Travel has incredible potential for good. It can boost local economies, provide much-needed funds for conservation and offer employment opportunities. But not all companies operate in a way that benefits the regions they work in, and over recent years this is an issue that’s been thrown into the spotlight.
But, with over 100 certifications in the travel industry, even this can be tricky for consumers to navigate. Some involve rigorous checks to ensure a company does what it says, while others involve little more than box-ticking, with no ensuing verification. Some look for generic impact indicators, like recycling initiatives and workplace diversity, while others are tailored specifically to social and environmental risks and opportunities in the travel industry.
Finally, every B Corp must be transparent about its impact. As a starting point, each has a profile on the B Lab website outlining how it measures up to the standards. These profiles include a report listing the answers to every question in the assessment, although most businesses don’t actively promote them.As the only multi-sector environmental and social certification, B Corp is in demand. So much so that there are waiting times of up to two years for assessment.
Much Better Adventures, a high-scoring travel B Corp, has found that becoming certified has had some other benefits, too, such as finding new like-minded suppliers. As a result, it’s now working with Chilean wildlife tour operator Birds Chile to create a new trip in Patagonia. Co-founder Sam Bruce says, “Knowing that we share an ethos for travel to be a force for good helps build a strong working relationship.
Changing the assessment process would be a positive step in an industry where economic leakage — money seeping from local communities into the hands of international businesses — is a concern. According to the UN World Tourism Association, US$95 of every US$100 spent on tourism in the developing world leaves host countries.