ICC gets environmental certification, Oasys wins tender

With the advent of United Nations COP17-CMP7 meeting in November 2011, the International Convention Centre (ICC) Durban has been awarded International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001 certification, for environmental management and quality, and Oasys has won the tender to provide all goods, works and services for the event.

Nokuzola Dlangalala (ICC systems compliance officer), Sylvester Ratlabala (SABS, executive), Julie-May Ellingson (ICC chief executive officer) and Frank Makamo (SABS, executive)

As the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 7th conference of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol highlight the environment, it is appropriate that the ICC should have complied with the rigorous performance standards set by ISO, a group that sets quality and environmental management standards for businesses. The event is the largest gathering of participants globally around the issue of climate change and the largest conference ever to be held on the African continent.

Being ISO 14001 certified verifies that the ICC Durban is minimizing its harmful effects on the environment and is continually working to improve its environmental performance. The certification adds to its existing ISO 9001, ISO 22000 and SANS 10330: HACCP certifications.

"Dedication to high-quality management practices"

Julie-May Ellingson, CEO of the ICC says, "We are delighted to receive the certification, confirming ICC Durban's dedication to high-quality management practices. It is a stamp of quality for our organisation and one that our team worked very hard to achieve. Our clients and key stakeholders can be assured that we have become an industry leader, effecting positive change in preserving our environment."

Brian Kennedy, CEO of Oasys Innovations, stated that the company was pleased to have secured such a large tender from the City of Durban for COP17-CMP7 event from 25 November to 11 December. He added that the experience the company gained as a leading service provider during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup, providing and managing the entire overlay project, assisted the team in understanding the diversity and magnitude of COP17. The tender includes communications, branding, tourism and managing the services, events and activities as per the brief.