Sustainability Best Practice Guidelines

Our sustainability best practice guidelines have been developed after extensive research, discussion and debate with leading experts, and build on the well developed ideas of leading international figures, organisations and bodies concerned with the principles of eco tourism, sustainable tourism and geotourism.

Hopefully they provide a resource to spark ideas, help set targets, and make plans that will further improve the benefit of your operations to local communities and minimise your environmental impact.

Below is a short introduction to our best practice guidelines to explain our criteria. Our Sustainability Consultancy service is available to measure our full sustainability best practice guidelines against your own business operations. 

The content is ever evolving, so your ideas and comments are always welcome.

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1)    Best Practice: Care for environments

 

Operators are involved in, supporting or donating to locally appropriate projects and initiatives for the protection of local environments, and the rehabilitation and restoration of local biodiversity. 

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Energy

Operations should have zero-carbon output as a key goal. The approach should prioritise a hierarchy of avoidance, reduction, replacement and offsetting of emissions. 

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Travel

Operators should also be working towards a zero carbon travel plan for both staff and guests. 

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Water

The quality and quantity of local water reserves and supplies to local communities are not compromised by the operations of the operator. 

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Waste

Zero waste to landfill is a key aim of operators. A formal policy of waste reduction, re-use and recycling is implemented by staff and guests, in all areas of operation and activity. 

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Purchasing and resource use

There is a formal sustainable resource usage and purchasing policy for both construction and day to day operation. 

 

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2)   Best practice: Care for Communities 

Every effort is made to ensure the local communities and economies are the main beneficiaries of the operation, and that these operations are sustained year round. 

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Employment

Operators will be committed to local employment (including management positions), ongoing training, education and promotion possibilities, fair (living) wages, equal opportunities, regular staff consultation and close observation and co-operation with local and national worker standards/organisations. 

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Economy

For most areas of business operation, long term relationships with local suppliers and service providers are established and carefully monitored. 

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Cultures

Operators respect and value local cultures and customs, and pro-actively support or encourage local community attempts to protect and preserve cultural practices, sites and events and traditional methods. 

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Supply Chain

Tour operators should seek these same environmentally and socially responsible practices by any supplier or sub-contractor they work with, and work closely with local partners on these matters.

 

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