Sustainability Policy

Jordan Geography for Travel & Tourism is a travel agency based in Amman, Jordan. We provide travel services to individuals and groups within Jordan.

Our vision is to be one of the pioneering companies in our field in the region and to be specialized and constructive of a new idea for tourism in Jordan, we will always search for development in our field by staying in constant contact with our visitors and collecting ideas and suggestions from them during and after their visit. While aiming to preserve and defend the natural and human resources of those communities for future generations (of both tourists and locals) to enjoy.

Our mission is to support sustainable society and sustainable trade. Provide our travelers with an honest, local experience promoting cultural and environmental immersion, also to minimize all negative effect on natural and social environment. We support all business partners towards more sustainability and create more awareness among our travelers.

Sustainability Management & Legal compliance

We commit to sustainability management, practiced by these following actions:

  • To have an appointed employee who is responsible for sustainability coordinator tasks;
  • To have sustainability guidelines and assessment system in place to identify the sustainability performance of key suppliers/partners;
  • To have sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsibilities and time planning;
  • To develop documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, objectives and targets;
  • To ensure company’s transparency in sustainability by public reporting and communicating;
  • To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it.
  • The CSR team/green team will discuss the progress of the action plan and take corrective measurements at its meetings, if necessary
  • We aim to only promote responsible tourism where the benefits of tourism far outweigh far any negative effects. As a responsible tour operator, we endeavor to refrain from further stressing destinations we consider unsustainable.

We commit to complying with all national legislation, regulations and codes of practice.

Social policy & human rights

We commit to sustainable internal management by having clear written and well-communicated social policy that includes the following principles:

  • To grant employees the freedom of employment and contract termination with notice (ideally minimum one month) and without penalty
  • To have health and safety policy for employees which complies to national legal standards;
  • To have first aid sets and trained staff are available at all relevant locations;
  • To obey national concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment;
  • To provide periodic guidance and training for employees on roles, rights and responsibilities regarding health and safety issues. This includes fire and relevant natural disasters;

We commit to practice human rights by ensure the enforcement of following practices:

  • To 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;
  • To ensure all employees have an equal chance and access to resources and opportunities for personal development through regular training, education;

Environment and community relations

We commit to practice environmental protection and enhance community relations by ensuring the enforcement of following practices:

  • Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;
  • Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials;
  • Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing or other forms of paper saving modes;
  • Use cleaning materials which are non-hazardous, non-eutrophic and biodegradable and are certified with an eco-label, if locally available;
  • We will be using an Eco-Friendly paint for future office painting.
  • Switch off Lights and equipment when not in use, use automatic switch on/off system with timers or movement sensors and set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where this is feasible;
  • Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;
  • Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal;
  • Take action to reduce the amount of (non-refillable) plastic bottles of drinking water for office use;
  • Implement waste reducing methods when using ink and toner cartridges for printing and copying, whenever feasible;
  • Reduce transport related impacts by tele-work, tele/video meetings, work-at-home policies or other means;
  • Provide periodic guidance, training and/or information to all staff members, about their roles and responsibilities with respect to internal environmental practices;
  • Contribute to the protection and preservation of local historical, archaeological, culturally, and spiritually important properties and sites.
  • In selecting new destinations, the reachability through more sustainable means of transport is considered.

Accommodations

We try to achieve a tourism supply chain that is fully sustainable. The partner accommodations play an important role in achieving this, and are stimulated and motivated to adapt sustainable practices.
We commit to this by;

  • Selecting accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards with a special focus on the following items;
    • Do they have a signed sustainability contract?
    • Do they have a water saving program?
    • Do they have an energy saving program?
    • Do they have a waste management program?
    • Do they have an energy reduction system?
    • Do they have a sustainable supply chain?
    • Do they have a child protection policy?
    • Do they conduct CSR activities?
    • Do they train employees in Health & Safety?
  • Motivating and encouraging partner accommodations to become sustainably certified;
  • Preferring and selecting accommodations that are locally owned and managed;
  • Selecting accommodations that employ local communities;
  • Having accommodations provide evidence clarifying their sustainability goals and strategies;
  • Encouraging accommodations to follow best practices/trainings on responsible tourism;
  • Clearly and actively communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements regarding accommodations to contracted and other relevant accommodations;
  • Ensuring that through our accommodation supply chain, the rights of children are respected and safeguarded by;
  • Having a clause in contracts throughout the value chain stating a common repudiation and zero tolerance policy of sexual exploitation of children;
  • Having a clause dedicated to this aspect in their contract that enables the travel company to end the contractual agreement prematurely if the accommodation supplier does not take adequate measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children;
  • Supporting, collaborating with, and engaging stakeholders in the prevention of sexual exploitation of children;
  • Working with accommodations and restaurants that incorporate elements of local art, architecture, or cultural heritage; while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities;
  • Terminating cooperation with accommodation in case of clear evidence that contracted accommodations jeopardize the provision of integrity of basic services such as food, water, energy, healthcare, or soil to the neighboring companies.;

Tour leaders, local representatives and guides

We aim at involving as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. We stand for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects local communities. We commit to this by;

  • Preferring to work with local tour leaders, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff in case of equal ability, and provide training as required;
  • Ensuring that our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws and regulations, industry minimum standards, and any other relevant statutory requirements whichever requirements are more stringent;
  • Ensuring that our tour guides, hosts, and other employees under contract are qualified and trained regularly;
  • Ensuring that our local employees are informed on relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it, by newsletters, references or supplements to contracts, emails, or training and information sessions;
  • Offering a special sustainable travel module in the trainings program for local tour guides and hosts, in which the main responsible tourism aspects are brought to attention followed by the role expected from the employees. This module will also include knowledge regarding the destination and its relevant sustainability aspects;
  • Having our tour leaders, local representatives and guides inform travelers on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g.: protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g.: tips, dressing code and photography) and human rights (e.g.: sexual exploitation);

Customer communication and protection

Customer’s welfare and information are very important to us. We ensure clear and constant communication and high protection to our travelers.

Prior to booking, we commit to this by:

  • Make available a company guideline for traveler consultation, which is followed by traveler advisors;
  • Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised;
  • Comply with relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, and not promise more than is delivered;

After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:

  • Provide Information to consumers about the natural surroundings, local culture and cultural heritage in the holiday destination;
  • Keep a contact person and a telephone number permanently available for emergency situations;

Sustainable Destination:

We consider sustainability aspects in destinations in the selection of new destinations and in the product development process. We intend to provide social and environmental benefits to the communities we visit. We understand the importance of visitor dispersion and of not exceeding the carrying capacity of destinations; therefore, we encourage the promotion of lesser-known areas (with the approval of the local community), to prevent over tourism and its negative impacts.

For questions and remarks related to our sustainability / CSR policies, please send an email to: sustainability@jordangeography.com