Our Sustainability Approaches to our tour Operations
Destination Jungle is committed to operate in a sustainable manner, through the identification and implementation of sustainability policies which cover social, economic and environmental aspects and which spread across our internal management and external operations. We list the practices, guidelines and objectives that define our sustainability approach.
For the purpose of monitoring, implementing and updating the sustainability policies, a sustainability
coordinator is appointed.
The Social Aspects
We provide employment contracts for the staff, which take into consideration: fare wages, the guidelines of the national labour law and our internal human resource policies which look at aspects of benefits, health, equal opportunities (paid holiday, sick leave, unpaid annual leave allowance, overtime).
We adopted a code of conduct where we prohibit discriminations, in terms of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs or sexual orientation, in regard to recruitment, handling of clients, handling of all staff matters, permanent or casual.
We commit to avoid child labour, children exploitation and sexual exploitation in all our operations and along the chain of all our suppliers and partners.
We create opportunities for students in participating in traineeship, internship and apprenticeship.
We provide medical and liability insurance.
We educate both staff and our clients to interact with the people and the communities which are part of their tour experience in the respect of different cultures and places and we work closely with local guides and people who can help providing the best communication and information for the places to visit.
We educate both staff and our clients to respect the animals and their welfare.
We identify social projects where we provide our support as well as we direct clients’ support in terms of interaction and providing facilitations and assistance for the basic needs. Particularly, we partner with some primary schools in the areas of our operations of Uganda Jungle Lodges.
We provide and facilitate education and training for staff.
The Economic Aspects
Destination Jungle engages in operating sustainably, by having sustainability principles at the base of the preparation of tour packages, by engaging partners, suppliers and clients about the same and by choosing more sustainable accommodation, which is a key component of our packages.
In particular, we support smaller and locally owned businesses, reflecting local cultures, responsible tourism organizations and businesses.
We support the economy of local remote communities, through the sale of eco-tourism and community-based tourism activities, which enhance job creation and fair opportunities even in less advantaged areas. We commit to promote them and to keep sourcing new products in line with this.
The creation and the implementation by Destination Jungle of the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest with development of community-based activities and eco- tourism activities is a practical example of our direct engagement in sustainable practices.
We engage in selecting eco-lodges and eco-friendly accommodations as the preferred choice for our clients’ stay. We also engage the accommodation which we partner with to adopt more eco-friendly practices, including: reducing use of plastic in favor of glass and eco-friendly materials or refillable dispensers, introducing water points, engaging in community-based initiatives.
The investment of Destination Jungle in Uganda Jungle Lodges has the objective to contribute to avail the industry with eco-lodges and sustainable accommodation.
We support income generating businesses in disadvantaged communities, through the development of our social enterprise “Jungle Taste”, which developed some typical products, pays a fair sale price to farmers, give them training and extension services, provides a market.
We monitor the supply chain of our tourism operations, by engaging all our partners and suppliers in adopting more sustainable practices as well as informing them and our clients about what we do.
The Environmental Aspects
Destination Jungle commits to sustainability in terms of environmental practices and engages all thestaff, the tour guides in training and implementation of the company’s policies. The following are the
key aspects of our environmental policies.
Transportation Policies
Transportation is a relevant component in our operations, since the safari package has the
transport by motor vehicles as one of the core aspects in operations and costs.
Furthermore, a component of our package are the domestic flights.
We are aware of the environmental impact and carbon emissions generated by the use of
motor vehicles and planes; therefore, we adopt a corresponding policy of carbon neutrality
to offset the carbon emissions.
We also encourage and promote in our tour packages eco-friendly activities like: cycling,
walks, trekking, which have a positive impact in the environment and in the communities.
Staff transport policy.
- We encourage staff to use the most sustainable means of transport, including walking, cycling,
- collective vehicles / public transport, planning shared transportation;
- We reduce transport when possible by adopting virtual meetings and internal communications;
- We encourage preferred airlines that have a responsible conduct and carbon neutral policies;
- We encourage using accommodation near to the venues of meeting or event;
- We cover travel expenses made by employees to ensure their safety.
- We ensure by code of conduct that guides and staff do not exceed speed limits;
Carbon Neutral Policy
Destination Jungle engages to adopt a “carbon neutral” policy, by calculating all the CO2
emissions emitted through the activities of our operations, by reducing the emissions and
compensating / offsetting the same with corresponding actions of carbon sequestration via
acquisition of “carbon credits” and supporting reforestation programs, tree-planting, use of
sustainable biomass.
- The most relevant areas of our Carbon dioxide emissions are: the use of traditional petrol and diesel motor vehicles for our activities both for clients and staff; the use of airplanes for air travel by staff and clients; the use of traditional fuel or diesel means of transport; the use of electricity in the premises of the company; the use of petrol or diesel in generators and other engine machineries; use of charcoal.
- A system of data recording is introduced to calculate all our CO2 emissions in a monthly and annual basis, which will be translated into a carbon footprint.
- Destination Jungle engages in the reforestation project of Every 5 Acres and promote the same partnering with other tour operators, suppliers and association of tour operators.
Optimization of usage of electricity
Destination Jungle engages in the following policies:
- Use of LED and low consumption bulbs.
- Reducing and optimizing the use of electricity (avoiding waste by switching off during off hours, avoiding unnecessary usage); we introduced the switch off policy in office.
- We introduced solar energy power whenever possible.
- Air conditioning and ventilators:
- Use fans and natural ventilation, where possible;
- Set temperatures a few degrees closer to outside templates (e.g., on hot days, setting the thermostat to 24ºC rather than 21ºC);
- Switch off heating and cooling after business hours.
Water Policy
Our water policy is aimed at reducing and optimizing the usage of water.
Source:
- Use of rain water collection tanks to avoid wastage.
- Use of boreholes and water wells efficiently
- Keep close monitoring of water usage by checking and recording water meters reading.
Taps:
- Install water-efficient taps with a flow restrictor;
- Install taps that quickly reach the desired temperature;
- Fix leaking taps.
- Avoid washing up under running taps by using wash basins or closing the sink exit.
Toilets:
- Replace single-flush toilets with dual-flush;
- Fix leaking toilets immediately;
- Install toilets with smart controls to reduce unnecessary flushing.
Plants:
- Use drought-tolerant plants;
- Use mulch to keep the soil's moisture;
- Preference for native species that are hardier to local climate;
- Water the plants early in the mornings or in the evenings.
Make your staff water wise:
- Include water saving policies and procedures in staff inductions;
- Discuss efficient water use during meetings and provide regular reports on water
- consumption;
- Appoint a staff member to monitor water use
Sustainable practices in the
waste management
- Production of waste is affecting the environment and the habitat where we live, so it is a necessary policy to reduce as much as possible the waste production and to adopt all those habits facilitating the reutilization and recycling of materials. This is the 3 R guideline (reducing – reusing – recycling).
- Destination Jungle endorses the following principles: reutilization, recycling and reduction of single use materials and use of long lasting and eco-friendlier materials. The objective is to reduce the amount of garbage and to increase the amount of materials that will be reused or recycled like: paper, plastic, glass, batteries.
Plastic Policy
It is paramount policy of Destination Jungle to join the international campaign against the use of plastic. For this reason, all purchases, service acquisition, exhibitions and so on will take into consideration all the alternative materials to replace the use of plastic.
In particular, it is our policy:
- To replace the use of plastic bottles for staff and guests with metal or glass bottles and water points.
- To use the plastic water cans for safari because they are refilled / reused, unless a different system comes into place with an alternative to plastic.
- The plastic materials that have been produced in the operations must be carefully disposed of for recycling.
Support to conservation and climate actions
- We commit to avoid degradation, pollution, deforestation in any location of its operations. The company further engages in actions of habitat restoration, improvement, reforestation.
- We commit to avoid and combat wildlife trafficking and trade, the use of forbidden souvenirs resulted from poaching and wildlife trade.
- We commit to care for the conservation of the biodiversity, the natural resources and protected areas, by supporting and promoting projects and organizations having these same objectives.
- We commit for the respect and protection of animals; we don’t entertain any form of animals exploitation or mistreatment for tourist purposes or others.
- We are aware about the international climate emergency and we take a stand against climate change by adopting the policy of carbon neutrality and by investing in reforestation. The “Every 5 Acres” project by ACBF serves as a corporate social responsibility engagement whereby a land is identified for purpose of conservation and reforestation which provides a response in favor of climate stabilization and CO2 sequestration.