BUFFALO, N.Y.—Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service, is extending GreenPath, its award-winning sustainability and environmental system, to its worldwide operations. In a related announcement, Delaware North said it is naming John Huey to a newly created post of director of sustainability and environmental affairs.
Huey was instrumental in the development and implementation of GreenPath, the company’s proprietary and award-winning environmental stewardship program, which began with Delaware North’s operation in Yosemite National Park, and is firmly in place at all parks and resorts, as well as Delaware North’s global headquarters.
“Our unique approach at Yosemite National Park in the early 1990s put Delaware North at the forefront of hospitality companies with a sense of environmental awareness,” said Dennis Szefel, chief administrative officer and the framer of GreenPath. “But being environmentally aware is about more than implementing a conservation program. It’s a mindset that considers what’s good for the planet. This Earth Day is special for us because of the commitment we are making not only to be a more conscientious company, but also to make the world a better place.”
First to Pursue ISO 14001
“Among the companies that bid on the Yosemite contract, only Delaware North stepped up to the plate to accept the challenge and financial burden of mitigating 30 deteriorating underground storage tanks put in place by former concessionaires,” Szefel added. “That commitment to environmental preservation quickly gave rise to the development of GreenPath. Soon after, Delaware North became the first U.S. hospitality company to have its environmental management system registered to the standards put forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14001).”
The announcement of the expansion of GreenPath comes as the company has important environmental initiatives underway at locations such as TD Banknorth Garden in Boston and the Daytona Beach Kennel Club in Daytona, Fla. Efforts are centering on energy efficiency, recycling and other sustainable practices.
Delaware North operates at more than 200 locations throughout the world, serving half of a billion customers each year at its parks, resorts, historic destinations, sporting and entertainment venues, airports and gaming facilities.
The expansion and the creation of the new post underscore the recognition the company places on the importance of stewardship at all of its venues—from national parks to ballparks.
“It’s a significant undertaking given the scope of our operations and our many clients and site partners, but it’s the right thing to do,” Szefel said. “There are also sound business reasons—including energy efficiency—underlying the initiatives.”
Company’s Environmental Accomplishments
Here are a just a few examples of Delaware North’s environmental accomplishments:
• Delaware North Companies Sportservice, the company’s flagship operating company that handles food, beverage and retail services at more than 50 North American sports venues, is working with its clients—team owners and arena managers—on various recycling initiatives for collection and reuse of the thousands of plastic bottles and metal cans fans discard. At Progressive Field in Cleveland, Sportservice has partnered with the Cleveland Indians this season to use cornstarch cups for cold beverages purchased at concession stands. The cups decompose in a landfill in 30 days. Furthermore, it announced last week a new relationship with the Minnesota Twins that will lead to an environmentally friendly ballpark in Minneapolis in 2010.
• The company has developed a “Green Order Guide” to help all of its divisions and locations select environmentally sustainable products such as paper and cleaning products whenever possible.
• A number of Delaware North’s restaurant and retail airport locations—including those in Nashville, Denver and Buffalo—participate in recycling programs.
• At The Ahwahnee and the other hotels and lodges in Yosemite National Park, Delaware North uses as many organic and sustainable food products as possible, including grains, legumes, flour and sugar. Chefs also use free-range beef, antibiotic- and hormone-free pork and organic turkey. All fish is approved by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program. The company partners with local organic farmers to supply many of the food products.
• The California Hotel & Lodging Assn. recently awarded Delaware North a Star of the Industry Award in Good Earthkeeping for the environmental efforts at The Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park. Among the lodge’s accomplishments are: an extensive organic beer, wine and food menu at the dining facilities, picnic benches made from recycled plastic, and recycling of more than 100 tons of solid waste.
• At the Delaware North-operated Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, Calif., kitchen waste is recycled by a local company into liquid fertilizer. Also at Asilomar, Delaware North has invested in ovens that heat up so quickly they can be turned off when not in use.
• GreenPath has garnered more than 40 “green” awards for sustainability, recycling and other programs, including 15 consecutive California Waste Reduction Award Program (WRAP) honors for the company’s Yosemite operations.
• Delaware North is donating $1 million to Nichols School, located in Buffalo, N.Y., where the company is headquartered, towards the sustainability efforts of an environmentally friendly math, science and technology building.
About John Huey
As director of sustainability and environmental affairs for Delaware North Companies, Huey will be responsible for overseeing Delaware North’s environmental management and sustainable efforts for the company’s global operations. As director of environmental affairs for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, his last position, Huey dedicated his work to GreenPath, the company’s innovative and comprehensive environmental management program. Through GreenPath, Huey has worked to protect and conserve natural resources.
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