Sustainability Policy

Limerick Travel Sustainability Policy 2024

1. Sustainability policy

Limerick Travel Ltd. is committed to the principles of sustainability and recognises that a sustainable approach is central to the planet, peoples’ lives as well as the conduct of business. At Limerick Travel Ltd., we are aware of our responsibility when it comes to helping the environment and our community through our working practices. For this reason, our goal is not only to minimise our negative impact on the world through responsible measures regarding e.g. energy consumption and waste production, but also to increase our constructive impact by positively contributing to the support of e.g. biodiversity and community engagement.

This policy applies to all employees in our company, regardless of rank, status or position. We further encourage our partners to follow the same principles. Transparency is a core value of our organisation, and we are committed to openly communicating our sustainability progress along the way.

As part of our endeavours, Limerick Travel Ltd. adopts the UNWTO’s (n.d.) definition of sustainable tourism: We believe that sustainable tourism is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts while addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.

2. Continuous improvement

Sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement, and we are aware that we have a lot to learn. So far, we are committed to having a positive impact on the environment, the people and cultures that we interact with on a daily basis, whilst creating excellent guest experiences.

3. Measuring and reducing negative impacts

Energy consumption

At Limerick Travel Ltd. we completed a comprehensive energy audit in 2024. As a result, we have made noticeable improvements to our energy management. We commit to continuously measuring our electricity consumption every two months and do the following to reduce consumption:

Using the solar panels recently installed on the roof of the building to provide electricity to the company.
Purchasing green energy and energy efficient lighting (LED) for all areas.
Switching off lights and equipment when not in use, using automatic switch on/off systems with timers or movement sensors and setting equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where feasible.
Preferring low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality.
Routinely updating staff on our energy use and reminding them on strategies for minimising it.

Water consumption

Our water consumption is already at a minimum; however, we commit to measuring and reviewing our water consumption every two months and aim to further reduce
the consumption by following these actions:

Running the appliances such as dishwasher in eco-mode.
Installing a basin in the kitchen sink to discourage staff from washing cups under a flowing tap.
Researching the feasibility of installing dual-flush valves and cistern bags in the toilets.

Waste production

We commit to measuring our waste production every two months and strive to reduce it by implementing the following actions:

Providing clearly labelled bins and separating all materials which can be recycled and ensuring that they are disposed of properly.
Purchasing products in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging materials.
Reusing products for the same purpose.
Avoiding the use of single use plastics.
Reducing printing volumes by following a “do not print” policy. Where feasible printing on both sides is applied.
Adopting a paperless/electronic filing system where feasible.
Encouraging staff to use refillable water bottles.
Using reusable cups, plates ad cutlery in the office canteen to minimise packaging waste.

Ethical purchasing

At Limerick Travel Ltd. we are committed to ethical purchasing by:

Purchasing products such as office supplies only when needed and opting for certified goods where possible.
Buying products in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging and energy used for deliveries.
Reducing, reusing and recycling packaging.
Moving towards environmentally friendly cleaning materials.
Committing to supply chain transparency & accountability.
Favouring suppliers that comply with sustainability and quality standards with a special focus on those with a sustainability policy and supply chain.

Carbon management

We aim to reduce our carbon footprint as much as is feasible on an ongoing basis. As part of this pursuit, we are engaging in the following activities:

We have undertaken a comprehensive energy audit and have introduced subsequent improvements to our carbon management.
We have installed solar panels on our building which covers parts of our electricity needs. We aim to install further solar panels in the future.
Our additional electricity is bought from a supplier offering green energy.
We monitor the extent of our business travel and the resulting carbon emissions. Where business travel is necessary, we try opting for public transport such as rail and bus services.
We are currently looking to find a partner to offset our remaining, unavoidable emissions.

Responsible marketing

At Limerick Travel Ltd. we know we can’t always get things right the first time. We therefore commit to honestly communicating where we are on our sustainability journey and our milestones. We commit to marketing our services in an ethical and accountable manner:

We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity, openness and transparency when marketing.
We commit to the highest level of regional compliance in relation to data usage and privacy.
We will never sell or misuse customer data.
All promotional materials are used in accordance with their usage rights.
We are committed to digital marketing which avoids printed marketing material wherever possible.

Social responsibility

We are aware that tourism activities can have a negative impact on local communities, for that reason we support them by:

Committing to transparency in terms of our sustainability policy with a pledge to routinely evaluate our progress and seek out the input from community stakeholders with the aim to continuously improve our social impact.
Advising guests on behaviour during excursions and activities with a main focus on respecting the local culture, nature and environment.
Not offering excursions in which wildlife is held captive, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national and international law.
Employing skilled and/or certified tour leaders to guide our guests in sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites or ecologically sensitive destinations.
Aiming to financially support our local community by partnering with a local charity. We are currently in the process of finding a suitable charity.
Aiming to introduce staff participation in local clean-up events. We are currently planning an internal schedule for staff clean-up events.

Supporting Biodiversity & Conservation

At Limerick Travel Ltd. we commit to supporting and conserving the Irish biodiversity by implementing the following actions:

Using environmentally friendly washing and cleaning products throughout the building.
Encouraging staff to use environmentally friendly and biodegradable disinfectants and toiletries.
Adopting the 7 principles of Leave No Trace Ireland and asking our guides to educate guests on these principles while on tour.
Encouraging staff to participate in local clean-up events and organising clean-up events in the local community.
Aiming to become a business member of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and following their guidelines. We will also encourage staff to do the same at home. For that purpose, we will circulate information among staff members providing education on pollinator-friendly gardening practices for their own homes.

This policy will be updated and reviewed annually