GLOSSARY OF ACCREDITATION TERMS
The following definitions explain the meaning of terms in relation to accreditation.
The terms are used in the GSTC Accreditation Manual v2.5. Account has beentaken of generic definitions used elsewhere.

Accommodation

Service facilities that regularly provide overnight lodging for travellers in aform of a room or other type of unit and may provide limited or fullservices such as food and beverage, housekeeping, recreational and/orfitness activities, amongst others. The categories of accommodation
involve a large diversity of types and forms that are recurrently evolving
and vary according to the cultural and socio-economic context.
For the purpose of certification, accommodation comprises a wide rangeof categories including but not limited to hotels, hostels, motels, roadsideinns, beach hotels, apartment hotels, tourist residence, bed and breakfast
establishments, tourist residences, farmhouses, holiday dwellings,
glamping sites, and similar accommodations appropriately equipped tooffer at least an overnight stays and/or additional services.

Accreditation

The formal declaration by a neutral third party that the certification
program is administered in a way that meets the relevant norms orstandards of certification program. The process of approval by GSTC of acertification body’s competence to certify organisations to a
GSTC-Recognized standard.

Accreditation Body

An independent entity that operates in conformity with the standard
ISO/IEC 17011 and that is technically competent to accredit CBs toperform conformity assessment using a GSTC-Recognized standard.
Abbreviated “AB”.

Accreditation Cycle

Begins at or after the initial Accreditation Decision date or decision after a
Reaccreditation Assessment and shall not be longer than five years.
Before the end of a cycle, a reaccreditation Assessment shall be
conducted prior to cycle expiration.
Note: usually, the Accreditation cycle has a duration of 5 years.
[adapted from ASI-PRO-101: 2019]

AuditAudit conclusion

A systematic and comprehensive process of investigation throughchecking documents, conducting interviews, observation and othermeans.
The outcome of an audit, after consideration of the audit objectives and allaudit findings.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit criteria

Set of requirements used as a reference against which objective evidence
is compared.
Note 1: If the audit criteria are legal (including statutory or regulatory)
requirements, the words “compliance” or “non-compliance” are often usedin an audit finding.
Note 2: Requirements may include policies, procedures, work instructions,
legal requirements, contractual obligations, etc.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit evidence

Records, statements of fact or other information, which are relevant to theaudit criteria and verifiable.

Audit findings

Results of the evaluation of the collected audit evidence against audit
criteria.
Note 1: Audit findings indicate conformity or nonconformity.
Note 2: Audit findings can lead to the identification of risks, opportunities
for improvement or recording good practices.
Note 3: In English, if the audit criteria are selected from statutory
requirements or regulatory requirements, the audit finding is termed
compliance or non-compliance.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit plan

Description of the activities and arrangements for an audit.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit program

Description of the arrangements for a set of one or more audits plannedfor a specific time frame and directed towards a specific purpose.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit scope

Extent and boundaries of an audit.
Note 1: The audit scope generally includes a description of the physicaland virtual locations, functions, organizational units, activities andprocesses, as well as the time period covered.
Note 2: A virtual location is where an organization performs work or
provides a service using an online environment allowing individuals
irrespective of physical locations to execute processes.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Audit team

One or more persons conducting an audit, supported if needed bytechnical experts.
Note 1: One auditor of the audit team is appointed as the audit teamleader.
Note 2: The audit team can include auditors-in-training.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Capacity

CB
Central office

The potential or suitability for holding, storing, or accommodating(GSTC-D C6/D2) and/or the ability or facility to act (GSTC-D A5).
See Certification Body
The office that is responsible for and centrally controls the management
system.
[SOURCE: IAF MD 1:2018, modified]Certificate holder
Certification

A tourism enterprise, activity or service that has been certified by aGSTC-Accredited CB or a GSTC-Accredited CB
Voluntary, third-party assessment, through an audit, of a tourism
enterprise for conformity to a standard.

Certification Body

A body that verifies that specified requirements relating to a product,process, system, person or body are fulfilled. Abbreviated “CB”. In current
usage, these are often referred to as “conformity assessment bodies” orCABs, which have a slightly broader mandate.

Certification program

GSTC prefers to use the term “Certification Body” in place of “Certification
program”

Certification scheme

A specific, named programme of certification resulting in the granting of acertificate of conformity to a tourism enterprise by a CB along with theright to display a mark associated with the scheme. It is defined by ISO as“[the rules, procedures, and management for carrying out certification]
related to specified [services], to which the same specified requirements,specific rules and procedures apply.” After draft ISO/IEC 17067:2013
Certification system related to specified products, to which the same
specified requirements, specific rules and procedures apply.
Note 1 to entry: The rules, procedures and management for implementing
product, process and service certification are stipulated by the certification
scheme.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065:2012, 3.9, modified]
Note 2: GSTC System is a Certification system

rtification scheme owner

A person or other legal entity who owns the intellectual property
associated with a sustainable tourism certification scheme.

Certification system

Rules, procedures and management for carrying out certification.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000:2004, 2.7, modified]ClientCompliance
Compliance audit

A tourism enterprise that purchases a certification service from a CB.
Conformity in fulfilling official requirements.
An audit conducted on a certificate holder to evaluate the compliance of a
Certification Body’s certification processes and certificate holder’ssustainability management system against certification requirements.
[SOURCE: ASI-INF-20-100-ASI Glossary-V4.0, modified]

Conflict of interest

A situation where the capacity for objectivity of a person or body is at risk.

Conformity

Fulfilment of a requirement.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Conformity assessment
Consultancy

Equivalent standard

A process of checking and verifying the extent to which a tourism
enterprise or certification scheme meets a specified standard and criteria.
The provision, for a fee (directly or indirectly), of expertise to a tourism
enterprise or CB on the design, management and operation of theirservices.
A standard whose requirements have a direct correspondence with therequirements with the GSTC standard. The standard may have differing
presentation, or even in substance, e.g. in providing guidance on how tomeet requirements. Equivalency for purposes of GSTC Recognition
includes harmonized, unified, identical, unilaterally-aligned, andcomparable standards.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.8, and 6.9]

GSTC
GSTC Accreditation

Global Sustainable Tourism Council
Accreditation provided by an Accreditation Body that is endorsed by theGSTC.

STC Accreditation Panel

An independent body of the GSTC that is technically competent andimpartial, that will make decisions on recognizing sustainable tourism
standards and approving certification programmes, and may endorse
accreditation body recommendations to accredit CBs.

GSTC Assurance Panel

An independent body of the GSTC that is technically competent andimpartial, that will make decisions on recognizing sustainable tourism
standards and certification scheme owners, approving certification
programmes, and may endorse accreditation body recommendations toaccredit CBs.

GSTC Criteria

GSTC Criteria are a common understanding of sustainable tourism, andare the minimum that any tourism business should aspire to reach. They
are organized around four main themes: effective sustainability planning;
maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community;
enhancing cultural heritage; and reducing negative impacts to theenvironment. Although the criteria are initially intended for use by theaccommodation and tour operator sectors, they have applicability to theentire tourism industry.

STC Criteria Components

GSTC endorsed
Accreditation Body
GSTC requirements forCBs

The elements of each individual GSTC Criterion which are used to assess
equivalence of a tourism standard with the principles of sustainable
tourism as identified by the GSTC.
A qualified body authorized by the GSTC to manage the accreditation
process and oversee the functions of the GSTC certification programs.
The requirements that a CB shall meet in terms of its structure,management and operational procedures.

GSTC Standard

The minimum requirement of a tourism enterprise that can be recognized
as fully complying with principles of sustainable tourism as identified bythe GSTC and the GSTC Criteria.

GSTC-Accredited

A certification program that has been assessed by the GSTC and found to
be in conformity with all requirements of the GSTC-Accredited Manual

GSTC-Accredited
Application

A correctly completed application made by a CB, requesting
GSTC-Accredited status using the GSTC-Accredited Application Form.

GSTC-Accredited
Requirements

The set of requirements for a CB to obtain GSTC-Accredited status.

GSTC-RecognizedStandard

A sustainable tourism standard that has been evaluated by the GSTC as
being equivalent to the GSTC Criteria.

HotelImpartiality
Initial certification audit

Term treated in a generic way to refer to accommodation.
The ability to make judgements and take decisions that are objective,
based strictly on facts and free from other influences.
Audit carried out by an auditing organization independent of the client andthe parties that rely on certification, for the purpose of certifying the client's
sustainability management processes and sustainability performance.
Note 1: Certification audits include initial, surveillance, re-certification
audits, and can also include special audits.
Note 2: Certification audits are typically conducted by audit teams of thosebodies providing certification of conformity to the requirements of thereference standard.

Major non-conformity

Non-conformity that affects the capability of the management system toachieve the intended results.
Non-conformities could be classified as major in the following
circumstances:• if there is a significant doubt that effective process control is in place, orthat products or services will meet specified requirements;• a number of minor non-conformities associated with the samerequirement or issue could demonstrate a systemic failure and thus
constitute a major non-conformity.

Minor non-conformity

Non-conformity that does not affect the capability of the management
system to achieve the intended results.

Multi-site organization

An organization covered by a single management system comprising an
identified central function (not necessarily the headquarters of theorganization) at which certain processes/activities are planned andcontrolled, and a number of sites (permanent, temporary or virtual) at
which such processes/activities are fully or partially carried out.
[SOURCE: IAF MD 1:2018]

Non-conformityNon-fulfillment of a requirement. The absence of, or failure to meet, anelement of a standard or performance criteria.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Objective evidence

Data supporting the existence or verity of something.
Note 1: Objective evidence can be obtained through observation,measurement, test or by other means.
Note 2: Objective evidence for the purpose of the audit generally consistsof records, statements of fact, or other information which are relevant tothe audit criteria and verifiable.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Performance

Measurable result.
Note 1: Performance can relate either to quantitative or qualitativefindings.
Note 2: Performance can relate to the management of activities,
processes, products, services, systems or organizations.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Process

Set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an
intended result.
[SOURCE: ISO 19011:2018]

Reference standard

A standard used as the reference against which the audit is performed,according to the accreditation granted.
Note: the reference standard could be the GSTC’s Criteria or a GSCT’s
Recognized Standard

Requirement
Scheme owner

Need or expectation that is stated in the reference standard.
Person or organization responsible for developing and maintaining a
specific certification scheme.
Note 1: The scheme owner can be the certification body itself, agovernmental authority, a trade association, a group of certification bodies
or others.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17065:2012, 3.11]

Services providers

Standard owner
Surveillance audit

Subcontracted companies or internal organizations and agents thatprovide a wide variety of services to a tour operator to form a complete
tour package that is marketed to travellers. Services providers involve alarge diversity including but not limited to accommodations, transportation,guiding, food services, attractions of many types, entertainment, amongst
others.
A person or other legal entity who owns the intellectual property
associated with a sustainable tourism standard.
Audit performed as a basis for maintaining the validity of the certification.
Surveillance audits can be performed remotely, on-site or a combination

of both: remote and on-site.
stainability management
process
Sustainable tourism
standard
Third-party
Tour Operator

Process that delivers a sustainability result.
A set of rules and guidelines that define the requirements of tourism
enterprises in delivering sustainable tourism. For GSTC-Recognizedstatus, the standard shall be equivalent to the GSTC Criteria.
Carried out by an individual or body that is independent of the entity beingcertified or accredited.
Businesses/organizations that plan, operate and deliver a complete
package tour to a traveller. The term tour operator involves a large
diversity of types of packagers, transport operators and sellers of travelthat can be combined amongst them and vary according to the set of
products/services offering, ownership structure and/or geographicallocation of their operations.
For the purpose of certification, Tour Operators comprise outbound touroperator, inbound tour operator and land transport providers and any
combination amongst the 3 categories.

Tourism enterprise

An entity providing one or more services to tourists.

Unilaterally alignedstandard

A standard that is equivalent or comparable to the relevant GSTC Criteria
but contains further requirements not contained in the GSTC Criteria.

Witnessed audit

An on-site assessment by a GSTC-appointed reviewer of the conduct of asample certification audit as part of the evaluation of a CB’s application forGSTC-Accredited.