It’s no secret that we’re proud to be the first certified B Corporation. The B Corp mission aligns perfectly with the values we hold most dear here at UnTours and being certified is our way to say to the world: we care. People, planet, and profit have always held equal ground here as we send people all around the planet (while maintaining a profit). Cross-cultural understanding is at the core of what we do. We have shaped our lives around offering truly local and immersive experiences for our clients, and we have now for over 40 years.
UnTours has received its fair share of awards including the first Most Generous Business in America Award (presented by Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy Jr.). More important than our minor moments of celebrity encounters include running the UnTours Foundation and the many hours our staff put into volunteering with our local community. In 2014, an average of 13 hours per full-time employee was spent volunteering in the Greater Philadelphia area. We still offer employees two paid days off each year solely for community service. Although people power our work, we tend to use up traditional energy sources as well. Now 100% of electricity purchased is from renewable sources, that is after the 23,Elizabethkillough9 kWh solar energy gained from the solar panels on our roof.
Inside our office we recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal, and even have an in-office worm composting effort for food scraps (far away from where we enjoy our food of course). Passing by the hundreds of stacked travel books, you’ll notice that the majority of our company workforce are women. In addition to that you may notice the occasional empty desk: that’s probably because that person is telecommuting or working from home. Or maybe they’re taking advantage of the 30 days paid maternity leave (or 11 days paid paternity leave).
Most of these policies have been in place for decades, some newer as we’re discovering more ways to enhance the work-life balance of our staff. One of the best parts of being a certified B Corp is that all of these values and policies that make UnTours what it is are honored and celebrated. This is why during our 40th anniversary we’re excited to recertify as a B Corp, hoping for another 40 years of measuring what matters most.
Interested in learning more about the B Corp Certification? Check out our B Corp profile here!
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