Travel companies in the UK who have B Corp certification have joined forces to help customers make sustainable choices as travel begins to open up this summer.

The newly-formed Travel by B Corp group will host its first event to mark Earth Day on April 22. In the free online webinar, a panel of travel experts will discuss what it means to travel sustainably and share ideas on how people can become more responsible travellers.

Speakers will include:

• Rory Boland, Travel Editor, Which?
• Juliet Kinsman, Sustainability Editor, Conde Nast Traveller and Founder of Bouteco
• Zina Bencheikh, Managing Director EMEA, Intrepid Travel
• Thomas Power, Founder and CEO, Pura Aventura
• Rochelle Turner, Head of Research & Insight, MaCher (moderator)

All members of Travel by B Corp are certified B Corporations - businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance and have a legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.  Companies must satisfy a rigorous set of standards to achieve certification.

Intrepid Travel became the largest global travel company to become a B Corp in 2018 and there are now a total of five UK travel B Corps, with many more working towards certification. The founding members of the group are Intrepid Travel, Sawday’s, Joro Experiences, Pura Aventura and Flooglebinder and MaCher as a founding advisor.

Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid Travel managing director and co-founder of the group, said: “The pandemic has made many of us more environmentally and socially conscious.  With travel set to open up this summer, this is a great chance to learn how to ensure your holiday isn’t coming at the expense of the planet, but actually benefiting the people and places you visit.”

Thomas Power, founder of Pura Aventura and group co-chair, said: “There has been a sea change, we now have clients of all kinds asking about the impact of their travels. As this moment of pause comes to an end, we want to lead the way in making sure that travel is a force for good.”

Juliet Kinsman of Condé Nast Traveller added: “Conscious consumers are on the lookout for signposts to help them make more responsible spending decisions. Being B Corporation certified means that a company has gone through a rigorous assessment to earn that distinction on its website or products. The accreditation means that a business considers the impact of its decisions on workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment – a helpful indicator, it gives a score out of 200 possible points. Any business actively aiming to minimise harm to the environment and maximise human welfare every step of the way is naturally more appealing to those striving to live a more sustainable lifestyle.”

The How to Travel Better webinar will take place on April 22 at 2pm.

Registration for the event is at https://travelbybcorp.co.uk/events