Corporate Social Responsibility

We believe in treating all people fairly and supporting those who need support. It will take everyone to make the way we live on our planet more sustainable, so you cannot have an eco-friendly strategy without being inclusive. Travelling is an incredible way to meet people from many different backgrounds and interact with them in a meaningful way. We want all our interactions to be positive and equitable.

All people should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their gender, age, sexuality, level of ability, nationality, background, or beliefs. We promote inclusive practices in working with our suppliers and partners on the ground across Spain, Portugal, France, and beyond.

We also aim to help differently abled people to pursue the Camino themselves with whatever level of support we can provide.

• We operate as a digital-first business, encouraging people to work remotely. This reduces the carbon cost of running an office and each staff member commuting.
• We reduce the number of different devices used in operations, so we reduce tech waste.
• We service old laptops to extend their lifespan and reduce tech waste.
• We use online meetings to avoid flying to meet in person.
• We buy local goods and support small businesses where possible.
• We have bicycle parking for staff at all of our co-working spaces.
• We are reducing our paper/hard copy material, going digital first, and opting for recycled/sustainably sourced paper where needed.
• We have covered the cost for key employees on our Sustainability Committee to attend a carbon literacy program that empowers them to make decisions that can help to reduce their individual footprint.
• We track the carbon footprint of each customer’s journey to allow us to reduce our emissions or offset them wherever possible.
• We encourage our clients to be aware of the environment while they travel, trying local food over important goods and plant-based meals as more sustainable alternatives on their journeys.
• Follow the Camino has purchased a piece of natural bog (wetland) in Ireland, which we will be restoring with our sustainability partners to increase our organisation’s carbon capture figures. This is a further strategy for offsetting.

Projects we collaborate with:

• Efficient Cook Stove Programmes: Kenya, provided by co2balance UK. These sustainability advocates run projects around the globe, including one providing improved cooking solutions that reduces the demand for unsustainable fossil fuels in Kenyan homes.
• Green Restoration Ireland Cooperative Society. This organisation campaigns for the restoration of Irish natural habitat in forestry and bogland to aid with carbon capture from the environment and increase Irish biodiversity. 
• United Nations World Food Programme. We donate €10 a month and per staff member to the UN World Food Programme, which is tackling global hunger.