Policy Statement
Few business sectors rely on the natural environment in the way that tourism does, so it is very much in our interest to preserve the natural world. We believe it is our responsibility to be constantly monitoring our business methods to make sure that our environmental impact is as low as possible.
Responsible tourism plays a big role in what we do and by definition takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. We are committed to a code of best practice in all aspects of our business, including our relationship with, and effect on the environment and the communities that we visit.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees and all aspects of the company, from the office headquarters, to on-the-road guiding. It also extends to our guests, third party suppliers and the local communities that we visit. The Company aims to minimise the impact on the environment in all areas of operations.
Aims
- To reduce our energy consumption and be carbon neutral.
- To encourage our suppliers and other members of the tourism related business community in Ireland to adopt similar practices.
- To continue to nurture and respect Ireland’s landscape, culture and heritage by bringing and educating our small- group, low-impact tours to rural Ireland.
- To pursue further environmental certifications and implement best practices.
- To maintain and strengthen our relationships with local communities.
Implementation
The policy will be implemented in the following ways:
- Measuring and monitoring energy and water consumption
- Monitoring and reducing waste within the company
- Adopting Leave No Trace principles on all our tours
- Continue to offset our Carbon Footprint each year
- Committing to supporting the local economies the tours visit
- Continue to support environmental organisations such as BirdWatch Ireland and Leave no trace through membership
