Sustainability Policy & Procedures

 As a Tour Operator company who engages with various stakeholders in tourism, namely consumers, tour guides, travel agencies, transportation companies, restaurants, and attractions, we at Blue Planet Tours (part of Touringworld,Inc.) understand our key role and influence in the sustainable development of tourism. Therefore, we are committed to promoting sustainability. We aim to implement, follow and promote good sustainability practices to maximize positive impacts and minimize the negative ones in our tourism operations, as well as to influence our clients and partners to do the same.  

 

Our sustainability policy is divided into 9 themes. Each theme consists of a set of principles and practical actions accordingly.  

 

1. Sustainability Management & Legal compliance

We commit to sustainability management, practiced by these following actions:

• To have an appointed employee who is responsible for sustainability coordinator tasks;  

• To have a sustainability mission statement that is communicated to customers, partners and suppliers;

• To have an accessible and written sustainability policy that aims for a reduction of the negative social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of the company’s activities; and includes employee related health and safety aspects;

• To collaborate and be actively involved in external forums and working groups which are supportive to sustainability in tourism;

• To conduct baseline assessment of the company’s performance on sustainable practices;

• To have sustainability guidelines and assessment system in place to identify the sustainability performance of key suppliers/partners;  

• To have sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsabilities and time planning;  

• To develop documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, objectives and targets;

• To ensure company’s transparency in sustainability by public reporting and communicating;

• To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it. We commit to complying with all national legislation, regulations and codes of practice.

 

2. Internal management: social policy & human rights

Even though we are a company with less than 10 employees, we commit to sustainable internal management by having clear written and well communicated social policy that includes the following principles:

• To grant employees the freedom of employment and contract termination with notice (ideally minimum one month) and without penalty;  

• To include labor conditions according to national labor law and a job description in the employment contract;

• To grant employees fixed paid yearly holiday and sick leave and unpaid annual leave allowance;

• To obey national law concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment; We commit to practice human rights by ensuring the enforcement of the following practices:

• To declare not to hinder trade union membership, collective labor negotiations and representation of members by trade unions;

• To prohibit discrimination in regards to recruitment, conditions of employment, access to training and senior positions; or to prevent promotion based on gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs or sexual orientation;

• To ensure all employees have an equal chance and access to resources and opportunities for personal development through regular training and education;  

 

3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations

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

• Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;

• Favor the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office and catering supply, giveaways and merchandise;

• Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials;

• Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing or other forms of paper saving modes;  

• Reduce printed materials by keeping track on most of our operation by technological support, like tablets and others.

• Print brochures on environmentally friendly paper, with a printing company that works with a certified environmental management system, if locally available at reasonable costs;

• Implement measurements to reduce brochure wastage or an 'internet only' policy;

• Calculate and compensate CO2 emissions and compare different periods;

• Switch off Lights and equipment when not in use, use automatic switch on/off system with timers or movement sensors and set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where this is feasible;

• Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;

• Develop and implement a water bottles recycling policy, with the tour guides we work with;

• Reduce transport related impacts by tele-work, tele/video meetings, work-at-home policies or other means;

• Maintain and properly check motorized company vehicles, to reduce emissions and energy use and make sure they comply with the legal emission standards,

• Provide periodic guidance, training and/or information to all staff members, about their roles and responsibilities with respect to internal environmental practices;

• Protect and respect archaeological, culturally and spiritually important properties and sites, and not impede access to them by local residents;

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4. Partner agency and other contractors

Based on an inventory of our key partner agencies and other contractors working with us, we have developed and implemented a policy to improve sustainability of our partner agencies and contractors. Our aim is to make sustainable development concrete to each and every partner within our business.  We commit to this by:

• Keeping a list of the sustainability practices of partner accommodations and agents;

• Minimising the ecologic footprint of the office by travelling mainly via public transport, working as paperless as possible, separating waste, and to make use of certified recycled paper;

• Evaluating the sustainability practices of our key partners to ensure they are truly sustainable;  

• Informing key partners about the travel companies’ sustainability policy and that they are expected to comply with it, and/or communicate it to final customers where relevant;

• Motivating incoming/inbound partners to participate in sustainability trainings for travel companies;

 

5. Transportation

We try to ensure that vehicles used on tours do not cause more than average pollution. We believe that transport is an important aspect of sustainable tourism, and we do our best to decrease the average pollution level.  We commit to this by:

• Selecting the most sustainable options considering price and comfort when selecting transport options to the destination;

• Considering and giving preference to more sustainable alternatives when selecting transport options for transfers and excursions in the destination, taking into account price, comfort, and practical considerations;  

• Integrating and/or promoting one or more sustainable holiday products/packages based on a recognized methodology, including sustainable transport.  

 

6. Excursions and activities

We value animal and community welfare extremely high and aim to offer tours that only leave a minor footprint. We are safeguarding the authenticity of the communities and the natural environment, and are strongly against harming wildlife and polluting the environment.  We commit to this by:

• Having an inventory of environmentally or culturally sensitive excursions which are offered in each destination; 

• Advising guests on behaviour standards during excursions and activities with a focus on respecting the local culture, nature, and environment;

• Not offering any excursions that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy, or which are socially and culturally unacceptable;

• Not offering any excursions in which wildlife is held captive, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international law;

• Having skilled and/or certified guides to guide our guests in sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites, or ecologically sensitive destinations;

• Promoting and advise our guests on excursions and activities which directly involve and support local communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts and local (food) production methods, or visiting social projects;  

• Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities which support local environment and biodiversity such as visiting protected areas or environmental protection projects;

 

7. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides

We aim at involving as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. We stand for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects local communities.  We commit to this by:

• Even though we are less than 10 people as the whole staff, we all have our job description, and fully understand the terms and conditions under which we are hired;  

• Preferring to work with local tour leaders, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff in case of equal ability, and provide training as required;   

• Promoting that our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws and regulations, industry minimum standards, and any other relevant statutory requirements whichever requirements are more stringent;

• Ensuring that our tour guides, hosts, and other employees under contract are qualified and trained regularly;

• Ensuring that our local employees are informed on relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it, by newsletters, references or supplements to contracts, emails, or training and information sessions;

• Having our tour leaders, local representatives and guides inform clients on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g. protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g. tips, dressing code and photography) and human rights (e.g. sexual exploitation);

 

8. Destination

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

• Consider sustainability aspects in the selection process of new destinations and possibly offer alternative, non-mainstream destinations;

• Not selecting destinations in which tourism leads to structural negative local effects (unless the company's involvement results in clear counter balancing effects);

• Comply with legally based spatial planning, protected areas and heritage regulations.  Also with destination management strategies of local, regional and national authorities;   

• Support biodiversity conservation, including protected areas and areas of high biodiversity, through   financial contribution, political support, and integration in product offers;

• Not promote souvenirs which contain threatened flora and fauna species as indicated in the CITES treaty and the IUCN ‘Red List’; or historic and archaeological artifacts (except as permitted by law);

 

9. Customer communication and protection

Customers welfare and information are very important to us. At Blue Planet Tours, we ensure clear and constant communication and high protection to our clients.  Prior to booking, we commit to this by:

• Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised;

• Comply with relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, and not promise more than is delivered;

• Make product and price information clear, complete and accurate, with regard to the company and its products and services, including sustainability claims;

• Provide destination information, including sustainability aspects, which is factually correct, balanced and complete;

• Clearly inform (potential) direct customers, about sustainability commitments and actions; After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:

• Provide Information to consumers about the natural surroundings, local culture and cultural heritage in the holiday destination;

• Inform consumers about key sustainability aspects and issues in the destination and receive recommendations on how to make a positive contribution;   

• Inform customers about risks and precautions related to health and safety matters in the destination;

• Keep a contact person and a telephone number permanently available for emergency situations;

• Train personnel and keep guidelines available, on how to deal with emergency situations;

• Motivate clients to use local restaurants and shops (where appropriate);

• Inform clients on sustainable transport options in destinations, when feasible;

• Encourage clients to donate to local charity and sustainable initiatives; After holidays, we commit to this by:

• Measure systematically client satisfaction and take into account the results, for service and product improvements;

• Include sustainability as an integral part of the research into client satisfaction;

• Have clear procedures in case of complaints from clients.