The CCIB has issued its first Corporate Social Responsibility Report, for the year 2011. The report highlights the CCIB’s work and commitment in the area of waste recovery, its efforts to offset its carbon footprint, and the increasing amount of social work it undertakes.
BARCELONA – Barcelona’s International Convention Centre (CCIB) releases its first Corporate Social Responsibility Report (CSR), outlining the centre’s activity in 2011. The CCIB carries out a self-evaluation in three main areas: sustainability, social responsibility, and economy.
Sustainability, commitment and action Environmental protection is a priority for the Centre and its environmental management system adheres to the standards established by ISO 14001:2004 and audited by TUV
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In 2011, in addition to maintaining and improving some good practices such as using special recycling bins for managing waste, the CCIB also fulfilled its objective to separate organic kitchen waste; to offset the CO2 produced by its business, by purchasing carbon credits from a sustainable project supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and to study the feasibility of installing a mini wind generator for personal consumption.
The CCIB was also awarded EMAS certification (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme), a voluntary European regulation that recognises organisations that have implemented an environmental management system and are committed to a continuous improvement process, verified by independent auditors.
Promoting talent and equality
In 2011, the CCIB invested around €26,000 in staff training, providing a total of 773 hours. Of this training, 58.86% took place during working hours. It is also worth noting that in the same year 88% of CCIB staff had an indefinite contract.
Furthermore, the centre guaranteed gender and age equality across all professional categories, through its equal opportunities plan: 45% of personnel were women, while men accounted for 55%. With respect to age equality, 45% of staff was aged between 26 and 35, and 49% between 36 and 45.
Commitment to the environment
Social responsibility in the immediate environment is an important aspect for the Centre’s management company. The report therefore includes CCIB’s support of social events by providing spaces, donating materials, and through economic cooperation.
The document also describes the significant increase in satisfaction reported by the Centre’s customers, with an improvement in all areas compared to 2010 (staff, facilities, logistics, technologies, etc.), proving once more that the CCIB is positioned as a benchmark for convention centres in Spain and worldwide.
Evaluation of the various parameters was based on the standards established in the “Sustainability Reporting Guidelines” of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an independent institution that collaborates with the United Nations Environment Programme (PNUMA). Consequently, the economy, the environment, work practices and ethics, human rights and the company’s social and product responsibility are some of the indicators that guided the study. The CCIB intends to publish this CSR report on an annual basis as part of its social and environmental responsibility policy.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
