Purpose
The company is committed to integrating sustainability principles into all aspects of our business operations. The purpose of this policy is to make our actions and decisions have a positive impact on the environment, society, and the economy by doing our best to empower individuals, communities, and organizations to make a meaningful impact in shaping a prosperous future for generations to come.
Scope
This policy applies to all full-time employees, suppliers, and stakeholders. This policy also applies to freelancers and seasonal workers.
The sustainability team with the help of the head of the department and the director is responsible for implementing the company’s sustainability policy.
Sustainability management & legal compliance
Sustainability Commitment
Kilidove Tours & Safaris, leadership is wholly committed to the company’s sustainability performance and endorses the company’s sustainability mission statement and policy.
We will use the Travelife platform to report on our sustainability progress and to monitor and evaluate progress. We are committed to (publicly) communicating our sustainability performance (by means of the Travelife report) every two years.
Sustainability management & legal compliance
Kilidove Tours & Safaris commits to continuous improvement of sustainability practices, including the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of our sustainability policy, with dedicated personnel and resources to achieve our sustainability goals.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris follows all local, regional, national, and international regulations as they relate to human resources, human rights, children’s rights, land rights, environmental management, wildlife, and land use. We follow a strict Code of Ethics, including a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, bribery, forced labor, and discrimination.
Internal management: Social policy & human rights
Employees
We recognize that our employees are our biggest asset for delivering meaningful travel and hospitality experiences to our customers. Therefore, we maintain a clear human resource policy to ensure:
A safe, healthy, and welcoming workplace
Legal compliance in all regards
Fair contract conditions including fair compensation
Training opportunities including training on topics of sustainability, sexual harassment, and exploitation
in the workplace and in the industry
Participation in sustainability planning activities
Inclusion and equal opportunity for all employees, particularly with regard to compensation, promotion,
distribution of benefits, and professional development opportunities.
Internal management: environment
Environmental management of office operations
We are committed to keeping the direct footprint of our business operations as minimal as possible and actively follow the 5Rs (refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle) We have the following measures in place:
Follow all local and national regulations concerning environmental law
Measure, monitor, and evaluate the use of all commodities and products purchased, especially in terms of water, waste, energy, and carbon
Procure office supply. locally, seasonally, fair trade, in bulk, with limited packaging, sustainability certified whenever possible
The purchasing department must focus on essential needs and limit unnecessary supplies
Print only when absolutely necessary, and when printing, always print double-sided on grayscale. The paper must always be FSC or equivalent certified according to the availability in our region, with a preference for the highest percentage of post-consumer materials
Energy-saving measures are in place in all common areas
All equipment and lighting are energy-efficient and turned off/unplugged/on sleep mode when not in use
Water-saving measures are in place in all common areas and restrooms, including water capture in external areas
Waste is separated into the following categories: plastic, organic, paper products, metal, and glass, and is disposed of properly by the municipality.
Noise, light, and air pollution are minimized
Carbon management of office operations
Kilidove Tours & Safaris is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and endeavors to reduce the amount we travel as much as possible by:
Reduce the amount we travel as much as possible for the office needs.
Monitoring and measuring carbon footprint to reduce as much as possible and offset remaining amounts.
Implementing procedures such as following proper maintenance for vehicles fleet.
Installing energy-efficient equipment and appliances where appropriate/possible.
Organizing tree plantations to be carbon-neutral
Land use
Kilidove Tours & Safaris office is located in the Arusha area and abide by all local land use laws respect local cultural and natural resources in our business operations and favor sustainable architecture and design.General suppliers policy
Kilidove Tours & Safaris is committed to sourcing their products and services responsibly, avoiding harmful impacts on society, culture, and nature as much as possible. We expect the same level of engagement and commitment from our suppliers.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris prefers to work with partners that share the company’s commitment towards sustainability. This means that we choose partners that have a written sustainability statement as an integral part of their business policy and/or a clear sustainability policy in place.Kilidove Tours & Safaris prefers to work with suppliers in destinations that are locally owned or managed, use local and seasonal products and services, and benefit the local community by hiring locally and equitably and by providing fair working conditions.
Whenever possible, Kilidove Tours & Safaris prefers to select partner companies that comply with tourism-specific, internationally recognized certifications, or other sustainability certifications like B Corp or ISO.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris offers incentives for partners that are actively engaged in sustainable operations.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris expects their suppliers to adhere to a Code of Conduct/Code of Ethics, that includes the following responsible business practices:
• Complying with all local, regional, national, and international regulations
• Respecting all human rights including labor rights, children’s rights, and women’s rights • Committing to fair employment conditions
• Following anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-extortion, and anti-discrimination policies
• Protecting children from (sexual) exploitation through tourism
• Protecting the environment and natural resources
• Acting in the best interest of local communities
• Protecting the interests of Kilidove Tours & Safaris
Following a zero-tolerance policy, Kilidove Tours & Safaris will immediately terminate any relationships with suppliers that violate our policies, specifically through acts of bribery, corruption, discrimination, and violation of human rights.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris, raises awareness amongst their suppliers to adopt sound social and environmental practices, and to minimize their carbon footprint.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris actively collaborates with suppliers to improve their sustainability performance. We encourage our suppliers to continuously learn about sustainability and provide/support this learning whenever possible.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris maintains open lines of communication with our suppliers and partners and encourages feedback from our stakeholders at any time and on any topic, particularly sustainability.
Inbound partner agencies
Kilidove Tours & Safaris only works with partner agencies that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct/Code of Ethics.
In the entire process of developing and operating our travel packages, Kilidove Tours & Safaris expects partner agencies to act in the best interests of the surrounding communities and environment as well as our guests.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris, provides partner agencies opportunities for sustainability learning and management, including free access to the Travelife online learning and reporting platform.
Transport
Kilidove Tours & Safaris only works with transport providers that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct/Code of Ethics.
When selecting transport for guests and business-related travel, Kilidove Tours & Safaris, commits to choosing the most environmentally friendly options available for traveling to, from, and within the destination – taking into consideration distance, price, route, and comfort.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris has implemented clear guidelines for reducing GHG emissions from transport and selecting the most environmentally friendly transport options, including the following measures:
Preferring ground transport over air transport for short-haul travel destinations
Avoiding in-destination flights as much as possible
Using appropriate vehicle sizes for group sizes and purchasing the most efficient vehicles available
Training drivers on eco-driving techniques
Kilidove Tours & Safaris endeavors and have a system in place to measure and compensate for the unavoidable GHG emissions produced by transportation. Compensation costs are either included by default in the package price or compensation is actively promoted to the clients as a booking option.
Accommodations
Kilidove Tours & Safaris only works with accommodations that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct/Code of Ethics.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris considers an accommodation’s sustainability practices, including its sustainability management and social and environmental footprint, in its accommodation selection process.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris favors the selection of accommodations that respect and protect land use and respectfully highlight elements of local architecture, customs, and traditions. It also follows sustainability management and social and environmental footprint.
Activities & Excursions
Kilidove Tours & Safaris only works with excursion providers that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct/Code of Ethics.
All excursions and activities run by or on behalf of Kilidove Tours & Safaris respect local customs, traditions, cultural integrity, and natural resources.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris commits to not offering excursions that harm humans, wildlife, the environment, or natural resources such as water and energy.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris gives preference to excursions and activities that benefit local communities, respect animal welfare, and support environmental protection.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris has clear guidelines/Codes of Conduct in place for environmentally and culturally sensitive excursions offered by or on behalf of the company. These guidelines are actively communicated to guests, distributed, and implemented by excursion providers and guies. Kilidove Tours & Safaris provides excursion and attraction providers opportunities for sustainability learning and management, including free access to the Travelife online learning and management, including free access to the Travelife online learning and reporting platform.
Tour leaders, local representatives, and guides
Kilidove Tours & Safaris. commits to hiring qualified local guides, porters, drivers, or other local staff, paying them living wages, and providing safe and fair working conditions. We expect the same from our suppliers hiring local staff on behalf of Kilidove Tours & Safaris. Kilidove Tours & Safaris understands that guides are the intermediaries between the guests and the socio-cultural and environmental context of the destination, conveying the appropriate behavior to them. Therefore, we make sure that all guides hired by or leading tours on behalf of Kilidove Tours & Safaris are trained regularly and knowledgeable in the sustainability topics of the destination.
Our guides are specifically trained on the critical issue of the sexual exploitation of children in tourism. Kilidove Tours & Safaris provides guides with learning opportunities on sustainability topics including providing free access to the Travelife online learning platform.
Destinations
Sustainable destinations
Kilidove Tours & Safaris prefers to work in destinations that have committed to sustainability as an integral part of community and destination development.
Kilidove Tours & Safaris does not support destinations that have a questionable human rights track record.
Contribution to local communities / local economic network
Kilidove Tours & Safaris commits to positive contribution to the destinations in which we operate, by:
Sourcing locally and responsibly, and supporting local and traditional arts and culture.
Encouraging guests to shop responsibly and educating them about illegal/prohibited/forbidden souvenirs.
Collaborating with other local tourism stakeholders including local government, other tourism businesses, academia, and community groups to further the sustainable tourism development of the destination.
Respecting and advocating for all human rights (i.e. children’s rights, women’s rights, labor rights, etc.) as well as land rights.
Environmental stewardship in destinations
Kilidove Tours & Safaris commits to environmental stewardship in the destinations in which we operate by:
- Ensuring natural resources remain intact
- Educating guests about the principles of responsible travel and responsible visitor behavior
Customer communication and protection
Privacy
Our customer protection is our priority. Therefore, we maintain a clear privacy policy to ensure:
• Legal compliance in all regards
• Customers and their data are protected
• Customers know how their information is being used
Marketing and communication
Kilidove Tours & Safaris strives to be truthful in all situations and at all times. We offer products and services that do what we claim in our communications.
We honor our explicit and implicit commitments and promises. We are anti-greenwashing and stand behind our sustainability claims 100%.
We endeavor to be inclusive and representative in our marketing and to always take into account cultural, religious, and ethnic sensitivities.
Sustainability communication
Customers are informed about the social and environmental impact of their journey and are educated about the sustainable choices they can make, including transparent communication on:
• Certified accommodations
• Compensation for their trip’s CO2 emissions
• Activities and excursions that benefit the local communities and environmental protection
• Responsible shopping and illegal souvenirs
Customer experience
The company aims for all customer experiences to be positive, and follow strict health and safety, marketing, and excursion policies to ensure customer satisfaction. These policies cover specific topics of (but not limited to):
• Health and Safety
• Emergency procedures
• Privacy
• Group numbers
• Greenhouse Gas emissions and offsetting
• Transport
• Shopping
• Sexual exploitation
• Children in tourism
• Satisfaction and Complaints
Kilidove Tours & Safaris maintains open lines of communication with our customers and encourages feedback at any time and on any topic, particularly sustainability.
Contact / Responsible person
All staff are responsible for the ownership and undertaking of this policy. All staff are responsible for the promotion and implementation of this sustainability policy within their departments. The implementation of this policy will be led by the Sustainability Coordinator, Laly Berthet, who can be reached at office@kilidovetours.com, and George Joseph Director who can be reached at kili@kilidovetours.com.
Effective date
This policy is effective from October 1st, 2023.
Revision history
This policy will be revised by October 1st, 2025