Whether you’re a jobseeker making a decision about which Tourism employer to work for; a traveller deciding which Tourism operator to visit on your holidays; or a business owner deciding what sort of Tourism business you want to be, finding out about the way existing companies do business is key.

As global awareness about the damage being done to the planet increases, individuals and businesses are becoming more conscious of the impact of their actions. Whether it’s turning off the lights, recycling, or hiring local, ethical best practice now plays an important role in decision-making processes of almost every aspect of Tourism.

Today’s consumers, employees, procurers and investors all expect certain ethical standards. But what does ethical tourism actually mean?

Ethical tourism is a form of responsible tourism, developed in response to criticism of mass tourism. It focuses on maximising positive impacts and minimizing negative impacts on the three pillars of sustainable tourism: the environment, the economy and society.

The World Tourism Organisation stated over 20 years ago that “the understanding and promotion of the ethical values common to humanity, with an attitude of tolerance and respect for the diversity of religious, philosophical and moral beliefs, are both the foundation and consequence of responsible tourism”.

So, what makes an ethical tourism operator?!

Some great examples of tourism operators acting ethically include:

• Minimising global impact by measuring and offsetting carbon or putting planting schemes in place
• Protecting animal welfare, natural environments and habitats
• Avoiding exploitation of groups
• Educating guests about their ethical work
• Treating customers of all genders, ages, races, backgrounds, abilities and beliefs equally
• Showcasing local sites and using local (ethically sourced or produced) products and brands
• Composting, reducing, reusing and recycling
• Using solar and wind power
• Going paperless
• Giving back to the community via a Corporate Social Responsibility scheme
• Minimising pressure on infrastructure, services and facilities
• Valuing people (both their own staff, customers and the local community)
• Distribution of income
• Reducing cultural impact

Doing these things is not only great for the region, people, animals and environment impacted by tourism but can have a positive impact on the bottom-line and success of the business too! Some really great business models have come out of ethically-focused tourism, including:

• Agritourism
• Voluntourism
• Charity Tourism
• Community-based tourism
• Eco tourism
• Geo tourism
• Pro-poor tourism
• Rural tourism
• Slow tourism
• Sustainable and regenerative tourism

As well as considering the impact of the goods or services they provide, great ethical tourism companies also think about the way they operate across the entire business chain, including turning their attention to:

•    End-to-end assurance processes that focus on improving conditions for workers.
•    The companies they do business with and assuring that workers within the entire supply chains are treated fairly and compliantly.
•    Ensuring that any franchisees also operate using ethical and sustainable work practices.
•    Knowing and understanding about responsible investments and the impact their investment decisions can have on ethical and sustainable work practices.

To put it simply, behaving ethically is the right thing to do!

And what about ethical employers?

Expecting businesses to treat their staff fairly and ask the same of workers in the organisations they engage with, is the norm now and, with social media at the fingertips of every prospective customer or employee, any unethical business behaviour is easily shared with the world and can be extremely damaging to brand reputation.

Ethical treatment of employees is the responsibility of everyone in the business, right down from the directors, to managers, team leaders and those in charge of HR and hiring. In terms of employment, ethical means engaging in legally compliant work practices that are fair and ensure decent treatment of workers. Although meeting minimum employment standards is essential to be considered an ‘ethical employer’, for most people, ethical treatment often means going above and beyond the legal minimum.

Some great examples of tourism employers acting ethically include:

•      Paying the Living Wage
•      Putting Wellbeing initiatives in place
•      Having a Corporate Social Responsibility policy
•      Providing flexible work options
•      Ensuring non-biased hiring from a diverse talent pool
•      Committing to long-term training and development of staff

Ethical employment practices not only help attract and retain great workers but, similarly to ethical operational procedures, can also have a positive impact on customer goodwill, loyalty and demand for goods and services. Equally, employment practices that are not legal, ethical or sustainable can severely damage reputation, brand and ultimately revenue, profit, financial viability and market value.

So now you know what to look for, where can you find the information out?

The majority of tourism operators now have pages on their websites, or posts on their social media channels dedicated to informing potential guests or jobseekers of their ethical work and nature. If you’re trying to find out whether to work or visit a specific tourist attraction, this is a great place to start your research.

Since every customer or employee has their own opinion about what is and isn’t acceptable for them in terms of ethical behaviour, it’s important for individuals to come to their own conclusion.

Part of the decision making process should also include research into the incentives behind a business’s decision to act ethically and whether these are truly genuine, or driven by consumerism and the desire to appear more ethical in order to simply attract more business.

One quick and easy way to get a good gauge for businesses in NZ is to check whether they display the Qualmark logo. If they do, this will typically be both on their website and on posters on-site and means they:

•        Have been rated on their ability to deliver a quality sustainable experience
•        Have undergone an independent safety check
•        Showcase true New Zealand hospitality.

You’ll then be able to book activities or apply for roles with confidence, knowing you’ll find a warm welcome from a business that operates in an ethical, professional and environmentally friendly way, protecting what makes New Zealand unique.

And how can you be an ethical tourist yourself?!

Although it’s important to assess the ethical behaviour of tourism operators before you engage with them, it’s also important to make sure you’re playing your part too. This includes both acting and making ethically-focused decisions when you plan and undertake your travel.

A few simple tips include:

•      Being kind to the environment; going as low impact as possible
•      Being kind to society; going as local as possible
•      Being kind to the economy; going for long-term value, where possible

If you’re keen to find out more, check out some of these great sites to help continue your ethical journey!

• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism – United Nations
• Tips for Responsible travellers– World Committee on Tourism Ethics (ECTE)
• Putting Ethics into Practice– Tearfund
• The Countryside Commissions’ Code– UK Government
• Code of Ethics– Conservation International
• Environmental Codes of Conduct for Tourism– United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Values in Action: WWF’s Core Standards of Performance– World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development  (TOI) – United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
• How to choose a responsible tour operator – Intrepid Travel
• Ethical tourism - everything you need to know – Tourism Teacher
• Ethical and Sustainable work practices – Employment.govt.nz