Walkers Tours
Sustainable Policies

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

Paper

• Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing or other forms of paper saving modes.
• Reduce paper consumption by using E-brochures for promotional purposes and E-file all documents at all possible times.
• Obtain customer feedback through digital customer feedback forms

Energy

• Have an active commitment to measure, monitor and reduce energy consumption.
• Reduce the CO2 emission by prioritizing Hybrid Vehicles and set off remaining CO2 emissions through carbon credits.
• Use energy efficient lighting for all areas, where available.
• Switch off lights and equipment when not in use and set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, when not in use.
• Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality.
• Reduce transport related impacts by tele-work, tele/video meetings, work-at-home policies, or other means communicated to staff through ‘Agile Working Policy’.

Waste

• Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal.
• Develop and implement a solid waste reduction and recycling policy, with quantitative goals.
• Ensure better waste management through the 5 R principle (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle)
• Monitor the collection of plastic waste from the sponsored 42 bins located in the Southern Expressway.
• Separate all materials which can be recycled and organize collection and proper disposal.
• Properly dispose batteries.

Water

• Place water filters with reusable gallon bottles to facilitate drinking water for office use
• Provide reusable water bottles for clients on tour.
• Adhere to JKH group policy to reduce water consumption, implement and monitor the consumption on a monthly / yearly basis.

Training and awareness

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

Local cultural sites.

• Contribute to the protection and preservation of local historical, archaeological, culturally, and spiritually important properties and sites.

Procurement

• Purchasing of office material and gifts.

We are committed to purchase best, available, sustainably sourced products through constant research;

• Buying from local vendors without any medium
• Recycled materials
• Locally produced/ sourced goods
• Fair trade
• Organic materials
• Low carbon footprint in operation
• Eco-labelled

Purchase products in bulk and take measures to reduce the amount of packaging materials and not provide non-recyclable or non-biodegradable package materials.

We are committed to this by;

• Ensuring our vehicle fleet is well maintained and fuel efficient
• Reduce the carbon footprint of the vehicle fleet considering the annual mileage (business growth).
• Ensure carbon neutral status of the vehicle fleet is maintained
• Knowledge sharing on eco-friendly driving habits among chauffeurs
• Priority will be given to Hybrid Vehicles and Electric Vehicle suppliers.
• Bi – annual inspections of vehicle suppliers, jeep suppliers and all other ancillary suppliers, and priorities suppliers with sustainable practices.
• Critically evaluate this aspect in the supplier selection criteria and achieve a status of 0 tolerance on noncompliance.
• Bi -annual chauffeur guide training (ROSPA – Defensive driving, first-aid training, general training which includes sustainability aspects), skill and language development (SKIP programme)
• Facilitate a pool of chauffeur guides with an insurance coverage during tours.

We try to achieve a tourism supply chain that is sustainable.
We commit to this by;

• Prioritising accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards with a special focus on the water and energy saving/ reduction, waste management, staff training, CSR projects, sustainability certifications (Travelife, NSTC, ISO 14001), etc.
• Developing business with accommodations that are locally owned and managed;
• Prioritise accommodations that employ local communities and use local food products;
• Top selling accommodations sign a sustainability addendum that focus on child labour, anti-corruption and bribery, waste management and protection of biodiversity
• Encouraging accommodations to fill in the sustainability questionnaire to gain insight on their current sustainability status and grading the suppliers according to the sustainable practices.
• Clearly and actively communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to accommodations that has the highest demand from our customers.
• Ensuring that through our accommodation supply chain, the rights of children are respected and safeguarded by having a clause in the Sustainability addendum throughout the value chain stating a common repudiation and zero tolerance policy of sexual exploitation of children;
• Having a clause dedicated to this aspect in the sustainability addendum that enables the travel company to end the contractual agreement prematurely if the accommodation supplier does not take adequate measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children;
• Prioritise accommodations and restaurants that incorporate elements of local art, architecture, or cultural heritage; while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities;
• Conduct annual sustainability survey of hotels to examine their sustainability practices.
• Terminating cooperation with accommodation in case of clear evidence that contracted accommodations jeopardize the provisions of the sustainability addendum.
• Accommodations are encouraged to offer locally/sustainably produced souvenirs from the area which depict history and culture.
• Through our annual sustainability survey, accommodations are encouraged to do their utmost to limit their negative impact on biodiversity.

We value animal and community welfare and aim to promote tour programs with minimal negative impact.

We commit to this by;

• Having an inventory of environmentally or culturally sensitive excursions
• Advising guests on behaviour standards during excursions and activities with a focus on respecting the local culture, nature, and environment;
• Communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to contracted and other relevant excursion providers by distributing this information via the sustainability assessment survey, email, discussions, and/or meetings, to minimise negative visitor impact and maximise enjoyment;
• 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 national law;
• Not being involved with companies that harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade wildlife species
• Having skilled and/or certified guides to guide our guests in sensitive cultural, ecological and, heritage sites.
• 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;

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;

• Preferring to work with local tour guides and chauffeurs and provide training as required.
• Paying tour guides, chauffeurs and other local staff whose services obtained by us a service fee that is equal to or above the relevant industry standard.
• Ensuring that our tour guides, chauffeurs and other local staff whose services obtained by us are qualified (SLITHM) and trained bi-annually.
• Ensuring that our local tour staff are informed on relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it, through training and information sessions.
• Training the local tour staff on sustainability and communicate the role expected from them during the tour.
• Having local tour guides inform clients on relevant sustainability matters of the destination
• 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);
• Training our local tour staff on the avoidance of sexual exploitation of children. This will include training on how to check the requirements concerning exclusion of child abuse through Travelife training.

Customer’s welfare and information are very important to us. At Walkers Tours Limited , we ensure clear and constant communication and protection to our clients.

Prior to booking, we commit to this by:

• Ensuring that customer privacy is not compromised.
• Complying with relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, and not promise more than is delivered.
• Making product and price information clear, complete, and accurate, about the company and its products and services, including sustainability claims.
• Providing destination information, including sustainability aspects, which is factually correct, balanced, and complete.
• We propose thematic tours focusing on sustainability with sustainable accommodation and experiences.
• 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 clients about key sustainability aspects and issues in the destination and receive recommendations on how to make a positive contribution
• Encourage clients to minimize, separate and dispose their waste responsibly
• Communicate destination do’s and don’ts to clients
• Inform clients 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
• Provide clients with documented guidelines and/or codes of conduct for sensitive excursions and activities, to minimize negative visitor impact and maximize enjoyment.
• Provide customers with information about commercial, sexual or any other form of exploitation and harassment, particularly of children and adolescents
• Inform clients about applicable legislation concerning the purchasing, sales, import and export of historic or religious artefacts and articles containing materials of threatened flora and/or fauna in the destination (Please refer to our responsible travel tips document for more details )
• Motivate clients to use local restaurants and shops (where appropriate).

After holidays, we commit to this by:

• Measure systematically client satisfaction and consider 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.

Our company gives preference to more sustainable products & services. When selecting our providers, we apply the following procedure:

Give priority to products with a recognized environmental or sustainability certificate or proved sustainability qualities;

1. We prefer products which have been locally produced;
2. We buy from local suppliers when possible;
3. We prefer to work with suppliers and service providers who have a sustainability reputation

When purchasing key products, we apply the following sustainable purchasing procedure:

We try to figure out how much of our purchases meets the five R’s: Reduce, Repair, Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle;

We investigate possible sustainable alternatives; We compare these alternatives on price, quality and availability; We commit ourselves to buy the most sustainable alternative in relation to above factors;

The result of this evaluation is documented.

Key products include, but are not limited to: paper, electric devices, cars, electricity, furniture, cleaning materials and building materials.

Alternatives of tourism key products: Buy gifts and giveaways from social enterprises or charities;