Transat publishes its third corporate responsibility report

Website resp.transat.com comprehensively profiles the organization’s efforts in matters of sustainable development

2008: Transat adopts a policy on sustainable tourism.
2010: Transat implements an ambitious three-year program.
2012: Corporate responsibility becomes a core component of Transat’s new vision for the future.

Transat is publishing the 2010–2012 highlights of its corporate responsibility (CR) program today on its resp.transat.com website. Over the years, the tour operator has ascribed increasing importance to sustainability issues, and has translated that philosophy into actions taken across the entire organization, as well as with partners and in destination countries. In the process, its commitment to development of increasingly sustainable tourism has become a fundamental element of its vision for the future. Transat has implemented multiple initiatives that have strengthened its leadership position in the travel and tourism industry when it comes to environmental, social and economic responsibility.

“Becoming a model of responsibility in the travel industry has been Transat’s ambition for a number of years,” says Transat President and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Marc Eustache. “This is why, in 2012, we adopted a corporate vision statement that makes responsible tourism development an integral part of our actions, in the same way as the customer experience.”

In its report, Transat reviews some 160 initiatives, which are structured around four pillars: environment, market, workplace and communities. Here is a summary:

• Implementation of environmental initiatives aimed at, among other things, proper resource management. These have resulted in, for example, awarding of LEED-EB certification to Air Transat’s head office, and a system for recovering outdated electronic hardware in Canada.
• An air operations greenhouse gas reduction program that is among the most advanced in the industry. Air Transat was named Most Climate-Efficient North American Net Carrier.
• Development and implementation of a program that encourages tourism services providers to adopt avant-garde sustainable development practices. Transat has instituted a sustainable hotel management program and formally recognizes six environmental certification schemes.
• Protection of cultural and natural heritage at destination, which includes a direct financial assistance program, local partners and international action.
• A priority commitment to children’s causes, as shown by the company’s partnerships with Beyond Borders and ECPAT France to combat child sex tourism, and with SOS Children’s Villages in support of orphaned and abandoned children.
• Changes to the tourism product itself. Several tours are now assessed against sustainability criteria, and provide for authentic contacts with local communities at destination. Since January 2013, Transat has been marketing packages to Haiti, which is helping stimulate tourism development in that country.
• Ongoing training, information and engagement efforts with employees of the group, whose contributions are essential, as well as programs encouraging volunteer work and international co-operation.

On resp.transat.com, Transat explains its objectives and reports on its efforts with transparency, including with regard to international criteria that are increasingly being recognized as tourism industry benchmarks. First launched in 2011, the site takes continual stock of Transat’s corporate responsibility actions. It has been fully updated to reflect the work conducted over the past two years, and redesigned for more fluid, user-friendly browsing. Its content is comprehensive, lively and informative. A site to discover!

Transat A.T. Inc. is an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. A holiday travel specialist, Transat operates mainly in Canada and Europe, as well as in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean Basin. Montreal-based Transat is also active in air transportation, accommodation, destination services and distribution. Transat’s firm commitment to sustainable tourism development is reflected in its multiple corporate responsibility initiatives. (TSX: TRZ.B, TRZ.A).