Sustainability Policy & Responsible Travelling

Authentic Ethiopia commits to internal sustainability management, practiced by following actions and principles that ensure environmental protection, enhance community relations, and protect human rights.

Social Policy and Human Rights:

Authentic Ethiopia Tours commits to:

Grant employees the freedom of employment and contract termination with notice (ideally minimum one month) and without penalty;
The wage rate is to be mentioned in the contract and equals or above the national legal wage;
Determinate and compensate for overtime working hours based on agreement;
Create opportunities for students to participate in an internship;
Ensure that employees are free to enter or leave their employment through their own choice without penalty (in accordance with their contract).
Prohibit discriminations, regard to recruitment, conditions of employment, access to training and senior positions, or promotion in terms of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs or sexual orientation;

Environmental Management actions and principles:

Authentic Ethiopia Tours commits to:

• Switch-off lights and equipment when not being used;
• Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;
• Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;
• Favor the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office and catering supply, giveaways and merchandise;
• Comply with the legislation concerning waste disposal;
• Take action to reduce the amount of (non-refillable) plastic bottles of drinking water for office use;
• Use products twice or three times when possible;
• Avoid harmful or hazardous products or products which need, and give preference to environmentally friendly alternatives;
• Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing;
• Reduce transport-related impacts by telework, tele/video meetings, work-at-home policies or other means;
• Encourage employees to use environmentally conscious methods of transport when commuting to work, i.e. walking, cycling and public transport;
• Encourage employee involvement.

Authentic Ethiopia Tours safeguards the authenticity of the communities and the natural environment and is strongly against harming wildlife and polluting the environment. We aim to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at destinations to ensure the sustainable development of the places.

We commit to:

• Not offer any excursions that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy, or which are socially and culturally unacceptable;
• Not offer any excursions in which wildlife is held captive, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international law;
• Not partner with tour operators that offer excursions or activities involving harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade of wildlife species;
• Promote and advise travelers on excursions and activities which directly involve and support local communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts and local (food) production methods;
• Promote and advise travelers on excursions and activities which support local environment and biodiversity such as visiting protected areas or environmental protection projects;