Hostelling International s Quality & Sustainability Management System: HI-Q&S. Building resilience in our global network of hostels

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1 Hostelling International s Quality & Sustainability Management System: HI-Q&S Builing resilience in our global network of hostels

2 HI-Q&S is a long-term Quality an Sustainability Management System that is suitable to the size an scope of hostelling an aresses social, environmental, economic, quality, human rights, health, safety, risk an crisis management issues. It has a unique framework that allows HI Hostels an HI Associations to rive continuous improvement an avance their quality an sustainability practices. Implementing HI-Q&S increases the transparency an accountability of your association an hostels. Why is this so important? Because it helps eliver the HI Mission, assures operational efficiency, risk management an customer satisfaction while helping our customers make informe ecisions an be part of a global community of responsible travellers. HI-Q&S help us buil resilience in our global network of hostels. The stanars engage hostellers in a viable, equitable an bearable way of travelling that supports HI s values of authenticity, inclusivity, learning an unerstaning an sustainability. HI-Q&S is recognize by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This means that the sustainable tourism stanars have been reviewe by GSTC technical experts an the GSTC Accreitation Panel in orer to be classifie as equivalent to their criteria. GSTC criteria below are marke with an asterisk *. Last upate: /PSS

3 The system is customise accoring to small, stanar an key hostels. The following Auit List is mae up of 3 sections, which is the roamap the hostels follow: 1. HI-Quality (HI-Q) 2. HI-Quality & Sustainability (HI-Q&S) 3. Actions for continuous improvement. Depening on the criteria fulfille, once hostels are certifie they receive the HI-Q or HI-Q&S certificate an bages. Disclaimer: This auit list serves as reference only, it is a short version of the self-assessment auit list of the aspiring HI- Q an HI-Q&S hostels. It oes not inclue the aitional comments, eviences, guielines an supporting ocuments that hostels are provie with to fulfil the criteria. 1

4 The HI-Q&S system is built on the 10 Areas of Sustainable Hostelling an each question is linke to one of the areas: 2

5 Continuous Improvement Sustainable Management System 1 A Declaration of Quality an Sustainability is signe an on isplay. The eclaration is base on the HI Sustainability Charter. 2 A list of all legal requirements is available, incluing environmental, health, safety an labour issues. 3 Evience is available that HI s are met an annually reviewe. 4 Yearly internal quality an sustainability auits are carrie out an necessary improvements are ientifie. 5 A yearly SMART Action Plan is in use. 6 All ientifie weaknesses are ealt with in the SMART Action Plan. 7 Recurring problems are ientifie an ealt with. 8 A clear ocument storage system in is use for controlle ocuments. 9 The hostel is bookable on with sufficient inventory. 10 A checklist is in use for Front Office. 11 Guielines are available for Front Office, incluing how to hanle reservations. 12 *Customer satisfaction, incluing aspects of sustainability, is measure an analyse for improvement. 13 *Complaints are answere quickly, recore an iscusse with staff. 3

6 14 Processes are in place to ensure the HI Membership policy is implemente. 15 Important hostel information given upon reservation an/or check-in is clear an accurate. 16 A reservation system is in use that recors all require etails. 17 Publication of prices an services is accurate an reliable. 18 Reception uses a tool to recor important information for shift upates. 19 Reception coorinates an upates Housekeeping, Maintenance an Kitchen assignments. 20 If relevant, e guielines for hostel activities, incluing safety measures are available. 21 Several marketing channels are in use, preferably in multiple languages. 22 The website is available in at least the local language an English. 23 There is a marketing plan with ealines an efine roles. 24 Proucts an services align with HI Mission, HI Values, HI & National stanars. 25 There is a yearly marketing buget. 26 A checklist is in use for Foo & Beverage. 27 Guielines are available for Foo & Beverage, incluing HACCP or equivalent requirements. 28 All cooks wear protective gear. 29 The kitchen creates menu plans with special ietary items. 30 Oil for frying in fryers is regularly replace. 31 Routine acceptance checks are carrie out for quality an quantity of supplie foo. 4

7 32 A logbook is in use to eal with kitchen equipment failures. 33 Refrigerator an freezer temperatures are routinely monitore an recore, with acceptable tolerance levels. 34 Certifie foo inspection services are in use an previous reports an finings are followe up. 35 The performance of foo preparation contractors is checke yearly. 36 Refrigerator items are labelle with contents, open ate an are not past their expiry ate/within 4 ays of opening. 37 Foo items are store in appropriate conitions. 38 A cleaning plan is in use for the kitchen/bar. 39 Floors/tiles are intact an cooking an storage areas are sufficiently maintaine. 40 There is a way for guests to label their foo items an clear away non-labelle foo. 41 A checklist is in use for Housekeeping. 42 Guielines are available for Housekeeping. 43 The Hostel s cleaning processes eliver a high stanar of cleanliness. 44 The Hostel Manager/person responsible frequently checks the level of cleaning. 45 A checklist is in use for preventive Maintenance & Safety. 46 Shortcomings or maintenance problems are reporte an solve in a set timeframe. 47 Guielines are available for Maintenance & Safety. 48 The Hostels maintenance processes are elivering a high stanar of maintenance. 49 There is an upate list of emergency contacts for maintenance suppliers. 5

8 50 *The planning, siting, esign, construction an renovation for new hostels is base on locally appropriate an sustainable practices an materials an takes into account the capacity an integrity of the natural an cultural surrounings, as well as the HI Sustainability Charter. 51 There are specifications/esign templates for new builings/equipment. 52 There is a buget for maintaining the builing, major equipment an inventory. 53 An IT logbook is in use for failures, events an repairs. 54 Guielines are available for how to purchase, install, hanle an train on IT resources. 55 Risk prevention an fast incient solving are ensure. Financial Sustainability. Creating fair profit & network evelopment NO CRITERIA 56 Written guielines are available for financial issues. 57 There is a yearly buget an a monthly financial reporting system. Small 6

9 Our People. Caring for staff & volunteers NO CRITERIA 58 All employee s responsibilities are efine in a job escription. 59 Inuction is given to all new staff. 60 *Staff have been traine to work with your Quality an Sustainability management system. 61 Staff evaluations/appraisals are ocumente. Small 62 There are yearly training plans for all staff incluing customer care / First ai / fire prevention topics. 63 Regular meetings are hel with staff to avance on the SMART Action Plan an actions are recore. Consuming Sustainably. Equipment, foo & beverage NO CRITERIA 64 There is a list of selecte suppliers available. 65 A logbook is in use for supplier failures. 66 There is evaluation an follow up on poorly performing suppliers. Small 7

10 Hostels that continue an achieve the Sustainability criteria receive the HI-Quality & Sustainability (HI-Q&S) certification. an Hostels nee to fulfil aitional criteria Continuous Improvement. Sustainable Management System 1 *Sustainable actions an performance are communicate to stakeholers an customers at least yearly. 2 If a Sustainability Report is mae by the Association/HI, the hostel has contribute ata. 3 *All promotional materials an marketing communications are accurate, transparent an o not promise more than is being elivere. 8

11 Our People. Caring for staff & volunteers 4 A Sustainability Coorinator has been appointe to guie the implementation an continuous improvement of the HI-Q&S system. 5 *Local an equal employment an avancement opportunities are offere. 6 *Employees are pai at least a living wage. 7 *The sustainability policy is presente uring recruitment an training. 8 *Staff are involve in your vision, strategy, targets, results an circle of continuous improvement in all areas of sustainable tourism. Mobility. Inclusive travel & stay 9 *Assistance is offere for guests with special nees or limitations. Clear an accurate information is provie on the level of accessibility. 10 Guests are informe about how to reach the hostel by public transport. 9

12 11 *Guests are informe about public transport, bike rental, walking activities, natural surrounings an local an cultural heritage. Our Hostels. Achieving carbon neutrality 12 *Energy consumption is measure on a monthly or yearly basis an actions are taken to minimise it. 13 Compressors in refrigerators an freezers are frequently cleane. 14 At least 20% of the lights are energy saving. Our Nature. Managing waste an water 15 *The minimum use of harmful substances with maximum care is ensure, substituting them for harmless ones where possible. 16 A ispensing system is in use for cleaning chemicals. 17 Towels an be linen are only change on request. 10

13 18 Disposable items are not offere. 19 Environmentally harmful liquis are carefully hanle an ispose of. 20 *It is ensure that resiual waste isposal has no averse effects on the local population an the environment. 21 *Guests are aske to contribute to energy saving an separating waste. 22 Recyclables are separate into a minimum of 3 categories. 23 *Staff are traine to save energy an separate waste. 24 Batteries are recycle. 25 At least 90% of the WCs use a maximum of 10 litres per flush. 26 At least 50% of the taps are water saving. 27 At least 50% of the showers are water saving. Protecting Destinations. Culture & bioiversity 28 *Willife is not acquire, bre or hel captive. 11

14 29 *Historical an archaeological artefacts are not sol, trae or isplaye. 30 *Willife species are not harveste, consume, isplaye, sol or trae. 31 Housing, care an hanling of all wil an omestic animals meets the highest stanar of animal welfare. 32 *Protecte living specimens are only kept by those authorise an equippe to care for them humanely. 33 *Free roaming willife interaction activities o not negatively affect their behaviour in the wil. 34 *Activities o not prevent local communities from accessing local historical/archaeological/cultural/spiritual sites. Our Communities. Giving back & builing briges 35 *The acquisition of lan, water an property rights is compliant with local communal an inigenous rights, incluing their free, prior an informe consent. 36 *There is a policy against any form of exploitation an harassment. 37 *Activities o not negatively affect local access to livelihoos or the provision of basic services. 12

15 Consuming Sustainably. Equipment, foo & beverage 38 Steps are taken to reuce the hostel s fooprint. 39 Steps are taken to minimise single-use plastics in the hostel or association. HI-Q&S Free Basket Criteria Actions for continuous improvement to choose from. Hostels: min 30; Hostels: min 50; Optional for Small Hostels. 13

16 Financial Sustainability. Creating fair profit & network evelopment 1 Sustainability actions are consiere when organising staff events. 2 There is a yearly buget for sustainability initiatives. 3 There is an annual or multi-year plan an buget for how to maintain the hostel builing, major equipment an inventory. Our People. Caring for staff & volunteers 4 *All staff receive at least yearly training/upates regaring environmental, social, economic, cultural, health an safety issues. 5 Employees are offere extra social benefits incluing pension, flexible working time an place, maternity leave, social counselling, social committee etc. 6 Accients an incients are recore in orer to prevent future occurrences. 7 *Staff are offere the chance to take part in experiences such as HI Connect or similar. 14

17 8 *Employee satisfaction is monitore. Our Friens. Engaging guests 9 *Activities for solo travellers inclue sustainability eucational elements. 10 *Activities for groups inclue sustainability eucational elements. 11 *A swapping area is provie for guests. Our Communities. Giving back & builing briges 12 *At least two local small entrepreneurs are offere the means to evelop an sell proucts an services base on the area s nature, history an culture. 13 At least three local suppliers are use. 14 At least three suppliers are certifie by a thir party environmental / sustainability label. 15 *The hostel is involve with sustainable tourism planning an management in the estination. 15

18 16 Long-term relationships with at least two community groups are create an supporte. 17 The hostel works with other organisations of similar interest in sustainability. 18 *The hostel avises/eucates local companies or community groups about sustainability. 19 *The hostel supports initiatives for social infrastructure an social community evelopment. 20 If activities take place in inigenous local communities, the hostel collaborates with them an receives consent. Mobility. Inclusive travel & stay 21 *There is at least one guest room aapte for people with isabilities. 22 *The hostel has an Accessibility certification. 23 *Guests are offere the opportunity to compensate their CO2 emissions. 24 *Sustainable moes of transport are offere to rent, with clear information for staff an guests. 25 *Car sharing information is available an encourage. 26 The hostel consciously oes not own a car. 27 *The hostel uses hybri/electric cars. 16

19 28 There is a transportation policy in place for the staff/organisation. 29 *Three or more staff have push bikes or public transport year-roun tickets. Our Hostels. Achieving carbon neutrality 30 *The planning, siting, esign, construction an renovation for new hostels is base on locally appropriate an sustainable practices an materials an takes into account the capacity an integrity of the natural an cultural surrounings, as well as the HI Sustainability Charter. 31 CO2 emissions are measure from all sources an actions are taken to minimise or offset them. 32 An energy analysis/auit has been carrie out in the last 5 years. 33 The proportion of the hostel s lights that are energy saving: 50-80%; % 34 The proportion of the hostel s electricity that comes from renewable sources: 20-50%; 50-80%; >80% 35 The proportion of electrical equipment that is of high energy saving level (at least A+): 20-50%; 50-80%; >80% 36 Heating/cooling is iniviually controllable in the rooms. 37 The proportion of air conitioning appliances that have the highest energy saving level (label A++) an are free from CFS?: 20-50%; >50% 38 No air conitioning appliances are available. 17

20 39 The proportion of the lights that have timers/sensors that automatically switch them off in hallways, washrooms, toilets an outoor areas: 20-50%; 50-80%; >80% 40 The proportion of the heating that comes from renewable sources: 20-50%; 50-80%; >80% 41 All winows are insulate accoring to the newest national or builing regulations. 42 All pipes for heating, hot water an air conitioning are insulate. 43 More than 50% of the ventilation system is connecte to heat recovery. 44 More than 90% of the ventilation system is timer-controlle. 45 More than 90% of office machines are operate with the stanby function. 46 The builing has lifts that prouce energy. 47 None of the guest rooms have televisions. 48 At least 90% of the printe materials use are 1) mae from recycle materials or non-bleache 2) Eco labelle. 49 At least 90% of tissue proucts are 1) mae from recycle materials 2) Eco labelle. Our Nature. Managing waste an water 50 *Water consumption is measure, inicating sources an aopting measures to minimise consumption. 18

21 51 *Water sources are sustainable, making sure they o not negatively affect environmental flow. 52 The proportion of the showers that are water-saving: 50-80%; >80% 53 The proportion of the taps that are water-saving: 50-80%; >80% 54 At least 90% of toilets use a maximum of 6 litres per flush. 55 Rain an/or air conitioning water is collecte an reuse for cleaning or watering the garen. 56 The garen has been esigne in accorance with the water nees of the area. 57 Drip irrigation is in use to water the garen. 58 At least 90% of the soap an shampoo offere is eco labelle. 59 *Chemical consumption is measure an aime to be reuce. 60 The proportion of the general cleaning proucts that are eco labelle: 50-80%; >80% 61 More than 80% of launry proucts are eco labelle. 62 More than 90% of the ishwashing etergent is eco labelle. 63 All heat pumps, refrigerators, freezers an air conitioning equipment are HCFC an CFC-free. 64 Be linen an towels are washe in the hostel. 65 The hostel collaborates with an external eco-labelle launry company. 66 *Mechanisms are in place to reuce, reuse or recycle waste. 67 *Non-recyclable waste is measure. 19

22 68 More than 3 ifferent materials are recycle. 69 The hostel cooperates with municipal authorities/waste isposal companies to reuce an recycle waste. 70 At least 3 suppliers provie goos in returnable packaging. 71 At least 2 goos are purchase in bulk an their packaging is reuse. 72 *Foo waste is composte, either at the hostel or by a local facility. 73 *Foo waste is use for biogas prouction. 74 Only rechargeable batteries are use. 75 Toners are recycle or refille an reuse. Consuming Sustainably. Equipment, foo & beverage 76 *The fair-trae principles of the WFTO are followe for at least two local services an/or goos. 77 The hostel restaurant offers at least 1 vegetarian an 1 vegan meal. 78 The restaurant avois serving foo containing GMOs, or clearly states their use. 79 The restaurant communicates the origin of the meat use. 80 The restaurant avois using foo ingreients with a high environmental impact, such as palm oil. 20

23 81 The restaurant oes not serve foo from unsustainable sources. 82 The number of organic foo proucts / beverages offere for breakfast / in the restaurant: 5-9; >9 83 The number of local foo proucts / beverages offere: 2-4; 5-7; >8 84 Vegetables or spices are grown at the hostel an offere to guests or use in the kitchen. 85 There is a foo sharing system in the guest kitchen. 86 There is no use of iniviually wrappe single portions of meal components. 87 There is no use of single-use cutlery, plates an cups. 88 The hostel oes not sell bottle water an provies water fountains etc. 89 *There is a purchasing policy that prioritises sustainable, local, fair-trae or organic suppliers an proucts. Protecting Destinations. Culture & bioiversity 90 *There is no promotion of activities involving captive willife. 91 *Measures are taken to avoi invasive species an use native ones for lanscaping an restoration. 21

24 92 *Disturbance of natural ecosystems is minimise an rehabilitate. 93 *The hostel supports an contributes to bioiversity conservation in the area. 94 *The hostel supports work on improving paths an area signposting for ecologically sensitive areas. 95 *Guests an staff are eucate on appropriate behaviour while visiting inigenous communities, environmentally an culturally sensitive sites. 96 *The hostel eucates guests an staff on the natural sites, local culture an cultural heritage. 97 Elements of local art/architecture/ cultural heritage are use in operations/esign/ecoration/foo. 98 All activities follow guielines for natural, culturally an historically sensitive site visits. 22