Viaventure’s Ethics and Sustainable Travel Policy
Viaventure’s Core values
Giving every guest a reason to rave about us
Ensuring peace of mind by prioritising safety
Creating economic benefits for destinations and local communities
Respecting and conserving our environment’s natural resources and cultural heritage
Reducing our carbon footprint by buying local, reducing, reusing, and recycling
Ensuring the protection and rights of animals and wildlife
Treating everyone with fairness and respect
Providing development opportunities for employees and partners
Purchasing Goods and Services
We aim to buy local over national or imported. We prioritise buying from cooperatives and locally owned businesses.
This applies for office purchases as well as anything related to services in the tourism sector.
Sustainability First
We prioritise suppliers who adhere to environmental and social standards and who exhibit a desire to continually improve in this area
We aim to support our suppliers with tools and resources to help them continually improve their sustainability performance
Carbon Footprint Reduction
We work to reduce our carbon emissions on an ongoing basis using best practice and aim to use suppliers who have the lowest fuel environmental impact vehicles.
We are also starting a program of carbon offsetting and carbon extraction.
We support reforestation programs and engage our staff in reforestation programs when ever possible.
No To Child Labour
We believe that all forms of child labour are unacceptable.
We adhere to the minimum age provisions of national labour laws and regulations in each country where we operate.
We make it explicit in contracts with our suppliers that child labour will not be tolerated at any point along the supply chain.
We work to raise awareness and educate our staff and suppliers of the rights of children and on how to play their part, advise us of any child labour they see and ensure we, and our clients, act in the correct way to stop child labour in the industry.
Inform clients about child labour issues and give them guidance on how to behave when they see children working. Give guidance on giving money to begging children and buying craft or souvenirs from children. Ask them child labour related questions in feedback forms.
Support NGOs such as Maia Impact School who work with the education and development of children.
No Animal Souvenirs
We work to raise awareness and educate our staff and suppliers that we will not support any businesses selling animal-derived gifts nor should we let guests purchase them. We ask them to be our “eyes and ears” in each country.
Support NGOs such as Too Rare To Wear who work with the education and development of children.
Equal Opportunities and Treatment
We are an equal opportunity employer and comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations preventing discrimination against job applicants based on race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, marital status, physical challenges, or any other relevant factor.
We support families with generous maternity and paternity leave policies as well as ongoing flexible working conditions for all staff.
We will not tolerate any kind of harassment in the workplace and work to explain and educate our staff as to what harassment is and how it would be dealt with by lawyers in Indianapolis and other states if it ever arose.
We work to create and promote an environment of open and meaningful communication with a no-retaliation policy.
Fair and Safe Working Conditions
We ensure that all staff and freelancers are working in safe environments and with well-maintained equipment.
We ensure that all our staff are paid a fair and adequate wage in line with their tasks, experience and skills.
We aim to ensure that we only work with suppliers who treat and remunerate their people well.
Cultural Heritage
We work to protect and promote local culture in all its forms in the countries where we operate. Promoting cultural exchange, community tourism and preserving local traditions.
We ensure our staff and clients understand the cultural differences and how to fully respect them when taking part in tours and activities.
We aim to continually develop products and travel experiences which protect and promote local culture in all its forms.
Wildlife
We have a commitment to protect all wildlife and only promote wildlife tours and work with suppliers that operate with the welfare of animals as a priority.
We work to train our staff and guides about how to deal with wildlife encounters on any type of tour so that they know how to ensure they and our clients behave.
Against Child Sex Tourism
We believe that child sex tourism is unacceptable.
We make it explicit in contracts with our suppliers that any activities linked to child sex tourism will not be tolerated at any point along the supply chain.
We work to raise awareness and educate our clients, staff and suppliers of this issue and on how to play their part.