Businesses — STEP Rates
“Completing the STEP program was an intensive process and very worthwhile for us. It walked us through the steps necessary to evaluate where we are today and what we could and should be doing in the future. Environmental, socio-cultural and economic responsibility is important to us and our guests, and STEP is a great tool for us to guarantee our ongoing commitment to sustainability. The STI staff involved were very knowledgeable and helpful.”
—Britta Diettrich, General Manager, HI-Portland, Northwest Hostel
STEP Fee Structure
STI's STEP Fee Structure is detailed below. For more information on the differences between STEP Assessment, Application, and Eco-certification, please visit the Businesses and Learn How to Apply section of our website.
Volume discounts are available for companies or brands with multiple subsidiaries or destinations, as well as regional sustainable tourism initiatives. Also, note that STEP fees are non-refundable, are reviewed annually, and are subject to change.
Step 1 - Assessment
The fee to purchase a project management & self-assessment license is US$250. This fee includes 6-months access to the Sustainability Planning & Reporting Kit, which provides you with a single platform to evaluate your efforts, set timelines, assign tasks, upload documents, and apply for Eco-certification. The kit also includes an educational workbook, policy templates, benchmarking tables, and a half hour consultation from a Eco-certification Specialist or one full hour for STI Members. Anytime after that is billable to the client at US$75 / hour.
Please note that if you purchase the Assessment license, you are not committed to having your Application processed by STI, but once you go through the process, you will be eligible for Eco-certification.
At the end of the 6-month license, you can opt to not renew your license, pay a 6-month US$125 renewal fee and continue your sSelf-assessment, or Apply for Eco-certification as detailed in Step 2 below.
Step 2 - Application
STEP Application processing fees for those interested in becoming Eco-certified are based on your total number of full time employees or the total number of rooms in your accommodation:
| Full-Time Employees | or Number of Rooms | Annual Fee |
| 1 – 4 employees | 1 – 4 rooms | US$200 |
| 5 – 9 employees | 5 – 19 rooms | US$400 |
| 10 – 19 employees | 20 – 59 rooms | US$500 |
| 20 – 49 employees | 60 – 99 rooms | US$750 |
| 50 – 99 employees | 100 – 149 rooms | US$1250 |
| 100 – 149 employees | 150 – 249 rooms | US$2250 |
| 150 or more employees | 250 or more rooms | US$2750 |
The annual fee includes a 12-month project management & self-assessment license, which includes access to the Sustainability Planning & Reporting Kit as detailed in the Assessment section outlined above. The fee also includes Application submission, review, evaluation, processing and logo licensing as follows: 1 star Eco-certified logo for up to 12 months and the 2-5 star Eco-certified logo for 24 months.
Please note that failure to follow the directions for Application submission outlined on our Apply for STEP web page may result in a delay in processing and or a surcharge of US$75 an hour. STEP Application processing fees DO NOT include the cost of an on-site audit if you wish to become Eco-certified - which is optional - from a STEP Accredited Auditor.
Step 3 - Eco-certification
STEP Auditor fees for those interested in becoming Eco-certified are based on the size of your business. Please note that STI outsources on-site audits to STEP Accredited Auditors who require that all related fees be paid in advance. Their fee structure follows.
The on-site assessment fee is US$800 per diem for businesses and hotels that have less than 10-19 full-time employees or 20-59 rooms, and is US$1200 per diem for larger businesses and hotels. Assessment fees include the cost of the assessment only. Travel rates are US$400 per diem plus travel expenses for businesses and hotels that have less than 10-19 full-time employees or 20-59 rooms, and US$600 per diem plus travel expenses for larger businesses and hotels.
The length of time required to complete an assessment varies according to the size and scope of the applicant's operations, the level of Eco-certification desired, and how prepared and organized the application is with supporting documentation and evidence.
In general, depending on the size of the organization, the number of sites, and the level of preparedness, applications submitted for 3 stars typically require 2 to 4 days to assess, and applications submitted for 4 to 5 stars typically require 3 to 5 days to assess. As a result, each additional star applied for that requires an on-site assessment generally incurs an additional 1 to 2-day fee.
Applicants who schedule an on-site assessment agree to provide reasonable access through either free of charge or at-cost entry for STEP Accredited Auditors to evaluate their products and or services.
For more information, to schedule an assessment or to determine the availability of auditors in your region, contact us.
