Sustainability
Sustainability at Projects Abroad
Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. As a Certified B Corp and founding member of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, we proudly operate as a climate-positive organisation.
When you choose Projects Abroad, you’re not just embarking on an educational adventure; you’re helping create a brighter, more sustainable future for people and the planet.
Here’s how:
1) Our approach to climate action
Our planet is our only home, and we are committed to reducing our environmental impact and contributing to global climate solutions. We measure our carbon footprint and have set clear targets to reduce emissions across our operations. We are also proud to be a founding member of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.
Since 2023, we have funded certified climate projects equivalent to 100% of our measured total emissions through our partnership with Ecologi, contributing to ecosystem protection, landscape restoration, and sustainable livelihoods.
As our approach evolves, we are prioritising emissions reductions and focusing our support on residual emissions. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint while continuously improving how we measure and manage our impact.
Our Flight Carbon Calculator allows you to estimate emissions associated with your journey. If you choose, you can contribute to certified climate projects that support carbon reduction and removal, alongside wider environmental and community benefits.
Increasing biodiversity
A diverse environment is a strong environment. When we help restore balanced ecosystems, they become more resilient. That’s what our conservation projects focus on.
Our Approach:
- Vigilant monitoring: We keep a watchful eye on endangered species and use our data to inform and strengthen future conservation efforts.
- Ecological restoration: We actively restore native plant and animal species, particularly in sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs, forests, and coastal habitats.
- Nature-first solutions: We champion nature-based solutions to climate challenges, including tree planting, mangrove restoration, and supporting fuel-efficient cookstoves that reduce emissions and improve livelihoods.
Get involved by joining one of our Conservation Projects.
2) Transparent and ethical operations
It is our responsibility, as a certified B Corporation, to be transparent in our efforts to balance profit and purpose. The B stands for Benefit for All, and fewer than 100 travel businesses have joined the scheme worldwide.
Becoming a B Corp is a difficult process, and it shows that we are committed to our employees, the communities with which we work, and the planet. We undergo reverification every three years to make sure that we are still compliant with the guidelines.
We operate with a fair and ethical wage structure, paying the local living wage to our employees in every destination around the world. We want every employee to be able to live comfortably and enjoy their work with us.
Our projects also adhere to strict ethical policies and guidelines, particularly regarding child safeguarding, animal welfare, and medical ethics. This is to ensure that our staff, project partners, participants, and communities all stay safe.
We take behavioural issues very seriously and encourage everyone involved with our projects to be mindful of their actions.
3) Locally-led, community-driven projects
Our projects put resources directly into global communities and focus on fostering collaboration.
We rely on local knowledge to ensure we’re targeting root-cause challenges, accounting for biases, and supporting initiatives that meet our stakeholders’ goals. This approach helps greatly enhance local capacity, rather than creating a culture of dependency.
We also use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to guide our work in the long term, ensuring that the work done by one participant is built upon by the next.
These goals are designed to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.
Our projects are strategically crafted for continual, holistic change. We work throughout the year, rain or shine, to finish what we start. Each initiative integrates with previous work and supports future progress. You’re building on ongoing projects, year after year, day after day.
4) Impact Report
Every year, we publish the results of our participants’ contribution to building a better future for all. Our annual Impact Report highlights how individual efforts contribute to longer-term and lasting positive change, both in local communities and themselves.
From animal surveys on our conservation programmes to community health screenings on medical projects, your work contributes towards global initiatives.
It also reflects on the impact our projects have on you, the participant. Our projects are a learning experience — a chance to develop new skills, help in interviews, provide a global perspective, and much more.
An ongoing journey with our partners
Our commitment to sustainability isn’t just for show. Since 1992, we’ve worked to consistently reduce our environmental impact, but we know there’s always more work to be done.
With the help of our partners, we will continue to be transparent about our progress in sustainability and search for new methods of further reducing our environmental impact.
Our core philosophy is that travel can, and should, be a force for good. Your experience with us becomes a catalyst for creating economic opportunities that lead to positive environmental and social outcomes at the most local level.
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