Voyageurs du Monde is headed for CSR

Business model Transformation

Can your CSR policy be described as a business strategy?

I would rather call it a way of seeing the company’s role. You can’t take this kind of approach if you think it’s about taking a particular position in terms of business or development. This approach cannot be implemented without the firm conviction of senior management, who will be promoting it in the front-line. For us, the original idea is that the company needs to play a role in solving the problems arising from economic activity, whether in terms of our environmental, or social, impact.

Could you tell us what form this commitment takes specifically?

Our initial efforts concerned our pay policy. It was fundamental to restore a balance between financial gains and the gains for people working for the company on a day-to-day basis. This is the reason that we chose to share 30% of our profits with our employees. We then asked ourselves how our business and its development could be harmful to the environment in which we work, starting with pollution in the places where we send our clients.

But tailor-made travel and adventure travel are not the most polluting forms of tourism...

Well they aren’t in principal, but when we took a closer look, we realised that even a small group of 15 hikers could have a negative impact on the environment. So we put waste collection and recycling procedures in place so that nothing is left behind. Over the last 10 years, we have also been committed to a programme that aims to absorb 100% of CO₂ emissions from air travel by our employees and customers. Our target has now been reached as a result of the reforestation of mangroves in India and Indonesia, as they are one of the most effective natural carbon traps.

This type of positive approach can only be beneficial to the company.

Is this a vision of responsible tourism that goes beyond ecological issues?

The impact on society is also central to our concerns. We have decided that our subsidiaries should pay taxes in their own country to help to fund infrastructure projects in our destination countries. In order to carry out our best practices, we are members of the ATR (Acting for Responsible Tourism) charity which is accessible to all our fellow operators. Certification is given after an audit. Our foundation, called Insolites Bâtisseurs (“The Unexpected Builders”) development aid projects. What makes this original is that these projects are identified and spearheaded by our employees.

What would you say to a manager who is hesitant about taking on CSR transformation?

I would say that they don’t have a choice, the world is going in this direction. On a more pragmatic level, managers should be aware that this type of positive approach that can only be beneficial to their company. At Voyageurs du Monde, we have brought in new skills, optimised our processes and attracted high-end people attracted by this way of looking at things. This approach also has to be shared by our financial partners. It is no longer enough just to agree on the development plan. We now work with Crédit Mutuel Equity because for them – like us – the usefulness of a company goes way beyond generating profit and creating jobs.