Hospitality Experience Program

International ratings systems vary dramatically in format, key performance indicators (KPIs) and transparency. Our hospitality experience program helps you to stand out from the crowd, by offering customers, tour operators and insurers independently verified confirmation of your establishment’s food safety and environmental management practices.

Unlike existing certification schemes, this program is voluntary and based on regular, unannounced third-party assessments of an establishment. It helps ensure that its management is aware of potential risks and takes appropriate measures to reduce them.

Modules

Reflecting market needs, this program comprises four comprehensive modules, each of which focuses on a specific area of concern. These are:

• Risk – food safety, water safety, building safety, security, cyber security and business continuity
• Sustainability – environment protection, waste management and energy saving
• Corporate Social Responsibility – employee welfare, community involvement and respect for diversity
• Quality of Service Experience – execution of mystery inspections or ordinary guest visits without your property’s knowledge

Audit results can be used for benchmarking and comparison across enterprises, both domestically and internationally. Our auditors deliver consistent results, wherever they are located, thereby ensuring that audit results are comparable around the world. Additionally, clients can identify and analyze trends using the Steton tool.

The process

Businesses participating in this program agree the modules to be included, a minimum number of interventions and regular unannounced assessments. The number of on-site assessments may be varied according to the establishment’s performance and any risks identified. All sample testing is conducted in an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory.

SGS HX levels of certification

Establishments meeting the hospitality experience program criteria qualify for a Certificate of Compliance, and can use the SGS Approval Performance Mark on premises and marketing tools to highlight their success. Moreover, compliant establishments can be granted certification at one of three levels, according to their score or ability to meet the requirements of each module. The level of certification given to an establishment reflects their commitment to stakeholders and include:

• HX Silver – for scores of 65% to 84%
• HX Gold – for scores of 85% to 94%
• HX Platinum – for scores of 95% or more

Compulsory and voluntary schemes in combination

Complementing the compulsory modules, our hospitality experience program draws together legal compliance needs with the best of the voluntary schemes:

• SGS Hygiene Monitored Program
• Codex Alimentarius CAC/RCP 1 – 1969 Rev. 4 (2003)
• HACCP pre-requisites
• Federation of Tour Operators – Food Hygiene, Preferred Code of Practice (June 2007)
• Reviewed testing limits, and for swabbing: DIN 10516:2009-05, Food Hygiene – Cleaning & Disinfection
• Applicable local regulations

Why choose the hospitality experience program from SGS?

With a presence in nearly every single region around the globe, our experts speak the local language, understand the culture of the local market and operate consistently and reliably. We have a harmonized approach to delivering services to our customers, leveraging the largest independent network of hospitality and food service experts in the world providing certified verification services.

Find out more, contact us today.