The National Aquarium Recognized as Model Facility to Respond to Pandemics by Global Biorisk Advisory Council

The National Aquarium is pleased to announce that it has received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, recognizing venues that model the best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics. GBAC has acknowledged the National Aquarium for its excellence in maintaining a clean and healthy facility throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The GBAC STAR, the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, is the gold standard for prepared facilities. GBAC helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of the International Sanitary Supply Association, the National Aquarium has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention.

“We are proud to share the news of this honor. To achieve this accreditation, we were required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which ranged from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures,” said Holly Whitaker, director of guest services at the National Aquarium. “When you see the blue GBAC STAR proudly displayed around the building, you can feel confident that our custodial team provides a clean and healthy environment for our animals, guests, volunteers and staff.”

The GBAC STAR accreditation offers third-party validation to organizations committed to operating safely with proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy work environments.