At Journey Mexico, we believe it´s crucial to align all our operations to the principles of responsible travel. As part of our commitment to sustainability and community impact, one of our initiatives was the creation of a dedicated team to dive deeper into addressing the environmental, social, and ethical issues within the travel industry. Read on to explore the reason and role of our Sustainability Committee, and the impact of its efforts.
Why do we have a sustainability committee?
We convened our passionate committee as a proactive response to the increasing environmental and social challenges our planet is facing. We believe that our business can and should positively impact Mexico´s natural world and it´s communities. At the same time, we fully acknowledge that travel inherently implies some negative effects, like the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Our goal is not only to reduce these consequences, but to increase the far-reaching benefits of travel that we have seen for ourselves, such as supporting local economies and preserving natural and cultural heritage.
What does Journey Mexico’s Sustainability Committee do?
The committee carries out several principal responsibilities:
- Development of Sustainable Policies and Objectives: We formulate policies and set objectives to ensure that our business operations are ethical as well as environmentally and socially responsible.
- Monitoring and Measurement: We implement measurement and tracking systems to assess and control our sustainability performance. This encompasses aspects such as resource management, carbon emissions reduction, and social impact.
- Education and Awareness: We promote awareness of sustainability practices amongst our employees, partners, and clients, fostering a collective culture committed to these values.
- Collaboration: We work closely with various areas of the company and establish strategic partnerships with external organizations to exchange knowledge and best practices.
- Green Champion Race: Our Green Champions Race is a monthly initiative and seasonal competition where team members can earn points for implementing sustainable practices at home, which are linked to the 17 goals established by the Climate Change department of the UN. The contest is incentivized by eco-conscious prizes such as a stay at a leading sustainable hotel.
The impact of our objectives
- Staff Development: By creating an ethical and sustainable work environment, we help to boost our team´s morale, sense of purpose, and commitment.
- Brand Positioning: Our mindful approach attracts luxury travelers that are increasingly interested in sustainability, driving demand for our consciously crafted services.
- Product Innovation: Providing authentic and sustainable travel experiences that reduce our environmental footprint and have a positive impact on local people, such as our experiences led by the Mayan communities of Yaxunah and Granada in the Yucatán.
- Team Eco-incentives: Competitions like our ´Green Champion Race´ encourage staff to make changes at home and take conscious steps to minimize harm to the environment.
- Responsible Technology: Making informed and efficient decisions to minimize negative impacts and maximize sustainable benefits.
- Volunteering: Our team takes part in beach and river clean-ups, and organized events that support local initiatives such as Los Volcanes Agroecology & Permaculture Center in Puebla and Emmanuel Children´s Home in Puerto Vallarta. Read more about some of these initiatives here!
The Sustainability Committee helps us work towards our vision: to be a leader in responsible luxury tourism, providing the exceptional travel experiences Journey Mexico is known for, while protecting and uplifting our planet and the communities we meet. For us, sustainable travel is a journey, not a destination. We´ll keep listening, learning from our mistakes, and implementing our practices with transparency as part of our commitment to positive change.
