Industry
Travel
Summary
Intrepid Travel’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel, which involves giving back and running its trips in a way that respects local people and places. To support this, Intrepid’s Volunteering Programme offers employees 20 hours of paid volunteer leave every year to contribute their time to charitable organisations in their community. In 2023, 62% of Intrepid staff from across all Intrepid offices utilised their volunteering leave benefits to support community causes that they were passionate about, supporting 171 organisations globally.
Success factors
Nurturing a company culture that is purpose-driven and encourages employees to give back to the community has been instrumental in driving the success of Intrepid’s volunteering program. The flexible volunteering leave structure allows employees to choose how, when and with whom they utilize their volunteering time– be it individually or as a group, skilled or unskilled, and during or outside work hours. With dedicated resource within the business focusing on social impact, employees receive frequent updates about volunteering opportunities and activities, and can reach out if they have questions or require guidance and support.
About Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel has been a world leader in responsible travel for 35 years. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel, which comes to life on more than 900 trips worldwide, all designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of destination management companies in 27 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally recognized for their commitment to transparency and ethical travel, it became a certified B-Corp in 2018.The Challenge
While there was a lot of interest from employees at Intrepid Travel to participate in volunteering activities, the challenge has been supporting employees to find the time to do so amidst busy work schedules. There was a need for a robust volunteering programme that empowered employees to take the time to volunteer, while aligning with Intrepid’s broader community impact objectives.
The Solution
In 2023, the Social Impact team set internal targets and goals, with the ambition to increase awareness of the volunteering leave benefits and encourage greater employee participation. Frequent progress updates were shared with the management teams and wider business throughout the year, creating greater visibility of volunteering opportunities and successes around the business. Larger group volunteering events were organised to reduce barriers for employee participation, while global training sessions were conducted to help scale these opportunities globally. The ability for staff to volunteer outside of work hours and claim back time in lieu was more clearly communicated and a database of opportunities was created and distributed. These steps have ensured that the programme is firmly embedded into the company culture of giving.
The Results
Employee participation in volunteering is now higher than pre-COVID levels, rising from 43% in 2019 to 62% in 2023. The programme supported 171 organisations across a breadth of causes in 2023 including blood donation, tree planting, clean-ups and local community empowerment initiatives. Intrepid employees spent a total of 6,134 hours volunteering in 2023, amounting to a spend of $110,975 on volunteering wages, underscoring Intrepid’s commitment to making a positive impact.
Employee engagement:
- Intrepid Travel saw their employee Net Promotor Score rise +2 points to be at 58 at the end of 2023.
- A 2023 survey of Intrepid Travel staff found that of the staff members who were told about the volunteering leave benefit during the hiring process, 88% felt that it positively influenced their preference towards having Intrepid Travel as an employer.
- Employees frequently mentioned that the volunteering opportunities allow them to connect with their colleagues in a real and impactful way across departments and role level.
- Employees reported an increase in their well-being as a result of participating in volunteering initiatives.
Community impact:
- In 2023 Australia based Intrepid Travel staff saved an estimated 243 lives through donating blood.
- Staff from Intrepid’s Vietnam office utilised their volunteering time to conduct regular visits to The Intrepid Foundation partner, Vun Art, which supports people with disabilities to find employment. Intrepid staff provided their skills and knowledge to help educate and provide hands-on support to their projects empowering people living with disabilities.
- Intrepid Travels Morocco office partnered with their local The Intrepid Foundation partner, The High Atlas Foundation, to plant more than 270 food-bearing trees in remote communities, contributing to sustainable development in these locations.
- Staff from Intrepid Peruvian offices provided time and resources to build a staircase in a remote community in Pamplona, which has enabled them to begin the process of legally owning the land.
