Informa Markets’ New Hope Network is committed to safely gathering the natural and organic industry at Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia, Sept 20-23.
We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and implement health protocols as necessary and based on local and state guidance and regulations. We will continue to implement enhanced cleaning and safe sampling protocols as outlined below. The information is current as of August, 2022 and is subject to change as we receive guidance from Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health, state and local health authorities, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the CDC and WHO. We will provide updates in advance of the show to help the community best prepare for Natural Products Expo East.
Informa AllSecure:
Our Commitment to Your Safety
The event will be organized in accordance with Informa AllSecure health and safety standards.
Cleaning & Hygiene
Under Informa AllSecure standards, Expo East will facilitate cleaning and hygiene through the following processes:
Cleaning of High Traffic Areas
All cleaning practices have been thoroughly enhanced to ensure we are exceeding standards for disinfecting and hygiene with an increased focus on key touchpoints including high-traffic areas, handles and rails, restrooms, food and beverage areas, information desks and conference and meeting rooms.
NPEE will be deploying electrostatic disinfection systems on a regular basis to sanitize the show floor and Show Management Service Areas such as Registration, Sales, Show Office and Information Desks.
All chemicals are regularly reviewed and renewed to ensure they are of highest quality in fighting against viruses while maintaining a HACCP compliant food safe environment.
The collection and removal of waste will be increased, and receptacles will be continuously disinfected throughout the show. There will also be an increased number of waste management attendants throughout the campus area.
Personal Hygiene & Cleaning on the Show Floor
All the venue’s high contact surfaces will be disinfected continuously throughout the day. Hand sanitizer will be conveniently placed throughout the facility.
Exhibitor booth cleaning services will be available in the Exhibitor Services Kit (ESK) and will include top to bottom sanitization of booths.
Exhibitors will adhere to sampling regulations which will be enforced by Show Management and the Philadelphia Department of Health.
Sampling Regulations
Sampling is a critical and core component of the Natural Products Expos and we’ve been working closely with local authorities to ensure we’re able to return to sampling in a safe and productive manner.
Moving forward in partnership and compliance with the Philadelphia Health Department, we will require open samples (prepared or cooked) to be served in individual portions and will require gloves, hairnet, a sneeze guard or food cover, and hand washing and sanitation kits. Click here to view the Sampling Guidelines.
These guidelines carry over from our previous policy and are subject to change. We will continue to monitor the City of Philadelphia Health Department's regulations and adjust guidelines accordingly to ensure the continued health and wellness of our community.
Crowd Density Standard (CDS)
NPEE will apply crowd density standards, in accordance with local and state authorities’ guidance, to control the density of the show floor and community gathering spaces and allow for appropriate physical distancing.
Chairs will be distanced in conference sessions with reduced capacities for all rooms.
First Aid
There will be an increased number of First Aid stations and first responders throughout the event. These efforts will continue to be in coordination with local authorities and medical personnel.
GBAC STAR Accreditation
(GBAC) STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response, and recovery! Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, the PCC is one of the largest venues in the northeast to receive the GBAC STAR™ accreditation. For more information, click here.
We're in this together!
- Wash your hands frequently, with soap and water
- Use hand sanitizer often, and avoid touching high traffic touchpoints if possible
- Let people know if you are not comfortable with handshakes, and opt for a fist bump or elbow tap if possible
- Drink plenty of water and get enough rest
- Don't forget to take your vitamins (and add some elderberry for immunity!)
- If you are feeling sick, stay home
Building & HVAC Improvements
Pennsylvania Convention Center building engineers continue to verify the operation of mechanical systemsand will restore all sequences, set points and schedules modified from the rollback of Operations.
Air quality improvements include:
- Increasing building outside air intake/air exchange rates during occupied event hours.
- Ongoing process of replacing HVAC air filters with higher efficiency MERV-14 filters.
- Advanced plasma air purification technology for larger spaces are being installed.
All Life Safety Systems are maintained by the PCC’s in-house and third-party contractors. City of Philadelphia Certification is required for these systems. Records are kept on file and up-to-date on our ALTUM CMMS Software. KONE UV escalator handrail sanitization system installed.
Informa AllSecure FAQs
Informa AllSecure is the approach we are taking to enhancing the health and safety standards in place at Informa events following COVID-19.
From exhibitors to sponsors, speakers, visitors and journalists, those who come to our events come to connect, learn, know more and do more business, effectively and safely.
The standards and practices that make up Informa AllSecure are designed to provide confidence that at every Informa event, we are striving to provide the highest standards of safety, hygiene, cleanliness, and quality.
Informa AllSecure is based on a set of event industry standards, called All Secure.
The All Secure industry standards were developed collaboratively by a group including industry associations UFI, AEO and SISO, event organizers Informa, Reed Exhibitions and Clarion, a range of event venues, suppliers and with input from health, government, and local authorities.
Informa AllSecure is the way these industry-wide All Secure standards are being applied to Informa events.
You can expect to see that health and safety is a priority and that a range of measures are in place to ensure everyone involved is able to enjoy a safe, hygienic, productive, and high-quality organized event experience.
As a starting point, Informa AllSecure events will be run according to the guidance of government or official authority guidance, and according to any venue-specific regulations. In addition, all Informa AllSecure events follow ten key commitments around hygiene, physical distancing, and protection & detection, with additional measures in place where relevant and practical.
No environment or space inside or outside of the home can ever be 100% safe.
At controlled event gatherings like Informa events and through Informa AllSecure, we have put in place a comprehensive range of enhanced standards that make the health and safety of everyone who attends a priority.
Through measures such as enhanced deep cleaning before, during and after events, non-contact registration, distancing and crowd management, and the deployment of screening and requirement of protective equipment, we are striving to provide the highest standards of safety, hygiene and cleanliness, and to ensure that following COVID-19, our customers, partners and colleagues can connect, learn, know more and do business effectively, safely and with confidence.
We are contacting all participants before the event to let them know what to expect at the event and how to prepare. Upon arrival, signage will be displayed throughout the venue to remind everyone of the enhanced health and safety measures that are in place, and our expectations of all visitors.
We are also using technology to reduce the need for physical contact, for example, connecting via mobile app rather than exchanging business cards, and actively managing visitor flow to ensure physical distancing can be maintained.
The above information is subject to change as we continue to track this situation and receive guidance from state and local health authorities, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the CDC and WHO, and we will provide regular and timely updates to help the community best prepare for Expo East.
Questions?
If you have further questions or concerns, contact us at [email protected].
