Our Sustainability Policy

Internal Communication 

In our communication, we commit to respectfully address and practice the principles of the following social matters and human rights clearly:

• Allowing employees to be members of trade unions, or any other associations
• Allowing employees’ freedom of movement to leave work and terminate their contract informing one month in advance
• Give a letter of appointment  with a job description to an employee upon employment 
• Pay standard salary to the position appointed
• Give appropriate compensation for overtime works done
• Subsidize certain medical expenses of employees humanly
• Give employees sick leave and fixed paid annual leave
• Comply with the national labor law on child labor
• Grant employees ways to breathe their grievances and satisfaction 
• Treat all candidates equally regardless of their origin, gender, marital status, religion, political views upon recruitment
• Encourage candidates with special needs
• Give equal opportunity to all employees for any training, capacity building
• Grant appropriate maternity leave, if any, for employees pre and post-pregnancy

Office operations:

• Switch off the lights during the day and use it only when needed
• Switch off power switches out of working hours
• Try to use natural light that comes through the window
• Print documents if and only if necessary
• If there are papers not usable but printed on one side, cut into 4 pieces and use them as a notebook.
• Use refilling ink for the printer instead of buying the whole new one.
• It’s not mandatory for the guide to come to the office unless it is a must.
• The guide is free to work as a freelance so long as there is no field activity in the company or doesn’t clash
• with the existing ones.
• Purchase any equipment that is durable with low energy consumption and lesser environmental impact.
• Use water reasonably and fairly at all times.
• View our HR Policy

In the field:

• Guides accompanying guests from the arrival should allow local assistants (guides) at each destination to play a role as well as share experiences. Because engaging them creates a sense of belongingness and adds a value in the future conservation of the attraction sites or tourism products.
• Drivers, in the park, should be aware that honking disturbs the habitats and is restricted and when stopping to see a bird or other animals, engine needs to be turned off.
• When visiting attraction sites, community villages, attending local events; guide is expected to aware guests to abide by the rules and regulations of the host. This helps retaining the indigenous culture and respecting the community cultural values that are among the primary focus. Besides, guests need to be aware of these values in advance in order to avoid or minimize any culture shock or unnecessary occurrences. This applies to all the sites they visit. 

Logistics:

• Cars to be used must be well serviced to keep not only the comfort of the guests but also minimize the pollution impact on the environment
• Horse or Mule tier needs to be at a working age and not too young to work. 
• For the camping, foodstuffs purchased are to be packed by cartons and not plastic bag. Since all items cannot be purchased from one place, we make sure the local community is thought in the chain and allowing them to render services and/or sell some products.
• For excursions and other areas include visiting indigenous people, animal activities, visiting protected areas and cultural heritage and must be handled with care and caution. 

Conservation

We commit to practice any sustainability-related activities and play our part with our capacity for any call related to conservation and for these we are also member of the following associations:

• Ethiopian Heritage Trust Association (EHTA) 
• Talak Ethiopian Tour Operators Association (TETOA)
• Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (AACCSA)
• Ethiopian Tourism Professionals Association (ETPA)

Accommodation

When working with accommodation suppliers, we make sure they follow the following sustainable practices:

• Eliminate or Minimize negative impact on the environment and society
• Use renewable energy or have a way of using energy-efficient appliances and equipment
• Use water conservation
• Have a sustainable waste management plan
• Work on Capacity building of its Human Resources
• Follow a fair business rules set by the law
• Don’t use boys and girls for sexual exploitation
• Don’t use underage children for work

Excursions and other activities

During excursions, be it a day or in the middle of the tour, certain major elements of sustainability are addressed to our clients such as

• Follow trails dedicated for the activity
• Engage with local/host communities respectfully
• Respect the site/destination
• Follow the rules and regulations 
• Do not disturbing the eco-system
• Discourage visiting captive animals
• Discourage engaging in wildlife harvesting
• Support environmental and biodiversity protection

External Communications

We commit to practice communication with the customers and other local partners such as hotels and restaurants, guides, road leaders and other assistants at destinations in a sustainable manner

• Inform/advice customers our sustainable practices, rules, and regulations of destinations
• Advise customers the dos and don’ts of excursion and/or other activities
• Be transparent in our pricing so that no surprises awaiting at the beginning of the tours
• Inform our different partners about the services required such as hotel accommodation, camping areas, local assistants for any ritual celebrations at destinations