THE SUSTAINABLE ISLAND CERTIFICATION PROCESS
The SMILO Label helps recognise islands involved in a continuous improvement process which includes several steps:
- establishing an Island Committee that represents all stakeholders of the area
- adhering to the SMILO philosophy and committing to the certification process
- developing a territory diagnosis as well as defining the issues and priorities of the island
- assessing its interim condition of identifying efforts already provided by the island as well as its commitment to the process
- implementing measures that contribute to achieving the priority objectives of the island
- carrying out a final assessment to obtain the label
- maintaining efforts to improve the sustainability of the area and to keep the label
Throughout this process, several tools are available to the islands:
- strategic and technical support is provided through the availability of experts/facilitators, good practice sheets, participation in Technical workshops, and inter-island meetings
- when eligible (criteria depending on the project), they can have access to the Islands Fund in order to finance measures to achieve priority objectives
1. CREATION OF THE ISLAND COMMITEE
The Island Committee, a keystone of the SMILO approach, brings together the island’s main stakeholders and plans the sustainable development of their terrestrial and marine environments, around a common and shared vision. It is the permanent liaison body with the SMILO association office.
The Committee shall be at least composed of:
- A representative of a local public institution
- Representative(s) of local communities
- A representative of a locally established association
- A land administration representative and/or administrators of protected areas if applicable
- A representative of the island’s main economic industries (agriculture, fishing, hotels and catering structures, craftsmanship…)
Please find all the rules concerning the Island Committee via the following links:
Island Committee Rules
Règles du comité insulaire
Regole del Comitato insulare
Regras do Comité insular
A Committee or a group similar to the Island Committee, can already exist on the island making the application. A Committee whose composition and processes are similar but “incomplete” in regards to these recommendations will have to include new members and new Sustainable Island label requirements in its area of expertise. Finally, if the island does not have any committee of this type, an Island Committee must be created accordingly.
To fill in the composition of your island committee, please fill in the following forms:
Island committee
Comité insulaire
Comitato insulare
Comité insular
2. SUSTAINABLE ISLANDS DECLARATION
The Declaration towards Sustainable Development of Small islands summarises the issues addressed by SMILO. As well as the vision and goals the association intends to share with its members and partners.
By signing this Declaration, the representative of the Island Committee first adheres to the philosophy of the program andthe SMILO network.
It is also a way to formalise membership in the SMILO association. The Declaration also authorises signatures by any other person or legal entity wishing to join the SMILO association.
The Declaration can be accessed via the following links:
3. cOOPERATION AGREEMENT
The Cooperation Agreement is signed by the Island Committee representative when the island commits to the labelling process. This contract details all of the commitments made by the island, and the SMILO association, throughout this process. This step corresponds to the island’s official application to obtain the “Sustainable Island” label.
Please, find the details of the cooperation agreement via the following links:
Cooperation agreement
Contrat de cooperation
Contratto di cooperazione
Contrato de cooperaçao
4. DIAGNOSIS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING
The diagnosis and strategic planning are critical steps in the territorial process, both for setting up operations that will allow establishing sustainable practices that will lead to the certification of the island, and additionally in terms of leading to a shared assessment between the key players of the island Committee. The territorial approach must integrate the key players, human activities, and terrestrial and marine issues…
Creating the island’s diagnosis and the strategic plan allows to:
- make an objective and shared assessment of human practices and activities and island resource management
- measure the margins of progress to work towards a better balance between human development and island resource management.
- Set strategic objectives to achieve in order to obtain international recognition for the island – Sustainable Island Label.
An instruction notice is available to help islands create their diagnosis and define their strategic plan. Available for filling out in grid form. SMILO strategic principles have a guide structure for islands to determine their objectives.
To know more about the diagnosis and strategic planning, click on the following links for the explanatory note:
Explanatory note for developing the island’s diagnosis and defining its strategic plan
Notice explicative pour élaborer le diagnostic de l’île et définir son plan stratégique
Guida esplicativa per l’elaborazione della diagnosi dell’isola e la definizione del piano strategico
Nota explicativa para elaboração do diagnóstico da ilha e definir o seu plano estratégico
To fill your diagnosis and strategic plan, please fill the grid below:
Grid to develop the island’s diagnoses and define its strategic plan
Grille pour élaborer le diagnostic de l’île et définir son plan strategique
Tabella per l’elaborazione delle diagnosi dell’isola e la definizione del piano strategico
Grelha para elaboraçao do diagnostico de ilha e definiçao dseu plano estrategico
The strategic principles and thematics orientations are available with the following links:
Strategic principles
Principes stratégiques
Principi strategici
Princípios estratégicos
5. INTERMEDIARY ASSESSMENT
Once an Island Committee establishes and the Sustainable Island Declaration and Cooperation Agreement are signed, the diagnosis and the strategic plan completed, and the intermediary assessment occurs.
A rapporteur from the assessment committee oversees the completion of steps and develops the assessment.
This assessment allows to:
- Recognise the efforts already made by the island (identified in the island diagnosis) with the possibility of obtaining sectoral prizes by theme if all the guidelines succeed (“strategic principles” doc)
- Certify that the island is actively in a labelling process
To know more about the assessment criteria, click on the assessment sheet below:
Island assessment sheet
Fiche évaluation de l’île
Scheda di valutazione dell’isola
Ficha de avaliaçao de ilha
6. OPERATIONS IMPLEMENTATION / ISLANDS FUND
In this step, islands implement operations that contribute to achieving priority objectives outlined in their strategic plan to improve sustainability.
Once islands are eligible, they can have access to the Islands Fund to finance operations to achieve priority objectives. For more information regarding the Islands Fund, you can read the dedicated page about its process and the projects that are currently supported.
7. PRIORITY OBJECTIVES ACHIEVEMENT
When islands have reached all the priority objectives set in their strategic plan, they must list them in their label application.
To fill the application to obtain the label, click on the links below:
Label application
Demande d’obtention du label
Domanda di ottenimento del label
Pedido de obtençao da certificaçao
8. fINAL ASSESSMENT
The final assessment is made on-site by one or two rapporteurs from the assessment committee, which checks that priority objectives have succeeded on the island.
Later a collegial opinion by the whole assessment committee is proposed to the SMILO NGO Administration Council that officially issues the label.
In case of a rejected label, recommendations allow the island to reapply.
To know more about the assessment criteria, click on the assessment sheet below:
Island assessment sheet
Fiche d’évaluation de l’île
Scheda di valutazione dell’isola
Ficha de avaliaçao da ilha
9. GRANTING THE FINAL LABEL
When islands get the “Sustainable Island” label, it is valid for five years. Every year, they must write an activity report which shows the efforts made on SMILO themes.
Indeed, the SMILO approach is one of continuous improvement, so after five years to keep their label, islands will have to reapply by presenting their updated steps (Island Committee if changed, diagnosis and strategic plan, implementation of operations and priority objectives).
To inform the efforts made each year, please fill the document below:
Label monitoring
Suivi du label
Monitoraggio del label
Acompanhamento da certifiçao