Employee engagement, development and satisfaction

A company with a commitment to ensuring the well-being of others must first guarantee that of its employees. To this end, Transat is determined to continue implementing programs that build their engagement, support them and help advance their careers.

Ensure that our employees are aware of, and understand, our approach

Transat adopted its Policy on Corporate Responsibility in 2008 and has been on track to obtaining Travelife certification since 2015. To ensure the effectiveness of its actions, employees must be well informed and, above all, committed to bringing about change.

  • Travelife Certified - Excellence in sustainability

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. Status of work progress: 25%.

  • After producing training capsules, Transat wants to integrate them into the onboarding process for its new hires.

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. Status of work progress: not started.

  • Transat seeks to train 80% of its personnel via its modules.

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. ​Status of work progress: Completed.

  • Production of information capsules will enable us to achieve our employee awareness and information objectives, suggesting concrete actions they can take to help the company meet its responsibility commitments.

Raise employees’ awareness of the fight against child sex tourism

Every year, thousands of children are victims of various forms of sexual exploitation, including child sex tourism. As an international travel and tourism leader, Transat, with the support of its employees must understand the phenomenon so as to raise customers’ awareness of the consequences of these criminal acts.

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. ​Status of work progress: Ongoing.

  • Transat wants to conduct a yearly reminder campaign for all personnel on the fight against child-sex tourism.

  • ​Status of work progress: Completed.

  • In the fall of 2014, Transat’s Canadian travel agency network, Transat Distribution Canada, issued guidelines to better equip agents with tools for preventing sexual exploitation of children in the travel and tourism sectors. In the summer 2015, it made the guidelines available to the entire Canadian travel agency industry. Opposition to all forms of child exploitation is also a stipulation of Transat’s policy on sustainable tourism, adopted in 2008.  

    • Go here to view the Q&A document issued to travel agents.
    • Go here to learn more about the issue of child sexual exploitation around the world.

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. ​Status of work progress: Completed.

  • Destination representatives, guides in Canada and in destination countries as well as staff in our Customer Care Centres must be well acquainted with the specifics of this issue to effectively raise awareness.

Legend

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  • Objectives related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. For complete details about this certification being sought by Transat, go here.

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  • Level of progress

Leave for Change

Every year since 2010, Transat has offered four of its employees the opportunity to embark on Uniterra’s Leave for Change program, implemented by CECI and WUSC. It enables Canadian employees to go on short international co-operation missions, providing professional assistance to members of local communities while familiarizing themselves with social issues in other countries.

  • Objective related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. ​Status of work progress: Ongoing.

  • Transat is committed to supporting four international development missions per year.

Employee testimonials

 

  • Carla Rodrigues

    Mission to Vietnam

    Position: Supervisor, Customer Care Centres, Transat Tours Canada

    Departure date: March 2019

    Task upon arrival: Tourism operations advisor

    Observation: “Taking two weeks of vacation for an experience such as this is nothing compared to everything you'll gain from it. Leave for Change is truly a school of life. Overcoming your reservations is well worth it! You won't change the world, but you can make a difference.”

    Carla embarked on a three-week mandate to the Saigontourist Hospitality College (STHC), in Hồ Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Her mission was to prepare customer service training workshops for teachers and students. Carla led three workshops. The first dealt with the basics of service and handling difficult situations. The second focused on the practical side of the job (hospitality, group motivation, management of unforeseen events as well as difficult customers). The third dealt with the tourism industry and practices used elsewhere. Carla had also the opportunity to accompany students on guided outings and test their itineraries.

    Impressions: “I'm grateful for what this experience has given me. Travelling to the other side of the world makes you re-examine your habits, both good and bad. ”

  • Josiane Gagnon

    Mission to Sri Lanka

    Position: Assistant to the Vice-President Commercial, Air Transat

    Departure date: February 2019

    Task upon arrival: Customer service advisor

    Observation: “This trip helped me become a better version of myself. It gave me confidence I didn't have, and made me discover skills I didn't know I had. My Leave for Change experience changed my life!”

    Josiane embarked on a three-week mandate to Kandy, Sri-Lanka, for a mission at Sthree Craft Shop & Café, a boutique and restaurant. The restaurant’s profits are donated to the Women's Development Centre, a shelter for mothers and other women who are sexually or physically abused. Her mission, which was to train the employees on customer service, quickly became much more than that, as Josiane also provided leadership coaching to the restaurant manager, organized a workshop on restaurant sanitary standards, developed an organizational structure and developed job descriptions. She also introduced selling and display techniques designed to boost sales.

    Impressions: “I'm extremely grateful to Transat for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream, and I recommend Leave for Change to anyone who is open-minded and wants to make a difference somewhere in the world!”

  • Elif Dincer

    Mission to Tanzania

    Position: Flight Attendant, Air Transat

    Departure date: November 2018

    Task upon arrival: Customer service advisor

    Observation: “For those of you who are considering applying for the Leave for Change program, I highly recommend it! For the small price of three weeks of my vacation time, I was able to make an impact and truly experience a different way of life – something I would never get as a tourist.”

    Elif embarked on a three-week mission for MVIWATA Manyara, a national farming association in Babati, Tanzania. Her mission was to identify the board of directors' strengths and weaknesses as well as ways to improve management of the organization’s staff performance. To do this, she created several tools: policies, code of conduct, orientation plan, self-assessment form, development plan, matrix, work plan, survey, etc. Elif then trained the association members on the use of these new tools.

    Impressions: “The Uniterra team went above and beyond to help me get settled. Everywhere I went, people wanted to meet and help me in any way they could! It was very humbling.”

  • Jessenia Michaud-Hernandez

    Mission to Bolivia

    Position: Supervisor, Customer Care Centers Supervisor, Transat Tours Canada

    Departure date: September 2018

    Task upon arrival: Tourism destination advisor

    Observation: “If you're considering taking part in the Leave for Change program, don't wait any longer to apply! You’ll have no regrets; far from it!”

    Jessenia embarked on a three-week mission at the La Paz Maravillosa tourism promotion agency in Bolivia. In co-operation with the social media team, she was tasked with improving the agency’s online presence. She also contributed to the creation of content for a new website designed to enhance the agency’s international visibility and helped optimize a new application aimed at informing tourists.

    Impressions: “I feel blessed to have had the chance to experience this trip, and I'm proud to work for a company like Transat that values and encourages humanitarian causes.”

  • Roxanne Labrie

    Mission to Sri Lanka

    Position: Disability Technician, Human Resources, Transat, Montréal

    Departure date: February 2018

    Task upon arrival: Human resources support

    Observation: “If you decide to be part of Leave for Change, keep an open mind and be ready to adjust once you arrive: your hosts will really appreciate it! Be generous and share resources as much as you can while remaining sensitive to the needs of the people around you.”

    Roxanne embarked on a two-week mandate to Sri Lanka, through a cooperation program with Uniterra, World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Manitoba Council of International Cooperation (MCIC). Her mission was to create and lead workshops in several cities for managers in the tourism industry (hotels, restaurants, cafés, etc.) to help them recruit and retain more women in their establishments.

    Impressions: “My heart was full of gratitude as I bid au revoir to some truly inspiring, determined and generous women. I had made the most of every moment of my trip to listen, observe, taste and try new things, laugh at myself, and connect with this team that welcomed me with open arms. Now I've come back with a new perspective, even more open to the world, even more attuned to others. ”

  • Karen Zoschke

    Mission to Sri Lanka

    Position: Marketing Coordinator, Transat Tours Canada, Toronto

    Departure date: October 2017

    Task upon arrival: Communications and Marketing Coordinator

    Observation: “My three weeks went by rather fast and I wish I could have stayed longer and continue the work we were doing, but it's time for another Transat Leave for Change volunteer to experience such an incredible journey. I encourage everyone to apply because if I could repeat this experience, I would in a heartbeat! I can't thank Transat enough for this incredible life-changing experience!”

    Karen embarked on a three-week mandate in the city of Galle, in the South of Sri Lanka. Her mission for the Ruhunu Tourism Bureau was to create and implement effective marketing plans to meet their present and future objectives. During her mandate, Karen also held a Microsoft Office training seminar.

    Impressions: “I often wondered after I returned home to Canada if the work we did was being continued and I was thrilled when after a couple of months, I received an e-mail from my boss in Sri Lanka telling me that all of the work/recommendations we had done were going to be presented to the Canadian High Commissioner, who would be visiting the office. This was pretty exciting and gratifying news! ”

  • Corinne Julien

    Mission to Peru

    Position: Manager, E-Marketing, Transat Tours Canada, Montreal

    Departure date: September 2017

    Task upon arrival: Digital marketing advisor

    Observation: “The three weeks went by too fast! The experience itself requires a lot of energy, but was very rewarding and gave me a sense of pride. Uniterra is a solid, reliable organization. It really guides you in preparing for the experience, and the on-site staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. You can’t wait until the last minute to prepare because there are several reports to produce. And be prepared for the shock when you get back!”

    Corinne went on a three-week mission to Peru, to Tarapoto, capital of the San Martin region and gateway to the Amazon rainforest. Her mandate at César Vallejo University was to host conferences, especially on digital marketing and Facebook. Corinne gave two presentations at a tourism trends seminar which brought together more than 180 tourism students, faculty and various tourism stakeholders from the area. She also hosted a conference on Marketing 101 and did radio interviews to promote it.

    Impressions: “Everyone leaves on the mission with their own baggage, their personality, their motivations, and that’s what makes each experience unique. To say that I liked my experience is an understatement. Just ask everyone I have spoken to since I got back. Long live the Leave for Change program and thank-you to Transat for allowing me to have this rewarding experience.”

  • Chrystel Blot

    Mission to Sri Lanka

    Position: Coordinator, Catering and Commissary, Air Transat, Montreal

    Departure date: July 2017

    Task upon arrival: Communications and marketing trainer

    Observation: “Without wanting to sound too cliché, I have to say that this trip was an extremely rewarding and memorable experience and I grew a lot from it.”

    Chrystel went on a three-week mission south of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Her mandate for the Ruhunu Tourist Bureau was to create and lead tourism training sessions featuring interactive exercises and simulations for the organization’s employees.

    Impressions: “This experience took on a whole new meaning when the office staff celebrated my time with them by throwing a little party. Colleagues took me to buy my first sari, the traditional women’s dress. I realized that, despite the language barriers, when girlfriends go shopping together, they laugh about the same things, no matter where in the world they are.”

  • Michelle Ferguson

    Mission to Sri Lanka

    Position: Flight Director, Air Transat, Toronto

    Departure date: October 2016

    Task upon arrival: Customer Service Advisor

    Observation: “I encourage my colleagues to take the plunge and dare to share their skills with the international development capacity-building front. You will not regret it!”

    Michelle embarked on a three-week mandate in 2016 as a customer service advisor at the Guest House Association, in the Passikudah region of Sri Lanka. This association groups some 20 guest houses and nearly 30 students of its tourism school. Her mission was to teach them strategies for attracting repeat guests and gaining new ones. Michelle also prepared a continuity plan which explained best practices and improvements to be implemented after her departure.

    Impressions: “I would like to thank Transat for allowing me the unique opportunity to work in such a meaningful way. I was honoured to have been chosen to represent our company. Life is meant to be enjoyed by making an impact on the lives of others and this has certainly also made an impact on mine. I have become a richer person having completed this mandate.”

  • Geneviève Roy

    Mission to Tanzania

    Position: Agency Coordinator, Voyages Transat, Lévis, Canada

    Departure date: November 2015

    Task upon arrival: Canadian Tourism Market Advisor

    Observation: It is certain that, in a country having a culture different from ours, one must have an open mind and be patient and conciliatory, as nothing ever goes as expected or at the desired speed.

    Geneviève travelled to Tanzania for three weeks to help the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) attract more tourists. Her tasks included meeting with various stakeholders, including tour operators, hoteliers and Cultural Tourism Enterprise (CTE) coordinators. She also produced a detailed research report designed to inform the public and private sectors about the strengths and weaknesses of various promotional actions used to increase the number of tourists.

    Impressions: I was particularly struck to see that the people welcoming us were grateful for our presence, our desire to help and the time that we granted them. This was the most beautiful experience of mutual aid of my life and it will not be the last...

  • Nathalie Brousseau

    Mission to Nepal

    Position: Flight Attendant, Air Transat, Montreal

    Departure date: November 2014

    Task upon arrival: Textile design consulting

    Observation: Many hurdles came up during my stay, but I realized just how resourceful and adaptable we can be when faced with challenges.

    Nathalie spent an entire month in Nepal, working at the Janakpur Women’s Development Centre (JWDC), which employs about 50 women. Her mission was to help with the international marketing of a new collection of home decor items. Nathalie managed the creation of a new dining room collection (napkins, placemats, table runners, table cloths and aprons) and taught the women the process and new techniques for every step of production.

    Impressions: I am very grateful to Transat and the Uniterra program for giving me this wonderful opportunity, as well as to my new sisters, whom I will hold in my heart forever. I am much richer because of this experience!!

  • Vivian Gomez

    Mission to Guatemala

    Position: Post-Reservation Cruise Support Agent, B2B

    Departure date: August 2014

    Task upon arrival: Tourism customer service consulting

    Observation: It all started with one of those recruiting e-mails promoting the Leave for Change program. Right away, I was convinced this was something I wanted to experience. The idea of combining travel and volunteering really caught my attention.

    For her Leave for Change mission, Vivian worked in Sololá, one of the poorest departments of Guatemala, for the Canadian Cooperation Society for International Development (SOCODEVI). The latter partnered with the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) on strengthening local development through the PROSOL project, which supported job creation and poverty reduction. Vivian’s mandate was to prepare participants for a networking event and teach them customer service skills for effective and successful negotiation. She developed a training program for 30 business owners in different fields including textiles, arts and crafts, agriculture, etc.

    Impressions: The Leave for Change experience is one the most memorable and appreciated moments Transat could have offered me. Not only was I able to give back to the Latin community, but I came back full of memories and experiences that changed me for life.

  • Stephanie Lamarre

    Mission to Senegal

    Position: Trainer, Data Management, Transat Tours Canada, Montreal

    Departure date: September 2013

    Task upon arrival: Provide training in sales and marketing

    Observation: This experience was incredible, both professionally and personally.

    Stéphanie spent three weeks working in Dakar, Senegal, with Convergence Nationale pour la Valorisation des Activités des Femmes (CNVAF). The goal of this organization is to support poverty reduction by promoting the social and professional activities of women. Stéphanie provided sales and marketing training to 20 or so Senegalese women. During the training sessions, Stéphanie was able to speak with the women and to get to know them on a more personal level. She also handed out gifts and promotional items from Transat.

    Impressions: I hope that everyone will take the opportunity to go on one of these trips. I encourage Transat employees to take part in the humanitarian leave program.

  • David Lacroix

    Mission to Senegal

    Position: Flight attendant, Air Transat, Montreal

    Departure date: May 2013

    Task upon arrival: Provide training in marketing and customer service

    Observation: A humanitarian leave is a cultural, professional and human adventure beyond words. I would recommend this type of experience to all my co-workers!

    David took his humanitarian leave in May 2013, through the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI). He was mandated to provide marketing and customer service training in a suburb of Dakar, Senegal. David was to provide training on the basic principles of commercialization and marketing to members of Alphadev, an organization that focuses on the social and economic development of women, children and youth from disadvantaged areas. David supplemented his training sessions with practical activities that were greatly appreciated by the participants.

    Impressions: It was an incredibly enriching trip. I learned so much about the Senegalese, Africa and life in general. Most of the participants were motivated, wanted to share their knowledge and did not hesitate to ask questions. The training was very enlightening for both the participants and myself. What a gratifying experience!

   
Legend

  • ​

  • Objectives related to the ongoing Travelife certification process. For complete details about this certification being sought by Transat, go here.

  • ​

  • Level of progress

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