Businesses — How to Apply

1. Review the complete instructions detailed below before registering a 12-month license or applying for STEP.
2. Determine if you want your company to be Self-assessed (Step 1), Eco-certified by STI (Step 2), Eco-certified by a 3rd Party (Step 3) and then follow the related instructions.
3. Review our Rates and FAQs to learn more about the process.
4. Select the option you're looking for in the Enrollment Form, then complete and submit the form.

If you want to self-assess your business’ level of sustainability, learn more about best practices in sustainable tourism, or simply take advantage of the benefits offered through STI’s Partner Program, sign up for a 12-month license today. Any business can take part.  There is no obligation to apply for Eco-certification. 

1. Review the complete set of instructions detailed below before registering a 12-month license and receiving access to our online Sustainability Management Framework and Self-assessment Tool.

• Note that our annual license fee is US$250/year for businesses with 1-20 employees, US$500/year for businesses with 21-50 employees, and US$750/year for businesses with more than 50 employees. 
• Annual fees include access to the online STEP Sustainability Framework, Planning & Reporting Guidebook, policy templates, benchmarking tables, and enrollment in our Partner Program.  The fee also includes annual monitoring for Eco-certified businesses who must demonstrate continued adherence to STEP.

2. Select the appropriate “Step 1, 12-month License” in the Enrollment Form based on the size of your business, then complete and submit the form.   
3. After you submit payment, you will receive your license and login information via email. Follow the instructions you receive in the notification email.
4. Once you access the system, you can begin your self-assessment, which is a voluntary procedure. Use the online system as a single platform to score your sustainability efforts, set timelines, assign tasks, upload documents, and apply for certification.

• There are eight primary Sections in the online self-assessment. Each Section is broken into Categories and associated Practices that include Levels of Criteria. These criteria are scored based on difficulty level and are awarded points for Required/Baseline, 2 points for Intermediate, 3 points for Advanced, or 4 points for Industry Leader respectively.  Criterion involving a more reactive approach such as do no harm policies or mitigating negative impacts receive a lower point value. Higher point values are assigned to criteria that are considered industry best practices, including those that encourage proactive actions and resource investments. 
• During the self-assessment, we encourage you to honestly evaluate your business Practices.  In most cases, we find that businesses who are trying to do the right thing have the necessary processes and systems in place but not the policies or documentation.  This is why, to receive full credit for each Practice, you must complete each proceeding Level, starting with Required before moving to Intermediate, Advance and eventually Industry Leader (e.g., in order to receive points for Advanced level criteria, you must have completed Intermediate and Required levels as applicable).  
• This incremental approach encourages companies to draft policies followed by action plans (e.g., Required and Intermediate criteria), implement sustainability systems (e.g., Advanced criteria), and pursue higher levels of sustainability (e.g. Industry Leader criteria).  Final ratings are assigned to applicants based on the STEP Rating System.
• For any Practices you wish to declare as not-applicable, you must provide supporting evidence, which will be reviewed on a case by case basis. For example, if you cite a Practice as N/a because it conflicts with existing local regulations, you should have a copy of the relevant local regulation as evidence. 

5. Use the Planning & Reporting Guidebook, policy templates, and benchmarking tables to improve your overall sustainability, to draft sustainability policies unique to your operations, and to measure and monitor your environmental, social, and economic impacts and performance.
6. If you score high in the self-assessment or want to track your improved success over time, we encourage you to Apply for STEP. 

If you want to Apply for Eco-certification, you must first obtain a Bronze Level Eco-certification rating and demonstrate adherence to the Required/Baseline criteria.

1. Review the complete set of instructions detailed below before Applying for STEP.

• Note that the one-time Application fee is US$250 for businesses with 1-20 employees, US$500 for businesses with 21-50 employees, and US$750 for businesses with more than 50 employees. 
• This fee includes application submission, review and evaluation of Required/Baseline Policies and Documentation (P&D), processing fees, and Eco-certification logo licensing.
• To maintain Eco-certification, annual license renewals and submission of annual reports for monitoring are required. 

2. Select the appropriate “Step 2, STEP Application” in the Application Form based on the size of your business, then complete and submit the form.   
3. After you submit payment, download, complete and sign the following three documents: Affidavit, Confidentiality Agreement, and STEP Logo Licensing Agreement. Submit the signed forms to STI via the online system, email them, fax them to 866-624-8303, or mail them to Sustainable Travel International, 835 SW William Drive, White Salmon, WA 98672, USA. 
4. Upload the Policies & Documentation and related evidence to demonstrate adherence to the criteria that are labeled Required in your self-assessment.

• Via the online system, click the “Step 2 – Application” button on the Dashboard.
• Thoroughly review the 21 Required/Baseline criteria and evaluation guidelines.
• Be sure to follow the Data Storage Guidelines to upload all forms, policies, benchmark tables, and supporting evidence.  Failing to do so, may result in a penalty surcharge of US$150. 

5. Contact STI to initiate the desk assessment.  We will then review and evaluate the information you provide.
6. STI will access your completed Application through the online system, which should include all of the “Required” criteria. 
7. Within 30 days, we will review and evaluate your Policies & Documentation and respond with Corrective Action Requests (CARs) or award you with the Bronze Level Eco-certified rating.  
8. If an Eco-certified rating is awarded, your company will receive eco-label logos and information on marketing and communications support from STI.  Please review STEP Eco-certification Logo Usage for more information on how to communicate this rating.
9. Eco-certification is valid for 3 years and requires annual monitoring.  If an Eco-certified company fails to renew their license, submit annual reports, or neglects their Responsibilities, STI has the right to terminate the Eco-certification. 

• Annual license renewal fees and monitoring reports are due every 12 months from the date of Eco-certification issuance. You will be notified with sufficient time to prepare your annual report.
• Payment information for reoccurring payments for annual licensing fees will be required and options will be provided for those who want to out-out within 60 days of renewal.

If you have received a Bronze Level Eco-certification rating and wish to obtain a Silver, Gold, or Platinum Eco-certification rating, you must schedule an on-site assessment through STI. 

1. Review the complete set of instructions detailed below before scheduling an on-site assessment.

• Note that once your Application has been approved (Step 2), you can schedule an on-site assessment through STI.
• Fees range from US$400-$600/day for businesses with 1-20 employees, US$600-$800/day for businesses with 21-50 employees, and US$800-$1000/day for businesses with more than 50 employees.
• These fees include the Assessor’s time to prepare for the assessments and submit a final report and exclude travel expenses. 
• To maintain Eco-certification, annual license renewals and submission of annual reports for monitoring are required. 

2. Upload the Policies & Documentation and related evidence to demonstrate adherence to any criteria you want to receive credit for, and / or make copies of this information and put it in a binder, so that hard copies of everything you need to demonstrate adherence to STEP is in one place.

• Via the online system, click the “Step 3 – Eco-certification” Button on the Dashboard.
• Prior to the on-site assessment, businesses are expected to have “scored” themselves using the online self-assessment.   
• Thoroughly review all the criteria and evaluation guidelines you want to be scored on. 
• Upload all forms, policies, benchmark tables, and supporting evidence to demonstrate adherence to these criteria.  Be sure to follow the Data Storage Guidelines. Failing to do so, may result in a penalty surcharge of US$150.

3. Once this process is complete, contact STI to schedule an on-site assessment.  We will provide you with a quote and submit an invoice to you.
4. Upon receipt of payment, a STEP-Accredited Assessor will contact you to discuss and finalize the logistics for the on-site assessment and prepare for the on-site assessment by reviewing the information you uploaded.  

• The Assessor will visit your business and assess your operations to verify your performance and documentation and compare their findings with the information submitted in your online self-assessment and application.
• If a business scores “Yes” on any criterion, then the assessor will verify that all evaluation guidelines have been met; if a business scores “No” on any criterion, then the assessor will not verify the evaluation guidelines; if a business scores “N/a” on any criterion, then the assessor will verify if the criterion is in fact not applicable.
• During the on-site assessment, applicants must be available for interviews and provide the assessor with evidence and documentation to support compliance with any given STEP criteria if they expect to receive credit and have that reflected in the final score.
• At the end of the assessment, the Assessor will provide you with Corrective Action Requests (CARs) as applicable and suggest an Eco-certified rating.  If you wish to improve your score, you will have up to ninety (90) days to address the CARs and resubmit supporting evidence to ensure adherence to the criteria and evaluation guidelines.   
• If you do not provide the required documentation to your Assessor within this timeframe, you will receive a rating that is in line with the criteria that have been verified.  

6. After the assessment and after the Corrective Action Requests have been addressed, the Assessor will submit a Final Report to you and to STI, which will include a Final Assessment Score, Suggested Star Rating, and their findings.  The STEP Evaluation Committee will then review the report and provide you with a Final Rating. 
7. If an Eco-certified rating is awarded, your company will receive eco-label logos and information on marketing and communications support from STI.  Please review STEP Eco-certification Logo Usage for more information on how to communicate this rating.       
8. Eco-certification is valid for 3 years and requires annual monitoring.  If an Eco-certified company fails to renew their license, submit annual reports, or neglects their Responsibilities, STI has the right to terminate the Eco-certification. 

• Annual license renewal fees and monitoring reports are due every 12 months from the date of Eco-certification issuance. You will be notified with sufficient time to prepare your annual report.
• Payment information for reoccurring payments for annual licensing fees will be required and options will be provided for those who want to out-out within 60 days of renewal.