As a travel agency committed to various stakeholders in tourism, including consumers, tour guides, travel agencies, hotels, transport companies, restaurants, and attractions, MAPENDANO VOYAGES understands its key role and influence in the sustainable development of tourism. Therefore, we are committed to promoting sustainability. We want to monitor, implement, and promote good sustainability practices to maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts of our activities on tourism, encouraging our clients and partners to do the same.

Our sustainability policy is divided into 10 themes. Each theme consists of a set of principles and corresponding practical actions. This policy applies to our entire team, but also aims to raise awareness among our partners. We will apply it from the first contact with a traveler until their return to their home country.

1-Sustainable Development Management and Legal Compliance

We are committed to sustainable management, implemented through the following actions:

• Designate an employee responsible for sustainability coordination tasks;
• Have a mission statement on sustainability that is communicated to clients, partners, and suppliers;
• Have an accessible and written sustainability policy that aims to reduce the negative social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts of the company’s activities, including health and safety aspects related to employees;
• Collaborate and actively engage in external forums and working groups that support sustainability in tourism;
• Conduct a baseline evaluation of the company’s sustainable practices;
• Have sustainability guidelines and an evaluation system to identify the sustainability performance of key suppliers/partners;
• Have an action plan for sustainability with clear goals, actions, measures, responsibilities, and timelines;
• Develop documented procedures to control and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, goals, and targets;
• Ensure company transparency on sustainability by publishing reports and communicating;
• Ensure all staff are fully aware of our sustainability policy and committed to its implementation and improvement.

We are committed to complying with all national legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.

2-Internal Management:

Social Policy and Human Rights We are committed to sustainable internal management by having a clear, written, and well-communicated social policy, which includes the following principles:

• Grant employees the freedom to terminate their contract with notice and without penalty;
• Include working conditions in compliance with national labor laws and a job description in the employment contract;
• Provide medical and liability insurance as required by national legislation;
• Grant employees paid annual leave, sick leave, and unpaid annual leave;
• Have a health and safety policy for employees that complies with national legal standards;
• Have first-aid kits available;
• Respect national laws regarding the minimum age for employment;
• Create opportunities for students to participate in internships.

We are committed to respecting human rights by ensuring the implementation of the following practices:

• Declare not to hinder union membership, collective labor negotiations, and union member representation;
• Prohibit discrimination in recruitment, employment conditions, access to training, positions of responsibility, or promotion based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.

3-Internal Management: Environment and Community Relations

We are committed to environmental protection and improving community relations by ensuring the application of the following practices:

• Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumable goods;
• Encourage the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office supplies, catering supplies, promotional gifts, and merchandise;
• Purchase products in bulk to reduce packaging materials;
• Set photocopiers and printers to default to double-sided printing or other paper-saving modes;
• Use non-toxic, non-eutrophic, and biodegradable cleaning products;
• Implement measures to reduce brochure waste or adopt a “Web-only” policy;
• Actively monitor and reduce energy consumption;
• Calculate CO2 emissions and compare different periods;
• Turn off lights and equipment when not in use;
• Prioritize energy-efficient equipment when purchasing new items, considering cost and quality;
• Implement an active water consumption reduction policy, monitored monthly or annually for evaluation;
• Use sustainable water sources that do not harm environmental flows;
• Install water-saving devices in toilets, reuse wastewater and/or collected rainwater;
• Comply with national waste disposal legislation;
• Develop and implement a policy to reduce solid waste, with measurable quantitative goals;
• Take steps to reduce packaging materials and avoid non-recyclable or non-biodegradable packaging;
• Take steps to reduce the use of non-rechargeable plastic water bottles in the office;
• Comply with national wastewater treatment legislation, ensuring wastewater is safely reused or discharged;
• Use lead-free, water-based paints both inside and outside when available locally;
• Implement practices to minimize pollution from company buildings (as much as possible controlled by the company);
• Maintain and properly monitor company vehicles to reduce emissions and energy consumption and ensure compliance with legal emission standards;
• Provide regular advice and information to all staff on their roles and responsibilities regarding internal environmental practices;
• Comply with land use, zoning, and protected or heritage site regulations when planning, designing, constructing, renovating, operating, or demolishing company buildings and infrastructure;
• Base the planning, design, and construction of new buildings or renovations on appropriate, locally feasible sustainable practices and materials;
• Contribute to the protection and preservation of important local properties and sites with historical, archaeological, cultural, and spiritual significance, without obstructing local residents’ access.

4-Partner Agencies

Based on an inventory of our main partner agencies, we have developed and implemented a policy aimed at improving the sustainability of our partner agencies. Our goal is to make sustainable development concrete for each of our business partners.

We are committed to:

• Keeping a list of sustainability practices for accommodations and partner agents;
• Only working with organizations that truly implement sustainability in their tourism policy;
• Minimizing the ecological footprint of the office by primarily using public transport, working paperless as much as possible, and sorting waste;
• Paying attention to the local benefits of communities when selecting local accommodations and their social policy for employees;
• Raising awareness among key partners about sustainable consumption by organizing campaigns and training sessions;
• Informing key partners about Travelife standards and national tourism standards;
• Regularly evaluating the sustainability practices of our main partners to ensure that their practices are truly sustainable;
• Informing key partners about our travel agency’s sustainability policy and ensuring they comply and/or communicate it to the end customers, where applicable;
• Including key sustainability clauses in contracts with incoming/receptive partners;
• Motivating inbound and outbound partners to participate in sustainability training for travel companies;
• Ensuring that partner companies comply with all relevant national laws protecting employees’ rights.

5-Transport

We strive to ensure that the vehicles used on tours do not cause above-average pollution. We believe transportation is an important aspect of sustainable tourism, and we do our best to reduce average pollution levels.

 

 

We are committed to:

• Considering and giving preference to more sustainable alternatives when selecting transport options for transfers and excursions at the destination, taking into account price, comfort, and practical considerations;
• Integrating and/or promoting one or more sustainable vacation products/packages based on recognized methodologies, including sustainable transport, accommodation, and activities.

 

6-Accommodation:  

We strive to establish a fully sustainable tourism supply chain.  Partner accommodations play an important role in this regard and are encouraged and motivated to adopt sustainable practices.

We are committed to:

• Selecting accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards, paying special attention to the following aspects:

Do they have a water-saving program?

Do they have an energy-saving program?

Do they have a waste management program?

Do they have an energy consumption reduction system?

Do they have a sustainable supply chain?

Do they have a child protection policy?

Do they conduct CSR activities?

Do they train their employees in health and safety?

• Prefer and select accommodations that are locally owned and managed;
• Choose accommodations that employ local communities;
• Encourage accommodations to follow best practices/training in responsible tourism;
• Encourage accommodations to complete the sustainability questionnaire to better understand their practices;
• Clearly and actively communicate our sustainability objectives and requirements regarding facilities for contracted entities and other relevant accommodations;
• Ensure that children’s rights are respected and safeguarded through our accommodation supply chain;
• Work with accommodations and restaurants that incorporate local art, architecture, or cultural heritage, while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities;
• End cooperation with accommodations if there is clear evidence that they jeopardize the provision of essential services such as food, water, energy, healthcare, or land to neighboring businesses.

 

7-Excursions and Activities

We place great importance on the well-being of animals and communities and aim for tours that leave only a minimal footprint. We preserve the authenticity of communities and the natural environment and are firmly opposed to any harm to wildlife and environmental pollution.

We are committed to the following:

• Maintain an inventory of environmentally or culturally sensitive excursions offered in each destination;
• Advise clients on behavior standards during excursions and activities, with an emphasis on respect for local culture, nature, and the environment;
• Communicate our sustainability goals and requirements to excursion providers through representatives, social media, emails, discussions, and/or meetings to minimize negative impacts on visitors and maximize enjoyment;
• Not offer excursions that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy, or that are socially and culturally unacceptable;
• Not offer excursions where wild animals are held in captivity, except for duly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international laws;
• Not associate with businesses that collect, consume, exhibit, sell, or market wildlife species;
• Ensure qualified and/or certified guides are available to lead our guests at culturally sensitive sites, heritage sites, or ecologically sensitive destinations;
• Promote and advise clients on excursions and activities that directly involve and support local communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts, local food production methods, or visiting social projects;
• Promote and advise clients on excursions and activities that support the local environment and biodiversity, such as visiting protected areas or environmental conservation projects.

8- Guides, Local Representatives, and Hosts

We aim to involve as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism activity. We advocate for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects local communities.

We are committed to the following:

• Ensure that all employees have a written contract, including terms and conditions of employment, and that they fully understand these terms;
• Prefer to work with local travel managers, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff when abilities are equal;
• Ensure that our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws and regulations, minimum industry standards, and any other relevant legal requirements according to the strictest standards;
• Pay local travel organizers, representatives, guides, porters, and other contracted staff at least a living wage equal to or greater than the legal minimum or relevant industry standard;
• Ensure that our tour guides, hosts, and other contracted employees are qualified and regularly trained;
• Ensure that our local employees are informed of the relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it via emails;
• Ensure that our guides, local representatives, and hosts inform clients about relevant sustainability issues in the destination (e.g., protecting flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource usage), social standards and values (e.g., tipping, dress code, photography), and human rights (e.g., sexual exploitation).

9.Destination

We seek to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at destinations to ensure sustainable development where we operate.

We are committed to the following:

• Take sustainability aspects into account when selecting new destinations and potentially offer alternative, non-traditional destinations;
• Not select destinations where tourism results in negative local structural effects;
• Consider selecting new destinations that are accessible by more sustainable transportation methods;
• Comply with legal regulations regarding land use, protected areas, and heritage. Also, comply with destination management strategies from local, regional, and national authorities;
• Support initiatives that improve relationships between accommodations and local producers;
• Influence and support local government (if possible, with other travel businesses and stakeholders) regarding sustainability, planning, and destination management, natural resource use, and socio-cultural issues;
• Support biodiversity conservation, particularly protected areas and areas with high biodiversity, through financial contributions, political support, and integration into product offerings;
• Not promote souvenirs containing endangered species, as listed in the CITES treaty and the IUCN Red List, or historical and archaeological items (unless permitted by law).

10-Communication and Client Protection

The well-being and information of clients are very important to us. We ensure clear and constant communication and high protection for our clients.

Before booking, we are committed to the following:

• Provide an official company directive for client consultation, followed by customer service advisors;
• Ensure that clients’ privacy is not compromised;
• Adhere to relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, ensuring that promises made are delivered;
• Ensure that product and price information is clear, complete, and accurate, including sustainability claims;
• Provide factual, balanced, and complete information on the destination, including sustainability-related aspects;
• Promote sustainable (certified) accommodations, excursions, packages, and/or transport options with messages that are easily recognizable and presented as the “best” option;
• Inform the client about sustainable alternatives for accommodation, excursions, vacation packages, and transport where applicable.

After booking and during vacations, we are committed to:

• Provide information to consumers about the natural environment, local culture, and cultural heritage of the destination;
• Inform consumers about the main sustainability issues at the destination and offer recommendations on how to make a positive contribution;
• Inform clients about health and safety risks and precautions for the destination;
• Ensure that a contact person and phone number are available for emergencies;
• Train staff and provide guidelines for managing emergency situations;
• Provide clients with documented guidelines and/or codes of conduct for sensitive excursions and activities to minimize the negative impact on visitors and maximize enjoyment;
• Provide clients with information about commercial exploitation, sexual exploitation, or any form of exploitation and harassment, including that of children and adolescents;
• Inform clients of applicable laws regarding the purchase, sale, import, and export of historical or religious items and articles containing materials from endangered flora and/or fauna in the destination;
• Encourage clients to use local restaurants and stores;
• Encourage clients to donate to local charities and sustainable initiatives.

After the vacation, we are committed to:

• Systematically measuring customer satisfaction and taking the results into account to improve services and products;
• Have clear procedures for handling customer complaints.

Contact and Coordinator

All staff and the owner of our agency are responsible for implementing this policy. All staff members are responsible for promoting and implementing this sustainability policy within their departments.

The implementation of this policy will be led by the sustainability coordinator, Morgane Bechet, who can be contacted at morgane.mapendanovoyages@gmail.com.