Methodology

In August 2001, the Rainforest Alliance proposed a methodology for developing this project based on: 1) the need for a highly participatory and transparent approach, with of a broad range of stakeholders and 2) the need to answer some remaining questions regarding market demand, financial sustainability, and appropriate organizational structure and governance of a Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council.

This chapter delineates the methodology used to encourage stakeholder participation around accreditation discussions and to respond to key market, financial, structural, and implementation questions that this project is trying to answer through stakeholder participation and research. The steps undertaken to develop this project are described below and are also shown schematically in Figure 2.1.

Information Collection

In 1998, the Rainforest Alliance began collecting information about tourism certification. Its staff undertook a preliminary study of this information that led to the development of the STSC proposal. All documents were made available electronically by posting them online at www.rainforest-alliance.org. This information was complemented with a series of interviews with representatives from international conservation organizations, certification specialists and representatives from certification programs. From these interviews, an initial group of advisors3 was consolidated, who helped further develop the conceptualization of the project.

This project was initiated with broad stakeholder support

The Rainforest Alliance received endorsement for the need to explore the possibilities for establishing a STSC by the participants at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Certification workshop convened in November 2000 by the Institute for Policy Studies in New Paltz, New York, which reviewed progress in sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification. The workshop, financed by the Ford Foundation, was attended by 44 experts involved in this event represented a wide range of countries, non-governmental organizations and levels of development of certification programs. Participants came from 20 countries and delegates had experience of sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification programs such as Blue Flag, CST, Green Globe Asia Pacific, CAST, QTC, NEAP, TIANZ, Kiskeya Alternativa, ISO 14000, Alianza Verde’s Green Deal, PAN Parks, SmartVoyager, Horizons and new certification initiatives Brazil, Kenya, Peru, South Africa,

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The initial group of advisors included the following specialists: Andrew Drumm, The Nature Conservancy; Martha Honey, Institute for Policy Studies; Michael Kiernan and Chris Wille, Rainforest Alliance; Greta Ryan, Conservation International; Lawrence Pratt and Crist Inman, Central American Institute of Business Administration (INCAE); Abigail Rome, ecotourism specialist; and Arthur Weissman, Green Seal.

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Sri Lanka, Fiji, and Vermont (USA). Conservation and environmental organizations included UNEP, ECOTRANS, Ecotourism Association of Australia Imaflora, Mafisa, Oceans Blue Foundation, TIES, CREM, CEC, PROARCA/CAPAS, Rainforest Alliance, WWF/UK, Conservation International, Ecotrust Canada, and SOS Mata Atlantica. Other organizations present with expertise in tourism and ecotourism certification and environmental management included BEST, Ecoresorts/African Ecolodges, Lindblad Expeditions, Rainforest Expeditions, R.B. Toth Associates, Environmental Training and Consulting International.

Figure 2.1. STSC project steps

Create Advisory Committee

(ongoing effort)

Rainforest Alliance functions as project coordinator

(18 month period) Hold regional workshops Fundraising Hire team of Specialists (August 2001)

Perform feasibility study

(Beginning in August 2001)

Implement Recommendations

(Project’s second phase)

Preliminary studies

(performed by RA and others)

Issue final report

(December, 2002)

Project Development

Project Supervision

After the endorsement of the proposed STSC project by the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Certification Workshop, the original group of advisors was enhanced with representatives from a coalition of organizations, as listed in Appendix 1. This group, which was constantly strengthen with new voluntary members throughout the development of the project, contributed with expertise in areas such as biodiversity conservation, certification

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and accreditation, sustainability of tourism enterprises, indigenous cultures, and environmental education. They also contributed to the understanding of the political, economic, cultural, social, and environmental elements inherent in the tourism industry. In addition, it was considered necessary to have direct participation from persons engaged in certification programs and the tourism industry who have firsthand knowledge of some of the problems and obstacles with certification programs. By the end of July 2001, the STSC group of advisors was structured into the following two committees:

• Executive Advisory Committee: comprised of individual experts and representatives from the different stakeholder groups including environmental and social NGOs, private sector associations and intergovernmental agencies. The Executive Advisory Committee was responsible for the overall supervision of the project, for making decisions by consensus or majority of votes, approving public statements, and providing guidance in fundraising efforts.

• Core Consultation & Advisory Committee: comprised of representatives from independent tourism companies, tourism certification programs, organizations associated with specific certification programs, and other stewardship councils or accreditation organizations. This group of advisors represented the main source of information and feedback for the team of specialists that develop this study.

All advisors in both committees had the following responsibilities: • Represent their organizations.

• Nominate other organizations and individuals that should become part of this effort to ensure representation of all stakeholders.

• Evaluate project's progress (updates and final results). • Respond periodically to queries by consultants.

• Provide advice on potential new directions for the study. • Allow use of names and affiliations on publications.

• Represent the project to their constituents, staffs and members.

• Participate in quarterly discussions via Internet to evaluate project's progress.

• Participate in a minimum of two and a maximum of four advisors' meetings or conference calls.

Consultation with the STSC advisors was vital to finalize the project’s proposal. At the same time, this core group represented an international, multi-stakeholder team of specialists that steered and supervised the development of this project through a transparent and participatory process.

Project Coordination and Fundraising

The Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainable Tourism Division functioned as the project’s coordinating body. The Rainforest Alliance was viewed as well suited because it is an international, independent, non-profit organization with expertise in certification, accreditation, and consultation processes as well as a balanced understanding of

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conservation, socio-cultural issues, and economic objectives. After reaching consensus from the STSC advisors over the project’s proposal, the Rainforest Alliance received funding from the Ford Foundation to begin the project. In-kind support from all STSC advisors and collaborators, as well as from event organizers during the activities of the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE) in 2002 (see below for list of events), was vital for the development of the project.

Project Development

The project period of investigation was from August 2001 to November 2002. This span of 16 months was set at the planning stage according to the financial and human resources available to carry out the tasks involved.

The Rainforest Alliance, with supervision from the Advisory Committees, hired a team of specialists from the Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms at Leeds Metropolitan University and the Centre for Responsible Tourism at the University of Greenwich in the UK, and Abel Projects Aps in Denmark to carry out the study. These specialists together with the Rainforest Alliance staff became the project’s team, whose objectives and deliverables were grouped in the following four clusters. These objectives are identified and justified in the Terms of References in Appendix 2.

1. Stakeholder participation Objectives

• Ensure the involvement of representatives from different geographic regions and with different interests including representatives from NGOs, certification programs, governmental and intergovernmental agencies, and members of the tourism industry to participate in the discussions concerning the viability of a sustainable tourism accreditation body.

• Maintain an open and participatory approach, and perform the necessary actions to ensure good participation.

• Document and prepare reports of recommendations based on the outcomes of stakeholder meetings.

• This cluster initially included the development of at least three participatory workshops in different regions; a total of fifteen workshops took place during the consultation phase.

2. Market demand Objectives

• Determine what the various stakeholders -- consumer, tourism operators, certification programs and ultimately countries and regions -- need from an accreditation system. 3. Financial sustainability

Objectives

• Undertake a benchmarking study of other financial models implemented by relevant accreditation agencies.

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• Study the financial feasibility, provide potential phases, and recommend a financial model for establishing and maintaining an accreditation organization.

4. Organization and implementation Objectives

• Produce a report on the most effective organizational structure and financial model, with the necessary timing and staffing implications, for a potential STSC, as well as the steps for its implementation.

• Study the feasibility of defining minimum international accreditation standards.

2.1. Background tasks

Background materials were developed by the Rainforest Alliance, through the identification of audiences, the painstaking construction of the consultation and dissemination database from the results achieved, and the development of corporate materials to standardize communications.

Identification of audiences

The dissemination and consultation strategies started with the identification of key audiences. The first stages involved the preparation of short documents to outline the purpose of the project together with a list of methods to participate, and to distribute them through the channels mentioned in subsequent chapters, to gain a core consultation group. As of December 2002, the database had around 1,400 individuals and organizations that were either directly involved in certification, are stakeholders in the process or have shown an interest in participating. The database was updated daily from all information transactions between the project team and its members. The database became a key tool for the dissemination and consultation process, since all entering and leaving communications with stakeholders was collated here, with references to other material that they provided and where they were consulted.

STSC corporate image

The project team devised a corporate image that included letterhead paper and presentation templates, and a suite of proposals for a logo. The templates are currently used, whereas the logos were saved for consideration at a later stage, and it was considered that introducing a STSC logo for the project could be misunderstood and create more conflict than benefits.

STSC’s Web site

The Rainforest Alliance hosted the project’s Web site www.rainforest-alliance.org where all the information about this project was posted to ensure public access. Some of the s that this comprehensive site offers are:

• Project Objective • Project Summary

• International Advisory Committees • Project's Team

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