Advantage CSR Policy

Advantage Travel Partnership – Corporate Social Responsibility Policy

• Policy brief & purpose

The Advantage Travel Partnership (Our Company) strives to act responsibly to our environment and our people. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) company policy refers to our efforts to be a good corporate citizen and give back to the world. It is an evolving policy, which we are committed to developing and improving over time. 

The underlying foundations which our CSR efforts are built upon evolves around and will follow Our Company’s core businesses values, which are:
ENGAGE
We have created an open and approachable culture across the business.

CREATE
We constantly challenge the status quo to fashion new ideas and concepts.

DELIVER
We deliver on what we promise to our members.

CARING
Our members are at the heart of everything we do.

TRANSPARENT 
Profits are reinvested in activity for the benefit of all, decided by a member-elected board.

• Scope

Our Company’s CSR policy is intended to reach, involve and support our members, our staff, our business partners and all their subsidiaries. 
Through our relationships and partnerships, we are committed to protecting the environment; supporting charities and local communities; promoting equal opportunities; ensuring safe and efficient working practices; and working with people and businesses who uphold similar values.

• Policy elements

We want to be a responsible business that meets the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
Our Company’s social responsibility falls under two categories: compliance and proactiveness. Compliance refers to Our Company’s commitment to legality and willingness to observe community values. Proactiveness is every initiative to promote human rights, help communities and protect our natural environment.

• Compliance

Legality
Our Company will:

• Respect the law
• Honour its internal policies
• Ensure that all its business operations are legitimate
• Keep every partnership and collaboration open and transparent
   

Business ethics
We’ll always conduct business with integrity and respect to human rights. We’ll promote:

• Safety and fair dealing
• Respect toward the consumer, our members, and our business partners
• Anti-bribery and anti-corruption practices
   

Protecting the environment
Our Company recognises the need to protect the natural environment. Keeping our environment clean and unpolluted is a benefit to all. We’ll always follow best practices when disposing of waste. Stewardship will also play an important role.
 

Protecting people
Our Company recognises that our people are our greatest asset and are instrumental to ours and our members continued growth.
As such we are committed to providing careers and working environments in which our people can achieve to their fullest potential. 
Our Company will ensure that we:

• Create clear and fair terms of employment for our employees
• Don’t risk the health and safety of our employees and community
• Remain committed to a policy of equal opportunities in employment
• Support diversity and inclusion by encouraging a harmonious working environment with zero tolerance to bullying or to any form of harassment linked to an individual’s sex or other personal characteristics
• Strive for equal opportunities for all present and future employees
• Encourage and provide opportunities for our staff to develop skills to progress their careers
• Ensures that staff are aware of Our Company’s policies on bribery and corruption, and whistleblowing

Proactiveness

Our people
Our Company offers a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits which all our staff are eligible for, including:

• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Child Care Voucher Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Subsidised gym membership
• Access to preferred industry travel rates
• Life Assurance
• Private Health Care
• Non-contributory pension scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Option to buy or sell annual leave
• A Homeworking and Working from Home Policy 
• Weekly fruit delivered for head office staff

Charitable Giving
Our Company continues to use its many events, and ad-hoc activities to raise money for charitable causes, and as of 2018, has focused its charitable efforts by supporting a nominated Charity of the Year.
The objective of the Charity of the Year initiative is to concentrate the fundraising efforts of Our Company, our staff, our members and our business partners to make a significant difference to a charitable cause.  
Our staff and members are involved in selecting the charity we will support, with individuals nominating their preferred charity, and the final decision being made by vote. 
The Charity of the Year project team are tasked to create, promote and deliver a series of fundraising events, with the aim of achieving our fundraising target for money raised and volunteering hours donated. 
It is anticipated the initiative will be supported at all Our Company’s events, through additional activities, and through members own fundraising efforts. We expect to also engage our business partners support to further enhance our fundraising capabilities.  

Preserving the environment
Apart from legal obligations, our company will proactively protect the environment. Examples of relevant activities include:

• Desk bins being removed and replaced with office recycling bins
• A drive towards a paper-free office
• Monitored printing, resulting in reduced wastage
• Shredding and recycling of secure waste
• Removal of all plastic cups used in our head office
• Recycling printer cartridges 
• Destroying and recycling where possible old computing hardware
• Using e-Payslips for all Our Company employees
• Using printer paper made from 100% recycled materials, produced using processes equivalent to ISO 9001, OSHAS 18001 and ISA 14001 or EMAS.