Tour Mongolia, we have been offering the best practice and experience of sustainable tourism and travel solutions for over 20 years by organizing different kinds of eco-friendly tours in multiple destinations in Mongolia.

We have recognized our responsibility to develop and operate in ways that reduce environmental impacts, benefit host communities and ensure the protection of their livelihood and make potential contribution into the development of sustainable and responsible tourism since the early stage of the company establishment. In order to fulfill our responsibilities, we closely work with the national and international organizations and get certified and awarded year by year.

Even though, we are still improving our management and training our staff and implementing international standards into the operation. The latest example is in 2019, we implemented ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management) which clearly proved that our entire operation is running alongside of the international standards’ requirements.

Our main concept of the sustainability policy is to incorporate sustainable practices into our daily operations to long-term goals for decreasing impacts on the earth.

Therefore, our main goal of the sustainability policy is to adjust the guidelines, regulations and recommendations to the core stakeholders such as internal human resource, business partners, local suppliers, and clients. In addition, our objectives are to deliver better understanding about sustainability issues and to ensure how the policies allocate into the business activities in terms of sustainability action plan.

Our sustainability coordinator of the company is responsible to organize social and environmental activities in line with the company’s strategic and business goals.

Our sustainability policy document consists of 9 main sections and each section has a set of principles and practical actions. These are:

1. Sustainability management
2. Legal compliance (social policy, human rights, animal welfare, child protection)
3. Internal management (office environment and supplies),
4. Internal management (human resource)
5. Business partners
6. Local suppliers (accommodation, transportation)
7. Tours and activities
8. Destinations: National Protected Areas
9. Customer relationship

We all know that tour operator plays main role in the tourism industry by linking customers and tourism service providers. Consequently, we understand that we can influence on the sustainability of tourism development in our country and can make an important contribution to furthering the goals of sustainable tourism on global scale.

Sustainability can be achieved through a balance of social, environmental, and economic priorities and our sustainability management considers several criteria of renewable and non-renewable resources in terms of business operation. Thus, our main purpose of our sustainability management is to implement, follow and promote good sustainability practices to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts on tourism and to influence our clients and partners to do the same.
So, we commit to sustainability management, practiced by these following actions:

• To create a sustainability coordinator position who is responsible for sustainability tasks;
• To state sustainability policy which aims to increase social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts by the company certain operations and to considers employees’ health and safety aspects and to ensures the customer caring.
• To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it.
• To inform our clients and partners about our sustainability achievement and plans on our website regularly
• To raise awareness about sustainable travel using our website
• To have sustainability guidelines and evaluation system in place to identify the sustainability performance of key suppliers and partners;
• To have sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsibilities and time planning;
• To introduce a sustainability mission statement to the customers, partners and suppliers;
• To collaborate and actively involved in external forums and working groups which are supportive to sustainability in tourism;
• To develop documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, objectives and targets;
• To ensure company’s transparency in sustainability by public reporting and communicating;

We generally commit to complying with all national and international legislation, regulations which are able to affect our business operation. Considering an obvious social policy including human rights, child protection and animal welfare is crucial in order to ensure legal compliances. This includes following principles:

• To comply with national concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment;
• To provide a sufficient work conditions according to national labor law
• To have documented effective procedures in place for employees to voice out their complaints and expectations;
• To have first aid kits in the office and each tour crew and all staff should be trained every two years to renew their certificates;
• Training our employed tour leaders and local representatives on the avoidance of sexual exploitation of children. This will include training on how to check the requirements concerning exclusion of child abuse;
• To have a measurement system for employee satisfaction on a regular basis;
• To provide periodic guidance and training for employees on roles, rights and responsibilities regarding health and safety issues.
• To create internship opportunities for students who studying travel and tourism;
• To encourage employment opportunities for disabled persons;
• To prohibit discriminations, regard to recruitment, conditions of employment, access to training and senior positions, or promotion in terms of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs or sexual orientation;
• To ensure all employees have an equal chance and access to resources and opportunities for personal development through regular training and education;
• To ensure a child protection and to prevent illegal labor of children and sexual exploitation within the direct supply chain.
• To consider an animal welfare when organizing tours, especially horse or camel back riding trips.

We commit to practice environmental protection and enhance community relations by ensuring the enforcement of following practices:

• To buy Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;
• Favor the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office and catering supply, giveaways and merchandise;
• Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials;
• Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing or other forms of paper saving modes;
• Use cleaning materials which are non-hazardous, biodegradable and are certified with an eco-label, if locally available;
• Print brochures on environmentally friendly paper, with a printing company that works with a certified environmental management system, if locally available at reasonable costs;
• Implement measurements to reduce brochure wastage or an ‘internet only’ policy;
• Have an active commitment to measure, monitor and reduce energy consumption;
• To purchase energy efficient lighting for all areas, when available;
• Switch off Lights and equipment when not in use, use automatic switch on/off system with timers or movement sensors and set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where this is feasible;
• Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;
• Have an active policy to reduce water consumption, implemented and monitored on a yearly basis for benchmark purposes;
• Install water saving equipment in toilets, re-use waste water and/or grey water;
• Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal;
• Develop and implement a solid waste reduction and recycling policy, with quantitative goals based on the following parameters: Re-use (empty containers), Recycle (paper, plastic, glass and cans etc.), Repair (old or damaged items can be repaired), Reduce (overconsumption), and Reject (not renewable or reusable products).
• Take measures to reduce the amount of packaging materials and not provide non-recyclable or non-biodegradable package materials;
• Take action to reduce the amount of (non-refillable) plastic bottles of drinking water for office use;
• Separate all materials which can be recycled and organize collection and proper disposal;
• Implement waste reducing methods when using ink and toner cartridges for printing and copying, whenever feasible;
• Recycle or properly dispose of batteries;
• Minimize and substitute the use of harmful substances and manage properly the storage, handling and disposal of chemicals;
• Implement practices to minimize pollution from its buildings and implement locally appropriate and feasible sustainable practices and materials for new buildings or renovation;
• Measure and reduce staff related travel and use more sustainable modes of transport. Calculate its emissions, with the aim to reduce and compensate, through a reliable locally available program;
• Reduce transport related impacts by video meetings or work-at-home policies;
• Maintain and properly check motorized company vehicles, to reduce emissions and energy use and make sure they comply with the legal emission standards,
• Provide periodic guidance, training and/or information to all staff members, about their roles and responsibilities with respect to internal environmental practices;
• Contribute to the protection and preservation of local historical, archaeological, culturally, and spiritually important properties and sites.

We aim at involving as many professionals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. Our entire human resource consists of full time employees who are office staff and part time or seasonal employees who are tour guides, drivers, cooks, local representatives, and tour assistants.  We stand for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects all our staff.  

We commit to this by;

• Ensuring that all employees have a written employment contract, including labour conditions, a job description, wage rate and fully understand the terms and conditions of the sustainability policy;
• To determinate and compensate of overtime working hours based on agreement;
• To provide medical and liability insurance according to the national law;
• To grant employees fixed paid yearly holiday and sick leave and unpaid annual leave allowance;
• To have health and safety policy for employees which complies to national legal standards;
• Paying tour leaders, local representatives, guides, drivers, cooks and other local staff contracted by us at least a living wage that is equal to or above the legal minimum or relevant industry standard;
• Ensuring that office staff and all our seasonal employees under contract are qualified and trained regularly;
• Ensuring that our local employees are informed on relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it, by newsletters, references or supplements to contracts, emails, or training and information sessions;
• Offering a special sustainable travel module in the trainings program for local tour guides and hosts, in which the main responsible tourism aspects are brought to attention followed by the role expected from the employees. This module will also include knowledge regarding the destination and its relevant sustainability aspects;
• Having our tour leaders, local representatives and guides inform clients on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g. protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g. tips, dressing code and photography) and human rights (e.g. sexual exploitation);

Based on an inventory of our key partner agencies, we have developed and implemented a policy to improve sustainability of our partner agencies. Our aim is to make sustainable development concrete to each and every partner within our business.

We commit to this by;

• Keeping a list of the sustainability practices of business partners;
• Only working with organisations who are truly implementing sustainability in their tourism policy;
• Having a written cooperation contract including an annex of the national code of conduct for international partners to encourage their practices towards sustainability;
• Minimalizing the ecologic footprint of the office by travelling mainly via public transport, working as paperless as possible, separating waste, and to make use of certified recycled paper;
• Raising awareness among key partners on sustainable consumption by organising (online) campaigns and trainings;
• Enlightening key partners on the Travelife and national tourism standards;
• Informing key partners about the travel companies’ sustainability policy and that they are expected to comply with it and/or communicate it to final customers where relevant;
• Including key sustainability clauses in contracts with business partners;
• Motivating business partners to participate in sustainability trainings for travel companies;
• Ensuring that partner companies comply with all relevant their national and international laws protecting the rights of employees;

We try to achieve a tourism supply chain that is fully sustainable. The partner accommodations (hotels, tourist camps, guest houses and local communities) play an important role in achieving this, and are stimulated and motivated to adapt sustainable practices. On the other hand, transport is an important aspect of sustainable tourism, and we do our best to decrease the average pollution level.

We commit to this by;

• Ensuring that our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws and regulations, industry minimum standards, and any other relevant statutory requirements whichever requirements are more stringent;
• Having a written contract with clear terms and conditions towards sustainability
• Including clauses in the supplier contracts that enable contract partners to end the contractual agreement prematurely if the partner company does not take adequate measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children within the direct supply chain;
• Paying attention to the local benefits of communities when selecting local accommodations and their social policy for employees;
• Evaluating the sustainability practices regularly of our local suppliers to ensure their practices are truly sustainable;
• Integrating and/or promoting one or more sustainable holiday packages based on a recognised methodology, including sustainable transport, sustainable accommodations, and sustainable activities.
• Motivating and encouraging local suppliers to become sustainably certified and to follow best practices and trainings on responsible tourism;
• Clearly and actively communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements regarding accommodations and transportation;
• Giving clear preference to accommodations that work with internationally acknowledged (e.g. GSTC recognised) and/or Travelife certification;
• Ensuring that through our accommodation supply chain, the rights of children are respected and safeguarded by having a clause dedicated to this aspect in their contract that enables the travel company to end the contractual agreement prematurely if the accommodation supplier does not take adequate measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children;
• Selecting the most sustainable options considering price and comfort when selecting transport options to the destination;
• Offering public transport to the point of departure for one way journey;
• Considering and giving preference to more sustainable alternatives when selecting transport options for transfers and excursions in the destination, taking into account price, comfort, and practical considerations;
• Selecting accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards with a special focus on their sustainability policy, water and energy saving programs, waste management, and social policy etc.
• Preferring and selecting accommodations that are locally owned and managed; employ local communities and offering incentives to accommodations that are actively engaging in sustainability;
• Working with accommodations and restaurants that incorporate elements of local art, architecture, or cultural heritage; while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities;
• Terminating cooperation with accommodation in case of clear evidence that contracted accommodations jeopardize the provision of integrity of basic services such as food, water, energy, healthcare, or soil to the neighbouring companies.

We value animal and community welfare extremely high and aim at tours that only leave a minor footprint. We are safeguarding the authenticity of the communities and the natural environment, and are strongly against harming wildlife and polluting the environment.

We commit to this by;

• Having an inventory of environmentally or culturally sensitive tours which are offered in each destination;
• Advising clients to focus on respecting the local culture, nature, and environment during tours;
• Communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to contracted and other relevant tour operators by distributing this information via code of conducts, representative agents, social media, email, discussions, and/or meetings, to minimise negative visitor impact and maximise enjoyment;
• Not offering any tours that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy, or which are socially and culturally unacceptable;
• Not offering any tours in which wildlife is held captive, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international law;
• Not being involved with companies that harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade wildlife species unless it is part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilisation is sustainable and in compliance with local, national, and international law;
• Having skilled and certified tour guides to lead our clients in sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites, or ecologically sensitive destinations;
• Encouraging and advise our clients on excursions and activities which directly involve and support local communities by purchasing handmade traditional crafts and local production methods, or visiting social projects;
• Promoting and guiding clients on excursions and activities which support local environment and biodiversity such as visiting national protected areas or our initiated projects about preserving cultural heritage and tradition;

We aim to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at destination to ensure the sustainable development of the places that we operate in. In Mongolia, most of the tourist destinations are located in the national protected areas and some of them are strictly protected areas in terms of natural beauties, rare flora and faunas. 

We commit to this by:

• To consider sustainability aspects in the selection process of new destinations and possibly offer alternative, non-mainstream destinations;
• To consider selection of new destinations, which are reachable through more sustainable means of transport;
• To comply with legally based spatial planning, protected areas and heritage regulations. Also with destination management strategies of local, regional and national authorities;
• To support initiatives that improve the relationships between accommodations and local producers;
• To influence and support local government (when possible, together with other travel companies and stakeholders) concerning sustainability, destination planning and management, use of natural resources and socio-cultural issues;
• Support biodiversity conservation, including protected areas and areas of high biodiversity, through financial contribution, political support, and integration in product offers;
• Not promote souvenirs which contain threatened flora and fauna species or historic and archaeological artefacts;

Customer relationship is very important to us. At Tour Mongolia, we ensure clear and constant communication and high protection to our clients. We always strive to generate happy and satisfied clients and we do our best efforts to make our clients enjoyed with the services as getting over their expectations. In serving our clients before, during and after a trip we endeavor to construct a complete satisfaction.

Pre-booking, we commit to this by:

• Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised;
• Comply with relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, and not promise more than is delivered;
• Make product and price information clear, complete and accurate, with regard to the company and its products and services, including sustainability claims;
• Provide destination information, including sustainability aspects, which is factually correct, balanced and complete;
• Inform clients about the environmental impact of different transport options to reach the destination (in case these are not included in the package), and to offer sustainable alternatives, where available;
• Promote (Certified) sustainable accommodations, excursions, packages and/or transport options, with logos or other messages; ensuring they are recognizable to consumer and presented as the “better” option;
• Inform the customer about sustainable alternatives concerning accommodations, excursions, package holidays and transport options, if available;
• Clearly inform (potential) direct customers, about sustainability commitments and actions;

After booking and during the trips, we commit to this by:

• Provide information to clients about the natural surroundings, local culture and cultural heritage in the travel destinations in order to minimize negative visitor impacts and maximize pleasure;
• Inform clients about key sustainability aspects and issues in the destination and receive recommendations on how to make a positive contribution;
• Inform clients about risks and precautions related to health and safety matters in the destination;
• Keep details of contact person in any emergency situations;
• Deliver clear information to the clients about commercial, sexual or any other form of exploitation and harassment;
• Notify clients about applicable legislation concerning the purchasing, sales, import and export of historic or religious artefacts and articles containing materials of threatened flora and/or fauna in the destination;
• Motivate clients to use local restaurants and shops;
• Encourage clients to donate to local charity and sustainable initiatives;

After holidays, we commit to this by:

• To receive feedback of the clients’ satisfaction towards service and product improvements and analyze their responses;
• Include sustainability as an integral part of the research into client satisfaction;
• Have clear procedures in case of complaints from clients;