Purpose:
As a travel company engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in tourism—such as consumers, tour guides, travel
agencies, hotels, transport providers, restaurants, and attractions—DTS Tunisia recognizes its significant role and
impact on the sustainable development of tourism. We are therefore committed to promoting sustainability in all
aspects of our operations. Our goal is to adopt, implement, and advocate for best sustainability practices to maximize
positive impacts and minimize negative ones, both within our operations and by influencing our clients and partners
to do the same.
The company is dedicated to adhering to international sustainability standards across various areas, including
sustainability management and legal compliance, internal policies on social issues and human rights, environmental
practices, community relations, as well as the management of transport, accommodations, excursions, activities, tour
leaders, local representatives, guides, and customer communication and protection
Scope:
The CSR Coordinator is responsible for implementing the company’s sustainability policies.
This policy applies to all DTS Tunisia employees on a permanent or fixed-term contract, interns, as well as clients,
providers, and suppliers
1. Sustainability Management & Legal compliance
- To have a sustainability mission statement that is communicated to customers, partners and suppliers.
- To collaborate and actively involved in external forums and working groups which are supportive to sustainability in tourism
- To conduct baseline assessment of the company’s performance on sustainable practices.
- To have sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsibilities and time planning.
- To ensure company’s transparency in sustainability by public reporting and communicating.
- To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it
2. Internal management: social policy & human rights
We commit to practice human rights by ensure the enforcement of following practices:
- To declare not to hinder trade union membership, collective labor negotiations and representation of
members by trade unions. - To participate and comply with a collective labor condition negotiation structure
- 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, education
3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations
We commit to practice environmental protection and enhance community relations by ensuring the enforcement of
following practices:
- Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods especially paper.
- Prioritize the purchase of sustainable products. For instance, we have opted to buy paper that is
environmentally responsible, recyclable, and sourced from an FSC-certified brand. - Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials.
- Set copy and printing machines by default to double-sided printing
- Use cleaning materials which are non-hazardous, non-eutrophic and biodegradable and are certified with an
eco-label. - Have an active commitment to measure, monitor and reduce energy consumption.
- Purchase energy efficient lighting for all areas, when available
- Switch off Lights and equipment when not in use, and set printers and PCs by default in the energy saving
mode. - Give preference to low-energy equipment when purchasing printers and PCs, taking into account 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 or Dual flush in toilets.
- Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal.
- Develop and implement a solid waste reduction and recycling policy.
- Take action to reduce the use of non-refillable plastic water bottles in the office by installing water fountains
across our agencies.Separate all materials which can be recycled and organize collection and proper disposal. - In an effort to recycle our used batteries, we have partnered with an organization that provides a collection
center called ‘Tunisie Recyclage’ for battery drop-offs. - We replace harmful substances, including paints and cleaning products, with harmless products.
- Implement a sustainable mobility policy for staff travel, focusing on reducing trips by promoting carpooling
for business travels, virtual meetings (such as Teams) - Provide periodic guidance, training and information to all staff members, about their roles and responsibilities
with respect to internal environmental practices.
4. Transport
DTS Tunisia only works with transport providers that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct.
5. Accommodations
DTS Tunisia only works with accommodations that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct.
Ensuring that through our accommodation supply chain, the rights of children are respected and safeguarded
by:
– Training employees in children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation and how to report
suspected cases.
– Supporting and engaging stakeholders in the prevention of sexual exploitation of children.
6. Excursions and activities
DTS Tunisia only works with excursion providers that adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct.
We value animal and community welfare extremely high and aims 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 excursions which are offered in each
destination. - Communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to contracted and other relevant excursion
providers by distributing this information via code of conducts, representative agents to minimise negative
visitor impact and maximise enjoyment. - Not offering any excursions that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy,
or which are socially and culturally unacceptable. - 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. - Promoting and advise our guests on excursions and activities which directly involve and support local
communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts and local (food) production methods, or
visiting social projects - Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities which support local environment and
biodiversity such as visiting protected areas or environmental protection projects.
7. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides
We aim at involving as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. We stand for a fair and safe
working environment that supports and respects local communities.
We commit to this by
- Ensuring that all employees have a written employment contract, and fully understand the terms and
conditions. - Preferring to work with local tour leaders, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and
other local staff in case of equal ability, and provide training as required. - Paying tour leaders, local representatives, guides, porters and other local staff contracted by us at least a living
wage that is equal to or above the legal minimum. - Ensuring that our tour guides, and other 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 emails, or training and information sessions. - 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). - 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.
8. Destination
All partners and providers sign the company’s Code of Conduct, which includes to not promote illegal
souvenirs.
9. Customer communication and protection
Customers welfare and information are very important to us. At DTS Tunisia, we ensure clear and constant
communication and high protection to our clients.
Prior to booking, we commit to this by:
- Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised.
- 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.3
After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:
- Keep a contact person and a telephone number permanently available for emergency situations.
- Train personnel and keep guidelines available, on how to deal with emergency situations