Eleven sustainable travel companies going the extra, eco-friendly mile – Times Travel

Sustainability isn’t just environmentalism. It’s about balancing profit with the need to protect both people and planet — a concept that’s often been ignored by some hospitality brands, who use it as a catch-all for everything from canvas totes to bamboo toothbrushes. But, if you look beyond the “greenwashing” — a term coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, that refers to eco marketing spin — there are plenty of forces for good within travel, who demonstrably and consistently practise the social, environmental and economic ethics that they preach. We’ve rounded up eleven of the very best sustainable travel companies, which lead from the front and inspire change for the better — so you can make your next holiday both memorable and responsible, with very little effort.

Main photo: hikers camped at the Three Peaks of Lavaredo in the Sexten Dolomites, Italy (Alamy)

1. Intrepid Travel

As travel’s largest global B Corporation — the social and environmental accreditation that rigorously examines all areas of the business, from staff to supply chain — Intrepid has long been a force for good. The tour operator delivers “experience-rich” adventure travel and has become known for immersive group trips that leave a lasting legacy, with travellers and communities alike. Its not-for-profit organisation, The Intrepid Foundation, helps improve the livelihoods of vulnerable individuals and communities across the world through skills training, lobbying for gender equality and creating jobs through community-based experiences; it’s contributed nearly £6 million to more than 135 community organisations since 2002.

2. G Adventures

Where this tour operator is concerned, “G” is for “good” adventures — its small group trips are big on positive impact. Whether it’s working with the Jane Goodall Institute to develop ethical wildlife-focused tours, developing community-centric experiences in partnership with National Geographic, or dreaming up fast-paced adventures for “18 to thirtysomethings” on a budget, G Adventures ensures that every footprint has value. Plus, you can gauge how responsible your trip will be from the start; the company’s 0-100 “Ripple Score” — in partnership with its not-for-profit partner, the Planeterra Foundation — shows the percentage of money being spent on every tour that actually stays within the local community.

3. Pura Aventura

This Anglo-Spanish tour operator, which specialises in active, nature-based trips to Spain and Latin America, was founded by three tour guides who met in Chilean Patagonia. Known for “personal and planet positive” holidays, Pura Aventura measures the carbon footprint of each client per trip — via road, air, boat or train — and, regardless of the bits it arranges, offsets 160 per cent of it. As the company is also B Corporation certified, it is publicly and legally bound to put its money where its mouth is — one such initiative is committing a percentage of their carbon credit to funding a rural community development project in Nicaragua.

4. Charitable Travel

Set up in April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, this social enterprise works in a similar way to any other high-end travel agent — except that they donate five per cent of the sum of your package holiday (aka their agency commission) to a UK-based charitable entity of your choosing. Whether it’s an LGBTQ-friendly holiday, slow and responsible travel or a luxury beach break, you can rest assured that every trip listed, as well as every penny of profit that’s earned by Charitable Travel, supports travel for good, at no extra cost to you.

5. Up Norway

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to navigating one of the most sustainable countries in the world, but few operators have more knowledge or better access than Up Norway. Its team of Norwegian “insiders” only work with socially and environmentally sustainable partners and tailor-make each trip with communities off the tourist trail, wherever possible. Think slow and remote travel by rail, kayak and ferry, access to unspoilt fjords and fresh experiences that are hidden to most other travellers, as well as unique gastronomy tours — from salmon farming to tastings and lectures on aquavit.

6. Responsible Travel

Just think of Responsible Travel as a matchmaker: it partners with more than 450 carefully vetted and like-minded travel companies to provide a digest of 5,000 eco-friendly trips. The Brighton-based business bills itself as an “activist travel company”, and regularly campaigns for positive change in tourism and twice broke ground by becoming one of the first travel companies to offer carbon offsetting in 2002. Responsible by name and by nature, the company helps to uplift local cultures and indigenous people, while making sure that your money supports independent businesses and forces for change within hospitality.

7. Regenerative Travel

If sustainability is about slowing the degradation of the planet and its people, regeneration is about restoring balance. The go-to for eco-luxury holidays, Regenerative Travel is a sleek, expertly curated edit of values-driven culture, wellness, adventure and gastronomic itineraries. Each high-end resort and travel provider in their collection has been selected based on measurable dedication to environmental and social impact, with criteria including: seamless integration into local communities; responsible and ethical operations; respect for local and global ecosystems and full inclusion of underrepresented groups.

8. Joro Experiences

Not content with being the first UK-based luxury travel company to receive B Corporation status, Joro Experiences went on to become a founding member of the Conscious Travel Foundation; an organisation dedicated to responsible travel, as well as education. Ethics shine from every facet of this small, experience-led tour operator: instead of relying on offsetting, the carbon-neutral company promotes land-based travel; research scientists accompany most yacht charters; and all suppliers are regularly audited to demonstrate that they are working for the good of their communities, rather than for their shareholders.

9. Sawday’s

Bristol-based Sawday’s group — comprised of the accommodation booking platform, plus a glamping directory, Canopy & Stars — was founded upon strong principles of slow travel, as well as social and environmental responsibility. It ranks highly on the B Corporation index for upholding the same responsible ethos with regards to the welfare of its employees; staff own a 52 per cent share of the business (with the Sawday family and the company’s charitable trust both at 24 per cent). In 2019, the business committed to planting one million trees by the end of 2025 to play their part in the fight against climate change.

10. Byway

This sustainable start-up is a flight-free travel company that pairs unique, no-fly, off-the-beaten path experiences with accommodation that matches its “business as a force for good” B Corporation credentials. Activities, accommodation and transport — train, boat, bus and bike — are all handpicked and your itinerary is created around the things you like best. Byway offers multi-stop, slow-travel experiences with personalised support using WhatsApp before and during your trip — ideal if there are any hiccups. The company specialises in journeys around the UK and Europe.

11. SevenTravel

Luxury travel operator SevenTravel is all about travelling less, but better with unforgettable holidays that don’t put pressure on the planet. It’s on a mission to be net-zero by 2035 and has partnered with ecollective to make this happen in line with the agreed level by the Science-Based Target Initiative. Each once-in-a-lifetime trip – be it a solo adventure in Bhutan or a honeymoon in Costa Rica – gives something back thanks to its Positive Future Fund through which it’ll donate £50 per person to be shared between a clutch of charities that support education, employment and conservation.

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Inspired to book a sustainable trip? Find the best options with Byway Travel*, G Adventures* and more tours with our preferred partners here.