe to fly out of RIC.”

As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that the airport implements best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

“GBAC STAR™ accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR, Richmond International Airport has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”

To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, RIC was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.

About Richmond International Airport
Seven major airlines offer nonstop flights from Richmond International Airport (RIC) to major domestic destinations and connecting options to points around the world. Airport activities create nearly 16,000 jobs and contribute $2.1 billion in economic activity annually to the Richmond region, according to the Virginia Department of Aviation. The airport is owned and operated by the Capital Region Airport Commission, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information, please visit the airport’s website.

About GBAC, a Division of ISSA
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.

About ISSA
With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com.

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