"When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright …” And now thanks to one Emerald Isle travel company, the world becomes even brighter.
Here’s why.
The award-winning Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland learned recently that it has achieved certification as a registered B Corporation, making it the only travel company in Ireland and only the fourth Irish company ever to achieve this recognition.
B Corporations (or B Corps) are a growing group of companies that are reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit.
Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland has been certified by B Lab Europe as having met rigorous social and environmental standards that represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have achieved this certification. It is a great achievement by everyone on the team involved,” said Rob Rankin, founder/owner.
Rankin explained that despite the business being badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, “We felt it was vital to look to the future and commit to achieving B-Corp certification. Hearing this news in the middle of winter has been a massive boost to our team. This positive news will help us convey the message to our customers, past and future, that we are a good business to work with.”
He called applying for certification “a thorough, exacting and thought-provoking process. While we entered the process already on the right track, B Corp has inspired us to think hard about how we run all aspects of the business. We have made changes for the better, implemented new policies and procedures and changed our company constitution to ‘lock in’ these positive measures for the future. It’s a great honour to join so many illustrious names in this dynamic community, which committed to driving forward a more ethical and sustainable business model for the future. We look forward to spreading the word and encouraging others to follow suit.”
The process of achieving B Corp Certification recognizes the whole of a business and covers five key impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, requiring an over-80 score and evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices, including energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. To complete the certification, the company will legally embed their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company articles.
Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland is now part of a community of over 2600+ businesses globally that have certified as B Corps. This community is reflective of the World economy with businesses from a cross section of industries and sizes. These include well-known brands like Patagonia, Alpro, Triodos Bank, Alessi, Ecoalf and Innocent.
Recent attention on the travel industry makes Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland’s B Corp Certification a notable step and signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the travel sector.
Nathan Gilbert, Executive Director of B Lab Europe, says “We are delighted to welcome Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland to the B Corp Community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates, who believe business really can be a force for good. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit.”
Vagabond Small-Group Tours of Ireland offers two types of culturally immersive travel. Vagabond Adventure Tours are for active travellers who want to mix up hiking, kayaking and biking and other outdoor adventures with history, culture, dining and shopping. Driftwood Journeys of Discovery follow similar itineraries but at a more intimate and in-depth looking and lingering pace, sans the physical exertion.
For all of Vagabond Small-Group Tours of Ireland itineraries, scheduled departures, trip availability and for 2021 and 2022 reservations, please visit https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/.