1. Sustainability Management & Legal compliance

Our company recognizes that reducing negative impacts and increasing benefits to people and the planet is a long-term process, which requires a step by step, systematic approach. We commit to sustainability management through the following actions:

• Appoint a responsible staff member as our sustainability coordinator.
• Have a sustainability mission statement and written sustainability policy which aim to reduce the negative impacts of the company’s operations.
• Communicate these policies to staff, customers, partners and suppliers.
• Use the ATTA-Travelife online platform to conduct a baseline assessment of our company’s performance across all areas of the ATTA-Travelife standard;
• Systematically improve the sustainability performance of our key suppliers.
• Have a sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, responsibilities and time planning; with documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, objectives and targets.
• Ensure our staff are aware of our Sustainability Policy and acting.
• Communicate and report the progress of our sustainability policy and actions.

2. Internal management: social policy & human rights

We recognize that sustainability includes a commitment to people and planet. Social aspects of sustainability performance need to begin inside our company. How we treat our staff is a core aspect of our sustainability performance. We commit to having a clearly written and well-communicated social policy that includes, at least: paying staff the minimum wage or above; providing yearly holidays; maternity and sick leave.

We also agree to have a health and safety policy for employees, which complies with national legal standards; to prohibit discrimination in employment conditions on the grounds of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation; and to obey national laws concerning the employment of young people.

3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations

We commit to practice environmental protection and enhance community relations by ensuring the following practices:

Procurement:

• Reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods.
• Favor purchase of sustainable goods and services, office supplies catering, etc.
• Purchase products in bulk, to reduce packaging.
• Measure and reduce paper use, and wherever possible to reuse paper.
• Purchase recycled paper or paper produced from sustainable sources.
• Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing.

Energy:

• To measure and reduce electricity consumption.
• Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, alongside cost and quality.
• Switch off lights, air conditioning and electrical equipment when not in use, and use automatic switches and timers where possible.
• Set equipment by default to energy-saving mode.

Water:

• To measure and reduce water consumption, with re-use where possible.
• Comply with national wastewater treatment laws.

Waste:

• Comply with national waste disposal laws, ensuring that any residual waste disposal has no negative impacts on the local population and environment.
• Pilot a solid waste reduction and recycling policy, with quantitative goals.
• Take action to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in our operations; including a core focus on reducing use of plastic water bottles in our office(s);
• Separate all materials, including batteries, which can be recycled and organize collection and proper disposal.
• Ensure company vehicles are well maintained, comply with legal emission standards and are checked regularly to reduce emissions and energy use.

Training:

• Provide all staff (including field staff) with information, guidance and periodic training about their roles / responsibilities related to environmental practices.

Legal:

• Comply with land use laws and regulations for company infrastructure.

4. Partner agency

We will develop and implement a policy to improve the sustainability of our partner agencies. We commit to this by:

• Informing key partners about our sustainability policy and that we expect them to comply with the policy and communicate with final customers where relevant.
• Motivating incoming/inbound partners to participate in sustainability training for travel companies.
• Creating an inventory (list) of our key partner agencies.
• Listing the sustainability practices of partner accommodations and agents.
• Making concrete efforts to choose partners which benefit people and the planet.

5. Transport

We try to ensure that vehicles used on our tours do not cause more than average pollution, and we do our best to decrease this pollution level. We commit to this by:

• Selecting the most sustainable options considering type of excursion, group size, price and comfort when selecting transport options to the destination.
• Regular servicing of all vehicles.
• Training drivers in sustainable driving techniques and monitoring their practice.
• Ensuring that idling is minimized and air conditioning is used economically.

When working with external transport suppliers, we commit to working with them to:

• Ensure they follow a policy to select the most sustainable transport options.
• Provide drivers with a code of conduct and guidance for sustainable driving techniques.

6. Accommodations

We try to achieve a fully sustainable tourism supply chain. We commit to this by.

• Clearly communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements for hotels to contracted and other relevant accommodations.
• Selecting hotels that comply with sustainability and quality standards and are able to demonstrate benefits for people and the environment.
• Selecting hotels that guarantee the welfare of their staff and guard against the exploitation of children.

7. Excursions and activities

Alongside safety and customer experience, we highly value the welfare of communities and animals. We aim at tours that only leave a minor footprint, by:

• Developing a policy and goals to improve the sustainability of our excursions; and communicating this to our contracted excursion providers.
• Ensuring all excursions offered comply with local laws regarding environmental, wildlife and cultural protection.
• Provide clients with a list of Do’s and Don’ts.
• Train guides how to work in culturally and ecologically sensitive destinations.
• Select restaurants which do not offer illegal wildlife and minimize single use plastics

Safety:

• We will ensure that every tour includes at least one guide who is certified in First Aid and CPR/AED; and we will maintain a contact list of critical emergency numbers and ensure these are easily accessible to guides and clients.
• We will regularly check, review and maintain safety / emergency equipment.

8. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides

We aim at creating opportunities for local people in the tourism business, by:

• Preferring to work with local tour leaders, guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff in case of equal ability, and providing training, with a strong emphasis on our sustainability goals, as required.
• Undertaking to comply with all legal requirements regarding employment of staff and employee’s welfare, including contracts and minimum wages.
• Our tour leaders, local representatives and guides will be trained, and inform our clients on all relevant sustainability matters in the destination, environmental, cultural and human rights. Training for tour leaders and local reps will include the avoidance of sexual exploitation of children.

9. Destination

We aim to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at destination to ensure sustainable development of the places where we operate. We commit to this by:

• Consider sustainability aspects in the selection process of new destinations and not selecting destinations in which tourism leads to negative local effects.
• Ensuring all excursions offered comply with local laws regarding environmental, wildlife and cultural protection.

10. Customer communication and protection

Customer welfare and information are very important to us. We commit to this by:

• Ensuring that customer privacy is not compromised.
• Ensuring that product and price information is clear, complete and accurate, including sustainability claims.
• Informing clients about the environmental impact of different options.

After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:

• Informing clients about the natural surroundings, local culture in destination.
• Informing clients of all health and safety considerations in the destination.
• Maintaining a 24-hour emergency number.
• Providing customers with information about commercials, sexual or any other form of exploitation, particularly of children and adolescents.
• Informing clients about legislation concerning the purchase and export of prohibited artifacts and threatened flora and/or fauna.
• Motivating clients to use local restaurants and shops (where appropriate);
• Encouraging clients to donate to local charity and sustainable initiatives.

After the holidays, we commit to having clear procedures in case of complaints by clients.

For additional information about our sustainability policy, contact: info@asiatravelestate.com