Delaware North believed to be first U.S. airport concessionaire to achieve this environmental distinction.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (October 7, 2009) — Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services at Ft. Lauderdale / Hollywood International Airport has taken airport concessionaires’ environmental efforts to a new level.
Delaware North is believed to be the first airport concessionaire in the United States to achieve International Organization for Standardization (ISO) registration for its environmental management system at Ft. Lauderdale airport. Delaware North received its ISO 14001 certificate of registration earlier this month.
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized set of standards for environmental management and many other systems. ISO’s 14001 environmental standards are designed to help organizations comply with related laws, regulations and requirements, and also to minimize how their operations affect the environment.
“This is an amazing accomplishment for Ft. Lauderdale airport and it’s really been a team effort,” said Matt King, president of Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services. “We’ve had strong support from the airport in this initiative and we’re proud of this achievement.”
Delaware North began its pursuit of ISO registration at Ft. Lauderdale last year when it implemented GreenPath®, the company’s proprietary environmental management system. Since its implementation, GreenPath has helped Delaware North reduce electricity usage, replace inefficient light bulbs with energy-saving light bulbs, reduce water usage and ask vendors to offer products with green value. Most notably, Delaware North initiated a paper, plastic and glass recycling program in its facilities that reduced the waste sent to area landfills by 350 tons since August 2008.
“We’ve made a huge commitment to limiting our environmental impact at Ft. Lauderdale and it’s wonderful to see these positive results,” said Brian Bowdish, general manager for Delaware North at Ft. Lauderdale. “GreenPath has guided our efforts and we know it’s the right thing to do.”
The company began its environmental efforts in the mid-1990s in Yosemite National Park, the operation that initiated the creation of GreenPath. Recently, Delaware North has worked to implement GreenPath throughout its operations, including gaming, entertainment and sports venues and airport restaurants and retail stores throughout the world.
ISO is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards. The non-governmental organization includes representatives from 160 countries.
Delaware North Companies is a global leader in hospitality and food service with operations at such places as Wembley Stadium in the United Kingdom, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and Yosemite National Park. The company’s Travel and Hospitality Services division operates at more than two dozen airports worldwide, including Los Angeles International Airport, Detroit Metro Airport and Melbourne Airport in Australia.