Re-engineering the Hospitality Industry
Radical social, economic and cultural changes are in progress since second half of 2019 due to COVID19. The hospitality industry is facing a big challenge, and in order to survive, has to change immediately and radically. Additional services should be added in the day to day business, and new rules have to put in place, during daily operation. The B&W qualification criteria, is an Innovative management & assessment tool, which is setting up the base for such radical changes.
The innovation of B&W, consists of create a New operational department, interfacing with the traditional ones (reception, housekeeping, restaurant, administration, etc..), the so called B&W Service Department, dealing directly with the Guests and Visitors Health care safety, in every hospitality structure.
A new kind of activities will be incorporated on a permanent basis, in the daily operation of the hospitality structure.
This implies increase of operational costs, but in the same time it will increase significantly the feeling of safety and well being by Guests and Visitors.
Increase of costs is rather related to the following factors:
- Guarantee a maximum occupancy not exceeding 85%, in order to guarantee a minimum number of Quarantine Rooms. Maximum occupancy level could be also defined by local Authorities.
- Invest in Facilities and specific Human resources employment as well as in Training.
The combination of outside-hospital medical care, emergency care, use of Personal Protective Equipment, Infectious disease preventive measures, provides a challenge which should be effectively handled to ensure Guests and Visitors safety.
The scope of «B&W» Scheme of Qualification Criteria Conformity Assessment is to assure the desired level of health well-being and safety in the context of:
- Non-Communicable Disease Health Incidents, related to acute and intermediate healthcare response to emergencies cases’ management as well as Primary Health care cases’ management.
- Communicable Diseases Incidents, related to the prevention and surveillance of infectious communicable diseases management as well as acute health care response to an emergency, due to an infectious incident or an outbreak in the hosting premises, during an epidemic or pandemic situation.
The above are related, to any «Hospitality Enterprise» delivering services’ to their guests and visitors, defined under the general term: «B&W CERTIFICATION».
The «Enterprise» under the perspective of «B&W» qualification and certification criteria, does not undertake responsibilities related to medical services and does not subsidise the role of any medical care provider, but is aiming to assure effective implementation of health and safety procedures, for all guests and visitors.
«B&W CERT» requirements Framework.
Set of qualification criteria for evaluation and management systems certification, for Hotels, Enterprises, Organisations, Associations or other Institutions, regarding the health safety management of their Guests, in accordance to the specified standard module «B&W Certification».
Historical Background, since 2012.
The first Standard was issued in 2012, under the name Medical Tourism Friendly Hotel (MTFH). In December 2014, a New International Standard, named HSTAR1, related to Guest’s safety for Hospitality premises, massive gatherings’ organisers and hotels’ certification was published, under copyright by Swiss Approval International. In the following years, a continuous improvement through consecutive revisions, was made by the experts team. In total 5 revisions was implemented.
On April 2020, due to the Corona Virus Convid19 Pandemic status, the standard was radically revised, and a new section related to the Infectious Diseases was included. The New Certificate name was defined as B&W CERT. Copyrighted 2020 by Swiss Approval International.
Prerequisites for Certification
The «Enterprise» which applies for the «B&W CERT» qualification and certification, according to the current Requirements Framework, should primarily fulfil the following pre-requisites:
A. It operates as a legally licensed Hospitality «Enterprise» / «Provider» / «Organization» / «Institution», in the country of establishment, according to the existing valid national, legal, and regulatory framework.
B1. In case of Single Hotel, «4» Stars minimum quality for hospitality service level, should be guaranteed by the «Hospitality Enterprise». Camping Facilities are also included in the scope of the present qualification and certification criteria, when applied.
B2. Less than «4» Stars hospitality service level is also possible to be certified according B&W criteria, under specific conditions and provisions, like grouping of facilities, developing and using common resources, etc. Apartments and Villas are also included in this option.
«B&W Service» Management Procedures.
- The «Medical Blue Care» Procedure, handling the «Non-Communicable Medical Incidents», related to the services delivered by the Medical Blue Care Unit.
- The «White Code» Procedure, handling the «Communicable Diseases Incidents», related to the services delivered by the White Code Unit, focus on the main B&W qualification criteria.
Preparing to be B&W certified
The interested Hospitality structure, applies electronically in details to Swiss Approval International, and subsequently it will be given to the Hotel Management the rights to download the Standard. Once the Hotel representative has received the Standard, then can be prepared for certification, starting from Gap Analysis between the existing status and B&W full requirements. Training support modules are also available.
Once achieved the desired level of conformity, Hospitality representative has to apply for Certification. An economical offer for assessment and certification, will follow the Standard delivery and download.
Certification Decision
The Swiss Approval Certification Manager will review and evaluate all related documentation and evidences, as well as eventually auditors’ report, and will decide independently, for the certification or decline.
