Sustainability

Travel has a profound impact on the people and places we visit. That’s why responsible travel is at the heart of everything we do at Audley, from the way we craft client experiences to the suppliers we choose to work with to how we run all of our day-to-day operations.

Our employees are central to this mission, so we encourage every one of them to get involved. Below are some of the sustainability initiatives we’re proud to offer, including employee-led goal setting, paid volunteering days, and charity fundraisers.

Our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework

Sustainability is a continual journey, so we’ve identified five key areas to guide our business practices as we grow:

• • Environment
• • Workplace
• • Communities
• • Market place
• • Governance

 

For each area we have three supporting goals that either align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals or with our own commitments. These targets help us drive positive impact within our business, suppliers, and the local communities our clients visit. Team members can join our employee-run ESG group to help shape and lead these initiatives.

You can look at our ESG progress over the years in our annual Responsible Travel and Sustainability Report.

We’re proud to be a Certified B Corporation^™

In May 2023, we became a Certified B Corporation™. This means that we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Making our offices as sustainable as possible

Our Witney, London, and Boston offices all operate on renewable energy contracts, and we ask that our employees do their part to reduce waste and recycle. Our team is also encouraged to share sustainable tips in a dedicated chat channel, become active members of our ESG team, and borrow reusable bags when going out for lunch . We’re continually looking for new ways to improve sustainability within our offices and for homeworkers too.

Employee volunteering opportunities

Our team has highlighted that volunteering is a priority for them, so we give all our employees the opportunity to spend a full day of paid leave each year to volunteer for a charity or cause of their choice. So far, our team members have cooked meals at soup kitchens, participated in litter picks, volunteered at local animal shelters, and much more.

Helping the next generation into travel

We designed the Insight initiative to break down barriers preventing young people from different ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds from pursuing a career in the travel industry.

Each year, we host workshops in local schools and provide work experience days in our offices to help them understand the skills needed for a range of roles within the sector. We encourage team members from across the business to share their expertise and experiences to help these young people get a glimpse into the day-to-day operations of a travel business.

The Audley Travel for Good Fund

At Audley, we believe responsible travel involves giving something back, so that’s why we partnered with the Charities Aid Foundation to create the Audley Travel for Good Fund. This community engagement fund makes it easy for our clients and employees to support charities that have been hand-picked by our country specialists based on the destinations our clients visit.

Through fundraising and donations, we’re able to support seven UN Sustainable Development Goals focused on improving communities and ecosystems around the world.

Making the ‘Responsible Choice’

When creating experiences, we strive to use local partners where possible and offer our clients small boutique hotels and unique local tours. We believe this approach gives clients the best experience whilst simultaneously having a positive impact on the local community and leaving much needed income within the destination.

Our Responsible Choice initiative focuses on identifying responsible product that has a strong focus on positive impacts in local communities and environments. This type of experience puts a purposeful focus on supporting local businesses and communities, NGO’s and minority owned businesses, educating staff, challenging local norms, and positively impacting conservation and biodiversity efforts in the area.