Sustainable tourism corporative initiatives

2.  Initiatives are is titled to aid an organization's mission
as well as serve as a guide to what the company
represents for its consumers. Business ethics is the
part of applied ethics that examines ethical principles
and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a
business environment.

3.  Corporative initiatives are also known as
Corporate social responsibility
 CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate
citizenship or responsible business is a form of
corporate self-regulation integrated into a business
model.
 CSR policy functions as a self-regulatory mechanism
whereby a business monitors and ensures its active
compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards
and national or international norms.

4.  Since the 1960s,corporate social responsibility has
attracted attention from businesses and stakeholders
in regard to its benefits and what it is.
 Corporate social responsibility has been defined
differently by different writers based on what they
perceive about the concept.

5.  Having learnt from the devastating effects of corporate
social irresponsibility, companies are focusing on the
impacts of their operations not only on profits but the
society and environment at large..
 Therefore, corporate social responsibility refers to "the
ethical principle that an organization should be
responsible for how its behavior might affect society
and the environment".

6.  According to Henderson (2007), tourism industry and
CSR are very closely related due the direct relationship
with its society and environment.
Healthy economy, cultural and natural heritage are
curtail factors in tourism industry.
Therefore, companies should understand and accept
CSR philosophy, by investing in the local community
and environment would help them create and sustain
good relations, which in long terms will reflect on
company’s success.

7.  “The long-term success of tourism companies
depends on the ability to address the needs of those
affected by the operations of a tourism company” .

8.  Generally to achieve the following reimburse the
business organizations espouse and strive to pursue
this conception:
• To improve performance of the products
(introduce environmentally and socially new
product).
• To support values & ethical bases of enterprises (it
creates ability to claim best performer as well).

9. • To get favor of local community (through creating
positive image and reducing conflict with the
powerful bodies; e.g. municipality, CBA, general
public).
• To improve PR and image to its stakeholders
(frequent interaction in different events create the
opportunity).
• To differentiate their brand and gain competitive
advantage (by increasing brand equity & focus).

10. • To gain customers and employees loyalty (by
gaining trust and respect of the present &
potentials).
• To escape themselves from new laws and
regulations (by showing ‘good citizen’ attitude).

11. • Millennium Declaration by 189 countries (2000) was a
milestone.
• UNWTO launches ST-EP (sustainable tourism
eliminating poverty) in 2002 which is complimentary
to MDGs (Especially in Africa & Asia).

12. • ISO 26000 series is going to be assigned for satisfactory
role in CSR tourism (Sweden and Brazil are working to
make it more meaningful).
• Different awards have been introduced for CSR
performance in tourism industry.

13. Environmental CSR:
 Tourism CSR is only a part of Sustainable tourism
development.
 Environmental impact minimization has received the
most attention of CSR activities in tourism.
 According to UNEP study, around 30 codes of
 conduct were exercised by the stakeholders.

14.  Social and ethical CSR:
 Tourism plays significant role in poverty alleviation
(through creating employment opportunities and
small business ventures; especially in African and
Asian countries).
 Some discrepancies are found very often: Gender
discrimination, Child sex tourism, labor exploitation,
labor migration and trafficking etc.


15.  UNWTO Task Force has developed a code of conduct
regarding ‘Protection of Children in Tourism’
(addressing trafficking, labor and sexual exploitation
in travel and tourism) in 2000.
 WCTE (world committee on tourism ethics) is
working to settle disputes among concerns.

17.  The idea of CSR has gained traction
within the hospitality
industry. Consequently, many hospitality
businesses, including Sandals and Starwood
Hotels, are developing CSR programs and
strategies in an attempt to boost customer
loyalty, conserve environments, reduce
social problems and contribute to the
development of communities.

18.  Several initiatives include the adoption of
linen exchange programs, the use of
environmentally friendly cleaning agents
and energy conservation through the
installation of energy saving devices (White,
2006). An example is the new eco-friendly
Element Starwood Hotels and Resorts that
contributes to sustainability through the
implementation of the 3Rs practice of
reduce, reuse and recycle.

19.  The ITC e-Choupal initiative is a powerful illustration
of a unique and innovative model that delivers
significant societal value by co-creating rural markets
with local communities. A network of village internet
kiosks - e-Choupals - enable even small and marginal
farmers in rural India, who are de-linked from the
formal market, to access real-time weather and price
information, and relevant knowledge and services to
enhance farm productivity, quality and command
better prices - improving their competitiveness and
capacity to manage risk.

20.  A key plank in ITC’s natural resource management strategy
and a pioneering venture in wasteland development, ITC’s
Afforestation Programme brings multiple social and
environmental benefits. It enables farmers who own
wastelands and lands with low levels of productivity to
grow commercially viable pulpwood plantations, thereby
turning an unproductive asset into a profitable one. To
ensure the commercial viability of these plantations, ITC
invested in extensive R&D to develop fast-growing clonal
saplings that are disease-resistant and have a higher rate of
survival in harsh conditions. Under the Social Forestry
component of the Programme, tribals and marginal
farmers are assisted with loans, subsidised clonal stock and
extension services

21.  Eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition,
promoting preventive health care and sanitation and
making available safe drinking water
 Promoting education, including special education
and employment enhancing vocation skills especially
among children, women, elderly, and the differently
abled and livelihood enhancement projects;

22.  Promoting gender equality, empowering women,
setting up homes and hostels for women and orphans;
setting up old age homes, day care centers and such
other facilities for senior citizens and measures for
reducing inequalities faced by socially and
economically backward groups;
 Ensuring environmental sustainability, ecological
balance, protection of flora and fauna, animal welfare,
agro forestry, conservation of natural resources and
maintaining quality of soil, air and water

23.  Protection of national heritage, art and culture
including restoration of building and sites of historical
importance and works of art; setting up public
libraries; promotion and development of traditional
art and handicrafts;
 Measures for the benefit of armed forces veterans, war
widows and their dependants;
 Training to promote rural sports, national recognised
sports, Paralympics sports and Olympic sports;

24.  Corporate social responsibility means
different things to different people. The
underlying themes regarding CSR are that it
is good and necessary, activities within
which businesses participate should not be
viewed or undertaken lightly, but rather,
serious consideration must be given to how
best CSR should be implemented.