Frontiers North Adventures, a leader in sustainable tourism in Canada’s North, has released its first sustainability report setting a benchmark for responsible growth. The report uses the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the international standard in sustainability reporting, to assess its environmental and social impact.
“We feel it’s our responsibility to help maintain the integrity of the ecosystems in which we operate and to ensure they remain healthy and intact for generations to come,” said John Gunter, President & CEO of Frontiers North Adventures. “We hope transparently reporting our findings - our successes and our areas for improvement - will encourage all businesses in our home province of Manitoba, tourism and otherwise, to self-evaluate and report on what can be done better.”
Significant in the report was the ability to determine the company’s overall energy us and GHG emissions, key factors in the environmental impact of tourism. Even while experiencing increased demand for its tours, since 2014 the company has been able to maintain or reduce per-guest GHG emissions. To do this, the company optimized its charter flight schedule, transitioned from propane- to diesel-powered heating systems on its Tundra Buggy and road fleet, and made a concerted effort to operate systems only when required.
“Frontiers North Adventures has always considered the environmental and societal impact of the decisions we make and have now taken steps to formally report on our progress. It’s just the right thing to do.” Gunter said. “Creating this report has been a learning process, our biggest challenge has been to establish measurement systems and collect baseline data from which we can glean information and set future goals.”
The report highlights the company’s efforts in biodiversity, energy and emissions, water and waste management, health and safety, diversity and equal opportunity, and impacts on local communities.
For a full copy of the report, please download it here.
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Main image: ©Dan Harper