The Glendale Chamber of Commerce and the city’s tourism office are encouraging businesses to go above and beyond the sanitization and health protocol recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Chamber and Visit Glendale are handing out pledges for businesses to sign onto and hang a “Glendale Gold Star” certificate in their window to show customers their commitment to health and safety.

These Glendale Gold Star certificates are a self-proclaimation by the business owners to adhere to the checklist that meets and exceeds CDC recommendations, it is not verified by inspection, though the Maricopa County Public Health Department still conducts its regular health inspections.

“We wanted businesses to have a way to show their commitment to going above the minimum standards and for visitors and residents alike to be able to easily identify those businesses that have pledged to do so,” stated Visit Glendale Administrator Danielle Dutsch in a news release.

Glendale businesses can participate in the “Glendale Gold Star” program by pledging to follow enhanced sanitization and health procedures. Interested businesses should contact the Glendale Chamber of Commerce or visit their website at www.glendaleazchamber.org.

Consumers still will need to abide by any individual safety protocols set forth by local, county or state mandates and CDC recommendations.

The Chamber will provide a “Glendale Gold Star” checklist that includes not only the sanitizing efforts set forth by the CDC, but also specifies additional ways a business can go above and beyond and apply those practices to their operations. Once completed, they will return their signed checklist to the Chamber, which will register them as a “Glendale Gold Star” business and provide them a certificate they can display in the window of their establishment.

The Chamber and Visit Glendale (the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau) will maintain a list of participating businesses on their websites. Glendale businesses that take the pledge by Nov. 1 will be entered into a drawing for two round trip tickets on Southwest Airlines.

“There is no way to remove all possible risks,” stated Glendale Chamber President and CEO Robert Heidt in a news release. “This program allows businesses an opportunity to meet and exceed in their sanitization and health processes and allows consumers to have a better understanding about the practices of businesses they choose to visit. This will help keep our community safer, our businesses open, our jobs secure and our economy moving forward.”