estc 2008: ronald sanabria, rainforest alliance

ESTC • VANCOUVER • OCTOBER 2008

Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council

Origins and Development

Why Consider an International Sustainable Tourism Accreditation System?

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 / ©2008 STSC 3

Challenges in Tourism Certification

MarketingFalse claimsConfusion between tourism certification and other tourism awards and endorsementsConsumer and industry confusion about number and variety of certification seals in the marketplaceLocal certification schemes with no international recognition

CommunicationIsolated effortsFragmentationDuplication of efforts


Challenges in Tourism Certification

International Credibility

Not all labeled as “eco” is truly “eco”- greenwash.

Green labels should have precise requirements and these must be respected.

Need for an international mechanism to help coordinate efforts and enhance credibility of certification through accreditation.


A Missing Link for Effective Certification

Tourism Market

Recognition and acceptance

Tourism Operation (Applicant)

Awarding Body

(Certification Program)

Certification

Accreditation Body

Accreditation


2000 – Unanimous endorsement for undertaking feasibility study at the first international conference on tourism certification (Mohonk Conference).

Development of the Mohonk Agreement.

2001 – Launch of the ECO-LAB project, known as the “VISIT Initiative” tounite ecolabels in Europe.

2001 – Ford Foundation awarded funding for STSC feasibility study.

2001/2002 – Bottom up approach through wide consultation at the International Year of Ecotourism’s regional meetings and others.

Early Developments


Objective:To investigate the possibilities for creating an international stewardship / accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification programs and devise the steps necessary for its implementation.

2001-2003: Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council Feasibility Study


Lessons Learned from other “Stewardship Councils”


Feasibility Study: A participatory process

Advisory Committee with 40 members.

+20 consultation workshops worldwide: Brazil, Australia, UK, Belize, Germany, USA, India, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Sweden, and others.

UNWTO member survey.

All project documents available online www.stscouncil.org

Electronic list-servers, questionnaires and direct communication.


Proposed Main Responsibilities

Promote consumer and industry awareness.

Raise environmental and social standards in the industry.

Provide consumers with information for the selection of socially and environmentally friendly products and services.

Guide the establishment and development of certification programs.

Increase credibility of certification programs through accreditation.


Perceived Benefits from Consultations

Protect the environment, residents and consumer rights by reducing “greenwashing” and false claims.

Give exposure to certification programs and their certified products as globally recognised sound operations.

Service tour operators, travel agencies, associations and NGOs committed to sustainable tourism to identify sound programs to recognize or work with.

Promote a powerful global brand with marketing value to complementcurrent marketing strategies of accredited certification programs.


STSC Feasibility StudySummary Results & Recommendations

Documentation of worldwide interest in a stewardship system to accredit sound certification programs.

Proposal for a phased implementation plan.

First step: consolidation of regional networks to strengthen certification programs.

VISIT Standard with 21 key requirements

12 VISIT Eco-labels

VISIT Message

VISIT Promotion and Marketing

VISIT Association: 8 certificates & other

1.to achieve agreement with leading tourism eco-labels on a common basic standard

2. to identify highly reliable eco-labels with their individual strengths

3. to raise awareness for eco-labels, VISIT indicators for destinations

4. to facilitate the access to certified products

5. to establish a European network of eco-labels

2001-2004

2005-2007

2008- … VISIT workshop Jan.08 work program 2008 – 2009 (under dev.)

TourBench system for monitoring & benchmarking (9 languages)

ECEAT, ANPA Reisepavillon, ECOTRANS,NFI

One Example of a Regional Network: VISIT

2003: Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas


Further Progress (2003-2008)

2003 – Launch of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas.2003/2004 – UNWTO regional conferences on tourism

certification.2004/2007 – TIES-CESD research on marketing, SMEs

participation, monitoring & evaluation and finances of certification.2005 – Initial organizing of virtual network in Asia Pacific (TIES).2008 – Initial networking in Southern Africa (FTTSA, Green

Wilderness). 2004/2005 – Ford Fndn-funded partnership.

1. Developed the UNEP and UNWTO publication entitled “Making Tourism More Sustainable: a Guide for Policy Makers”.

2. Develop initial baseline criteria for sustainable tourism certification programs in the Americas.

3. Hosted a high level consultation meeting to discuss need for developing a business plan for the STSC (Oct. 2005).

Partnership Accomplishments


“The core mission of the STSC is to enhance the sustainability of tourism operations by ensuring better environmental and social performance, and improved

economic benefits to local communities and to certified businesses worldwide.”

2006-2007: Business Plan for the STSC

Proposals for Implementation

STSC Temporary Executive Board –12 seats

STSC Advisory Council

(covering global regions)

STSC Board of Directors12

Executive Director andProgram Staff

7-13

STSCStakeholder Council

32-40

STSC Global

Network on

Sustainable Tourism

Certification

Membership Organization

1 KnowledgeNetwork Phase 2007

2 Partnership Phase 2007 - 2008

3 Accreditation Phase2009 - 2012

Coordinator andDevelopment Officer

Three-phased Development of the STSC Core Governance Body & Staff

Initial multi-stakeholder councilwith regional representation

32-40 Seats


The fundamental STSC financial dynamics

Financial needs, by phase2008 Network phase: estimated: $90,000

2008-9 Partnership phase:estimated: $600,000

2009-12 Accreditation phase: est. average of $1.6 million per year

Financial sources, by phaseFoundations

Foundations, intergov. agencies, and businesses

Foundations, accreditation revenues, training & license fees ( financial sustainability by 2012)



Placing the STSC finances in context

Total core FSC global administrative costs of €5 million/year, covers accreditation and system management for 10% of the worlds working forests, more than 1000 forest management certificates, and 8000 chain-of-custody certificates (est. 0.05% of wholesale price of harvests)Total Fairtrade Labelling global administrative costs of €25 million/year, covers certification and management of retail sales exceeding €3 billion in 2007 (0.8% of sales), with sales growing much more rapidly than costs



How do we...set up a credible certification program?connect with others also working on certification to share experiences?

How can I...get more information about what an ecologo means?give priority to selling certified if I do not how credible and trustworthy a certification program is?

2008: Increased Demand for Information


Increase Demand for Information

How can we increase...market benefits of selling certified and getting certified? access of small operations to certification processes?

Where...should I stay during my vacation to make sure I am contributing to local development?


July 2004

“Hundreds of businesses tout their “ecotourism”credentials, and scores of organizations work to certify that some of these are actually valid, yet the uninitiated traveler has no way of knowing whether the Ecotourism Society of Saskatchewan is as effective as Australia’s Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program, or whether that wonderful guide in Borneo spends his weekends poaching tropical snakes.”-– Barry Lynn, “The Accidental Ecotourist.”American Way

“The confusing array ofeco-certification programsaround the world promptsa push for a universal standard.”-– John Newton, “It’s NotEasy Being Green,” Conde Nast Traveler

“Unfortunately, there is no international agency that guarantees if a trip is ecological or eco-friendly. There is no agency that awards an international seal of approval, whereas there are, literally, hundreds of programs that all have different standards…”-- Pauline Frommer, “Eco-Tourism: Environmentally Friendly Vacations,” BusinessWeek television

What’s the word?Increased Coverage from Media


“…Unlike timber products, which have the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure the wood has come from a well-managed forest, the tourism industry lacks a common set of standards. The Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (www.stscouncil.org) could be the beacon in this green fog... the proposed council will accredit the certification programs, providing a global mark that travellers can trust everywhere in the world.

-- Hannah Hoag, “Everyone is getting on the green-travel bandwagon, but which choices truly make a difference?” The Globe and Mail (Canada)

“The problem is that in the United States, "we don't have one single source that clearly defines what is or is not a green hotel," said Glenn Hasek, editor and publisher of Green Lodging News, an independent e-mail newsletter that covers the eco-hotel industry. Unlike in Canada, Costa Rica and some other countries, no single U.S. agency or organization verifies the credentials of eco-lodging. Nor are there many guidebooks or comprehensive directories devoted to the subject.” – Gary Lee, Washington Post


Steps toward the launch of the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 / ©2008 STSC 26Wednesday, November 05, 2008 / ©2008 STSC 26

April 2008 Meeting at UNEP

38 participants from 16 countries, covering all stakeholder groups including existing certification systems, international finance institutions, social and environmental NGOs, and representatives of UNWTO, UNEP, and the UN Foundation.Structured to review history, need, and intent, and to consolidate final agreements on processes for moving toward the launch.Designed to create a “road map” of steps toward eventual launch of the STSC.


Agreement on basic elements of the STSC

NOT, a new global sustainable tourism certification systemRATHER, a global accreditation system that lends credibility to all existing and future certification systems that meet minimum criteria, based on the UN baseline criteriaORGANIZED, as a stand-alone multi-stakeholder NGO, with representation from environmental and social groups and the tourism industry, and technical advice from UNEP & UNWTOFINANCED, initially by foundation and industry sources, but eventually in fee-based self-financed sustainabilityGOVERNED, by a balanced international board of directors elected by a full assembly of stakeholders


Outcomes of the meeting

Agreement to proceed to a launch of the STSC, hopefully in January 2009 in a UN-affiliated space in New York.Agreement to launch a UN Type II Partnership (70+ partners already committed).Agreement on a process to create a Temporary Executive Board to organize the stand-alone NGO.Agreement by UNEP to serve as administrative & fiscal sponsor for the launch activities, until the new NGO is formed.


Temporary Executive Board

Chris Thompson Business Chamber –EuropeKelly Bricker Business Chamber – Intl.Amos Bien Business Chamber- Latin AmericaSteve Noakes Business Chamber- Asia PacificNeel Inamdar Environmental Chamber –Intl.Oliver Hillel Environmental Chamber –Intl.Martina Kohl Environmental Chamber –Europe Naut Kusters Environmental Chamber –EuropeErika Harms Social-Cultural Chamber –Intl.

Tricia Barnett Social-Cultural Chamber-Intl.

Luis Sarmento Social-Cultural Chamber- AfricaAnna Spenceley Social-Cultural Chamber- AfricaHerbert Hamele Independent Chamber – EuropeMichael Conroy Independent Chamber –USCathy Parsons Independent Chamber –Asia PacificGuy Chester Independent Chamber –Asia PacificFabian Roman Independent Chamber –Latin America


STSC Next Steps

Registration of the STSC as a UN Type II Partnership. Become part of it! [email protected] cross regional exchanges among regional networks.Reach agreement on criteria for sound certification programs.Seek and confirm seed funding for its launch. Target date: January 2009.

Questions, Answers & Testimonials

www.stscouncil.org

[email protected]

Tel/Fax: +506 2 234-8916 ext 143

estc 2008: ronald sanabria, rainforest alliance

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