The mandatory criteria that are required for certification depend on the STOKE standard that applies to your organization, but these typically represent around 17% of the total possible points available.
These criteria are designed to protect the integrity of the STOKE Certified label while also ensuring that every organization is meeting certain sustainability reporting requirements (e.g., XX metric tonnes of waste/year, % of repeat clientele, $X,XXX contributions to local communities, etc.). Some of these are also required by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which STOKE adheres to.
Legal Requirements (i.e. Red Flags):
Most of the mandatory criteria can be resolved quite easily either through the use of a STOKE template or tool. However, there are certain questions regarding the legal compliance of your business that you should know ahead of time in case any of these apply to you. In which case, please do not join STOKE until these are resolved:
- Permits / Licenses:
- Health & Safety (water quality, food, liquor, OSHA or equivalent, etc.)
- Labor (employees, contractors, volunteers)
- Construction (existing, ongoing, new)
- Insurance (health, liability, etc.)
- Taxes (business, social security/payroll, etc.)
- Environmental (if applicable: impact studies, remediation, etc.)
- Health and Safety:
- Emergency response plans.
- CPR certification for staff (not all are required).
- Smoke alarms as well as carbon monoxide alarms in relevant areas (i.e. facilities that have gas appliances or fireplaces and/or proximity to combustion engines).
- Zero commercial exploitation (i.e. child labor, human trafficking) in-house or through third-party contractors.
- Community:
- The provision of basic services (power, water, sanitation, etc.) to surrounding communities is not jeopardized by your business or operations.
- Local residents were not displaced involuntarily to make way for development.
- Any indigenous and traditional ownership of resources and/or land has not been exploited or illegally acquired.
- Selling or displaying protected historical artifacts is in accordance with national and international law.
- Comply with local laws and regulations related to the protection of sacred sites (spiritual, geological, or historical) and do not obstruct local access.
- Environment:
- Untreated wastewater (black or greywater) is not released directly into the environment.
- Organic or inorganic waste is not buried or burned.
- Development did not completely remove (i.e. clear cut) original wildlife habitat.
- Buildings do not interfere with water flow, are not built over wetlands, and are not directly on the beach or waterway (i.e. zero setbacks).
- Spill kits are used for petrochemical transport and fueling.
- No wild animals are acquired, bred, or held captive, except for properly regulated and permitted activities according to local and international law.
- Toiletries, cleaning, and laundry products are biodegradable or greywater safe.
- Low (less than 100g/liter) VOC and lead-free paints for construction or renovations.
Sustainability Requirements:
These mandatory criteria are not as high risk as the above, but they are designed to push every STOKE Member toward minimum compliance requirements throughout the standard:
- Sustainability Management System: a set of policies and procedures as they related to your organization’s sustainability initiatives and goals. This can be as simple as a one-pager or as long as thirty pages. Either way, we have a templated doc for STOKE Members that guides your team through the process.
- Passive support for climate advocacy organizations (e.g. petition signing).
- Your organization does not directly contribute to campaigns for politicians who openly deny climate change science and oppose climate policy reform.
- Passively inform employees about the organization’s sustainability initiatives (e.g. employee handbook) and provide basic training/education (e.g. during orientation).
- Based on your research via sustainable seafood organizations (e.g. Marine Stewardship Council), your organization does not purchase seafood that is not in season, known to be farmed (aquaculture), and/or harvested unsustainably, and/or on the endangered species list.
- At least 1 vegetarian/vegan meal option is available at all times.
- Some renewable energy is produced on-site or the organization purchases Renewable Energy Credits (REC) through an independently verified and transparent source that contributes renewable energy to the national or sub-regional grid to offset 100% of the organization’s annual energy needs (international RECs are compliant if not available nationally).
- Measuring Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions which the STOKE Carbon Footprint Calculator or another third-party calculator can assist you with.
- Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources at our business such as on-site fossil fuel combustion (e.g., generators, propane/LPG for cooking, etc.) and fleet fuel consumption (e.g. staff and/or guest shuttles).
- Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy such as electricity and natural gas from the grid.
If any of the above are not applicable (e.g. you do not serve seafood), then you can select N/A for that criterion and it will not count towards your total score.
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If you have questions about any of the above or find yourself in a potential grey area, please email support@stokecertified.com.