Tailor-made vacation platform, TravelLocal.com has announced its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp)
The certification is an integral part of the company's drive towards a more sustainable and ethical future for travel.
TravelLocal achieved an overall score of 91.5 points, surpassing both the B Corp pass mark of 80 and the travel industry average of 80.7. This is no small feat, particularly when we consider that the average score for non-B Corp businesses is 50.9 points.
The company is a founder signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, a Travelife Partner, and is a sponsor of upcoming research by the Travel Foundation on the phenomenon of "economic leakage" in tourism.
B Corp certification is verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit business behind the B Corp movement. The certification process is designed to look into every aspect of the company's operations to ensure the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, alongside commitments that go beyond shareholder value. Before receiving their score, candidates are required to first complete an online B Impact Assessment (BIA). This assessment encompasses more than200 questions focused on governance, workers, environment, community, and customer relations.
Commenting on the certification, TravelLocal co-Founder Huw Owen said: “It's a rigorous, thorough process – as it should be. Going through certification has changed us as a company. It helped us to understand where rhetoric needed to be matched by action and highlighted some of the great things we were doing, but not talking about. To have finally achieved B Corp status is a fantastic achievement for the business - the whole team really pulled together to make this happen, and we are very proud to be working alongside the other businesses that are committed to positively impacting our people and our planet.”
“Certification is a key part of our strategic aim to be a leading voice on sustainable and ethical tourism. We want to aid the understanding of key issues in the modern travel industry, such as economic leakage, over-tourism and decarbonisation.”
TravelLocal is deeply committed to reimagining more sustainable travel, aiming for a 50%reduction in emissions by 2030 as part of their dedication to the Glasgow Declaration. They strive to reach net-zero emissions as quickly as possible, ideally before 2050, to combat the global climate emergency. In addition, TravelLocal established the Fund For Good in 2023, supporting worldwide charities that tackle environmental degradation, wildlife conservation, and the provision of clean water, showcasing their comprehensive approach to environmental and climate commitment. For more details, you can explore TravelLocal's climate commitment.
