Mission ststement
Offering best value for the money, with the least environmental impact, in an atmosphere where employees and partners are happy to be part of the team.
I. Balkan Natural Adventure sustainable tourism policy
Balkan Natural Adventure is a local company based in Kosovo working cross border with partners in the region. The company came to life after friends engaged in an environmental NGO created the company to offer services required by local and International tourists. The company in its roots is environmental friendly thus the sustainable policy comes in naturally.
II. Environment creatures and people – principles
Humans are part of the nature not an alien to earth.
Humans are the most sophisticated organism on earth thus have responsibility of other creatures and the impact that they have in the environment.
Humans cannot protect the environment and other creatures when their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their children is threatened.
Creatures of the earth rats, bears, dogs or any other creature have the same right to exist. The principles of care and policies in culling should treat all animals the same.
III. The environment that we do business in and priorities
Balkan Natural Adventure is adventure tourism company at its core, thus the activities of the company take place in National Parks, protected areas and natural environment. The company is aware that in order to enjoy the goods that this environment brings, the company should work to be protect them.
The protection that the company strives for goes beyond the requests from the legal requirements of national parks. With the experience in the region the company has prioritised environment challenges as bellow in order of protect and remedy:
IV. Inside the office
As a tour operator with a low number of employees the direct inside the office impact is the smallest that the company does. However, in order to walk the talk the policy starts there. Based on priorities the office will:
V. Transport selection of providers
Starting from the principle that when human well-being is under threat environment comes second, Balkan Natural Adventure will work with a local transport provider with older vehicles rather than a larger provider with a smaller impact on CO2. Balkan Natural Adventure will work with independent service providers and communities in order to keep their business alive.
The company will select the smallest vehicle available that will fulfill the commodity standards for clients. Example: If the company has to transfer two persons, the company will be engaged to find a small car rather than use a van.
The company, when possible, will suggest to clients to share a vehicle and do carpooling when they use the transport. The company will reduce the price for clients rather than increase the profit when this is suggested. With this, the company will give incentives to clients to do carpooling.
The company will suggest the best option for the tour balancing the quality of the tour, transport, and environmental protection.
The company will offer its transport providers prepayments when they will invest in more efficient transport vehicles. On request, the company will provide selected transport providers up to 5000 Euro advance for sustainable investments.
The company will look at efficiency and pollution when purchasing its own vehicles.
Company rating of BNA will be applied look at annex 1
VI. Accommodation providers
The company will select the accommodation providers based on the following principles:
Does the accommodation fulfil the basic request by the client;
Does the accommodation manages its waste properly;
Does the accommodation source local products when serving food;
Price.
The company will work with accommodation providers in order to deal with the following issues which are the priorities of sustainability for the company.
The company will give advance payments to accommodations for investment in environment. The company will give its expertise and its knowledge to accommodation providers when there are issues such as applying for grants, finding best solutions for payments in order to cut out banks and banking expenses, investments in sustainability.
The company will work with donors in order to increase investment in sustainable tourism. The company will provide free advertising to the accommodation providers who are more conscious to environment.
Company rating of BNA will be applied look at annex 1
Target 80 per cent of accomodiation to have 3 or 4 rating by 2025.
Sustainable Purchasing
Balkan Natural Adventure will not buy any product that needs to be transported to Kosovo if there is a local product. In this way, the company will cut off transport. In providing gifts for clients and should fulfill the below criteria:
Produced in Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, or North Macedonia.
Produced by smaller family-owned rather than big companies.
The company does not have a reputation of pollution.
The products are certified to be sustainable.
BNA will purchase only AAA rated electrical equipment.
Current sustainable purchasing of the company:
Wine – Eko, a small family producer in Kosovo
Woolen Socks – Women’s association in Deçan Kosovo
Tea – City market directly from gatherers
Cheese – City market directly from producers
Honey – Self-produced
Fruits – directly from producers
Rakia – Directly from producers
VII. Employment and treatment of staff
The company is an equal opportunity employer and for every position will make the call public. The calls for employment fulfill the requirements of the Kosovo Government and have no mention of gender or ethnic belonging.
The company will recruit also through training programs of the company. After training, the company will select the best students to join the company as admin, sales, or guides.
In order to support the number of women in the mountain guiding business the company takes care to include as many women as possible in the team. This is done through the promotion of women guides who have already worked in the company and giving them more space when there are opportunities for media exposure.
All the contracts respect the local laws and there are no salaries at the level of minimum pay, while the company voluntarily pays for health insurance. The company provides regular bonuses.
The company has contracts with guides as external service providers. The guides take responsibility to register with state authorities and pay their taxes.
VIII. Health and safety
Balkan Natural Adventure, respects the healsth and safety standards of Kosovo and has taken the standard one step forward. The company offers health insurance to all of its employees. The company aproves sick day if the children of the employees are sick. The company provides training for all the staff and guides while keeping the highest standards in rented equipment.
Balkan Natural Aventure is leading tour oprator in the region. We were featured to major newspapers and hold a partner status with travelife certifier.
Destinations
Locations
Balkan Natural Adventure Sh.P.K
Edit Durham, nr 7
30000 Peje, Republic of Kosovo
Balkan Natural Adventure Albania
Rr. Milto Tutulani nr 26/8
1010 Tirana, Albania