Vivu Journeys Sustainability Policy
Update: 09:00 UTC | 01 June 2025
Our Sustainability Dream
Our journeys give travellers the opportunity to engage and interact closely with local communities, enabling them to feel at home in each of our destinations. We believe these experiences are the most authentic as well as the most responsible way to travel.
When travellers connect with a destination, they feel like citizens who want to take care of their communities. When stakeholders see themselves as stewards, they hold themselves responsible to protect natural environments and vulnerable populations. When each destination is treated like a home, local cultures and ways of life are respected and preserved.
Every traveller a citizen, everyone a steward, every place a home.
Since our origins, we’ve committed to curating travel where this all holds true. Not only do we work to ensure our journeys minimize negative impacts, but we also aim to travel in a way that contributes positively to the health and resilience of people and the planet.
Our Commitments
We respect the culture, heritage, and customs of our destinations
- At Vivu Journeys, we prioritize authentic experiences that foster cross-cultural understanding, appreciation, and learning. Testaments to this commitment are our much-loved ‘Local Legend’ collection where local characters share first-hand stories to travellers and our education programmes that focus on local heritage through hands-on experiences such as assisting local farmers with traditional agricultural techniques or making local handicrafts while learning the stories and traditions behind them.
- At Vivu Journeys, we communicate to travellers about relevant sustainability matters in the destination and how to respect and protect the local culture and heritage (e.g. protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage; social norms and values such as dress codes and respectful photography; human rights such as prevention of sexual exploitation and child abuse).
- At Vivu Journeys, we preference accommodations, restaurants, and businesses in our supply chain that are locally owned and run, and those that incorporate elements of local art, crafts, and culture, as well as protect local architecture and heritage.
We support the economic empowerment of local communities
- At Vivu Journeys, we establish successful guide schools in each destination to train and upskill local guides to enhance their career opportunities and earning capabilities.
- At Vivu Journeys, we prioritize local and social enterprises in our supply chain to contribute to economic opportunities for marginalized communities.
- At Vivu Journeys, we visit communities where economic opportunities are limited in order to provide additional income for local families through homestays and meals as well as sponsoring community development projects.
- At Vivu Journeys, we preference local products and services that support local businesses, artisans, and producers, and provide information to our travellers on how to do the same.
We protect wildlife and the environment
- At Vivu Journeys, excursions and attractions in which captive wildlife is held are not offered, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international law and that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity or social impact purposes. In the case of living specimens of protected wildlife species, these are only kept by those authorized and suitably equipped to house and care for them humanely. As such, we do not offer activities such as elephant camps, zoos, circuses, and dolphin shows. Click to see our Animal Welfare Policy here.
- At Vivu Journeys, we and our suppliers do not offer any activities where wildlife species are harvested, consumed, displayed, sold, or traded, except as part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilization is sustainable and in compliance with local, national and international law. In accordance, we do not promote souvenirs containing threatened flora and fauna species or any illegally obtained historic/archaeological artefacts, and we communicate to our travellers that these souvenirs are illegal and specify what they are.
- At Vivu Journeys, we do not use or provide single-use plastics (such as water bottles) and only contract suppliers who do the same.
- At Vivu Journeys, we use greenhouse gas-friendly vehicles when possible and we encourage travellers to use sustainable transport options in the destination.
We protect children
- At Vivu Journeys, we have partnered with the ChildSafe Movement to implement best practices throughout our business to protect children from all forms of abuse and exploitation. 100% of our staff has been trained by ChildSafe on protecting children in travel.
- At Vivu Journeys, we do not employ any children (people under the age of 18) and do not use suppliers who employ children.
- At Vivu Journeys, we do not include schools or orphanages in our itineraries as these impromptu visits can disrupt children’s learning and put vulnerable children at risk. For our education programme, we work with underserved schools to organize cultural exchanges with our student travellers as well as educational activities and development projects to contribute to these schools’ learning environments.
- At Vivu Journeys, we communicate to travellers ways to protect children when traveling such as discouraging giving to begging children which can promote dependency and truancy as well as how to report child sexual exploitation.
We reduce energy and water use as well as waste in our offices
- At Vivu Journeys, our offices have at least 80% energy-efficient lighting and low-energy equipment.
- At Vivu Journeys, we switch off lights, equipment, AC units, and fans in unused areas, during lunch, and at the end of the day.
- At Vivu Journeys, we unplug computers and equipment at the end of the day to reduce vampire energy use.
- At Vivu Journeys, our offices have dual flush toilets and taps with flow restrictors. We also inform staff to report any leaks to fix them immediately in order to reduce water use.
- At Vivu Journeys, we separate our waste to ensure as much gets reused or recycled as possible. We also use rechargeable batteries to reduce waste and make sure any e-waste is recycled or properly disposed of.
- At Vivu Journeys, we use reusable water bottles, mugs, plates and cutlery and print documents double-sided to reduce waste.
- At Vivu Journeys, we regularly inform and educate our team members about ways to reduce energy, water, and waste and the impact these actions have on the environment.
This sustainability policy is communicated to our employees, clients, suppliers, and stakeholders. We are committed to upholding the principles outlined in this policy and integrating sustainability into all aspects of our business operations. Together, we can create a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry that benefits our planet and future generations.
