A Buffalo, N.Y.-based corporation that manages food service, lodging, retail, recreation and transportation operations in national and state parks throughout the United States, DNPS appears to be the first U.S. hospitality company to have its environmental management program registered under ISO 14001. Five DNPS locations have met the standards set forth by ISO. They are:

• Yosemite Concession Services Corporation, a DNPS company that manages hotels, restaurants, retail, transportation and recreation facilities at Yosemite National Park; 
• DNPS at Sequoia National Park, where the company manages the Wuksachi Lodge as well as retail and food service operations;
• Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, Calif., a DNPS-run state park facility on the shores of the Pacific Ocean; 
• DNPS at Grand Canyon National Park, where the company manages retail stores and food service operations; and 
• The DNPS Reservation Call Center in Fresno, Calif.

All of the properties were notified of their ISO registrations following independent audits by NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd.  (NSF-ISR), a firm specializing in measuring companies' environmental and quality management systems against international standards and issuing registrations, including ISO 14001 (environmental management standards). The independent auditing process for these facilities began last June and concluded in mid-October. During that time, DNPS at Yosemite, Sequoia, Asilomar, Grand

The Wuksachi Lodge is made up of four   separate buildings stepped into the side of a mountain some 7,200 feet above sea level. The lodge�s 102 guest rooms are housed in three detached buildings tucked among tall pines and joined by paved footpaths leading to the central building that is the heart of Wuksachi Lodge.

"Our audits revealed that GreenPath, DNPS' environmental management program, is a sound program worthy of ISO 14001 registration," said Kevan Lawlor, president of NSF-ISR. "At each location, we found the company meeting or exceeding both the ISO standards and its own benchmarks, with full staff awareness and participation."
   
ISO sets more than 13,000 international standards for business and governmental agencies, including the well-known ISO 9000 quality assurance standard. ISO introduced its environmental management standards in 1996. Since then, approximately 1,500 U.S. companies have achieved ISO 14001 registration, the majority of which are in the manufacturing industry.
    
"We're proud to be among a select number of U.S. organizations registered under ISO 14001," said Dennis Szefel, president of DNPS. "Since GreenPath was formally initiated last year, we've succeeded in reducing waste and conserving energy, and have contributed to preserving our natural resources. While we have long been committed to responsible stewardship of the locations in which we operate, ISO 14001 validates our efforts toward that end, hopefully inspiring others to follow suit."
    
DNPS designed GreenPath with support from Environmental Resources Management (ERM), a global consulting firm that specializes in the development and implementation of sustainable environmental programs for a broad range of clients.
   
Included among GreenPath's environmental programs is an award-winning recycling and waste reduction program. In 2000, it earned DNPS' Yosemite Concession Services Corporation (YCS) in Yosemite National Park the distinction of Waste Reduction Awards Program of the Year from the California Integrated Waste Management Board, a division of the California Environmental Protection Agency. YCS recycles 33 different materials and diverts 43 percent of its solid waste stream, or 1,685 tons per year, from local landfills.
    
As further evidence of the effect GreenPath is having on the environment, Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds has reduced water consumption by 7 million gallons during the past three years through a variety of means. Among them are: raising employee and guest awareness to report water leaks and reduce water usage, installing faucet aerators, an insulated cover on the swimming pool, and low-flow restroom fixtures and shower heads.
    
Key elements of GreenPath include:

• Incorporation of environmental considerations into all business decisions;
• Continuous promotion of ecologically sound values through educational and interpretive programs, and communication strategies directed at employees, guests, suppliers, nearby communities, regulatory agencies and all others who are part of its business network; 
• Dedication to sustainable programs to achieve reductions in the generation, discharge and emission of waste; and
• Programs to anticipate and respond to future environmental requirements and issues.

John Huey, director of environmental affairs for DNPS, added, "ISO 14001 is a tremendous accomplishment for DNPS. We believe we are the first business operating in national and state parks to be awarded registration, and we may be the first hotel operator in the United States to commit to environmental excellence in the rigorous and formal manner set by ISO."

ISO registration requires the DNPS locations to adhere to a strict schedule of independent environmental audits by NSF-ISR in order to maintain their ISO registrations. These will be performed semi-annually, in addition to DNPS' periodic internal environmental audits and those required by local, state and federal regulators.
    
Delaware North Parks Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delaware North Companies Inc., an 85-year-old, privately held international company headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., that specializes in foodservice, recreation and hospitality management. The parks subsidiary was established in 1993 following the company's being awarded its first contract at Yosemite.