Guided by purpose: Our ethics and policies

The principles that guide our business

At Explore, operating responsibly and ethically isn’t just a box to tick, it’s part of who we are.

We believe travel should help create a better future for everyone, through fairer opportunities, respect for people and cultures, and care for the planet. Whether you call it sustainability or simply doing the right thing, this is what guides us.

We’re working to embed this mindset into everything we do, from the trips we design to the way we work behind the scenes.

We know we’re not perfect, but we’re committed to learning, improving, and always aiming higher.

Climate action plan

Travel has the power to connect people with the world's most extraordinary places, but it comes with a carbon footprint we can't ignore. Our Climate Action Plan sets out honestly how we're working to reduce it, and is guided by four pillars - measure, reduce, mitigate and communicate. We review and update it regularly as our understanding grows and the world changes around us.

We work with specialists ecollective to measure the full carbon footprint of every tour we run. We've set science-based emissions reduction targets, and we're making real changes to how we operate - from encouraging rail travel over short-haul flights, to supporting nature restoration projects with partners.

We know we won't always get it right, and we may not hit every target. But we're committed to being transparent, to sharing our progress, our setbacks, and what we're learning along the way. Because we believe that honesty is just as important as ambition.

Read our climate action plan

Animal Protection Policy

Our Commitment to Animal Protection We want wildlife to be wild, and nature to be natural

At Explore, we care deeply about the welfare of animals and we’ll never knowingly compromise it for the sake of our trips.

Our aim is simple: to help keep animals wild, protect their natural behaviours, and lead the way in raising welfare standards across the travel industry. We introduced our Animal Protection Policy in 2021 and review it every year to make sure we’re learning, improving, and reducing our impact wherever we can.

We follow a strict no-contact approach, and we’ve introduced a traffic light system that helps us assess and categorise every wildlife interaction we offer. This system is independently audited each year, to help keep us transparent and accountable.

But we also know we don’t have all the answers, and meaningful change can only happen when we listen, learn and work together. That’s why we’re partnering with animal welfare experts to develop training, support our suppliers, and keep evolving.

Read the Animal Protection Policy

Indigenous People Policy

Our Promise to Indigenous Communities Working together with respect, understanding, and care.

We’re committed to ensuring Explore respects the rights, cultures, and traditions of Indigenous Peoples in everything we do. This policy is our promise: to learn, listen, and act with humility, partnering with the communities we work alongside to ensure cultural heritage is honoured not harmed. We believe that meaningful travel should support Indigenous voices, knowledge, and livelihoods, and that working alongside communities is key to doing things the right way.

Read the Indigenous People Policy

Modern Slavery Policy

Our Stand Against Modern Slavery Committed to a fairer world for everyone.

At Explore, we believe travel should enrich lives not harm them. That’s why our Modern Slavery Policy is more than a promise, it’s a pledge to act with integrity, fairness, and transparency every step of the way. We’ve built clear standards and routines to spot and eliminate unfair practices in our operations and supply chain. And we’re not stopping there, because real change takes constant awareness, training, and collaboration. We’re learning as we go, together.

Read the Modern Slavery Policy

Ethical Marketing policy

Our Ethical Marketing Policy Honest, respectful, and always evolving.

At Explore, we believe in marketing that reflects our values; honest, inclusive, and responsible. Our Ethical Marketing Policy isn't just a set of rules; it's a commitment to doing right by our customers, communities, and the planet. We aim to represent the world authentically, avoid exaggeration, and ensure our messaging is always respectful and true to the experiences we offer. This policy is a living document, evolving as we learn and grow, ensuring we stay aligned with our mission to make travel a force for good.

Read our ethical marketing policy

Purpose Statement

Curious about the world. Committed to protecting it

We believe that adventure travel done right leaves the world better than we found it. We exist to connect curious people with our planet's most extraordinary places and communities - and in doing so, to help protect those places, sustain those communities, and demonstrate that responsible travel is the most rewarding travel of all.

Explore Worldwide was founded in 1981 with a simple conviction: that the best way to see the world is in a small group, led by someone who truly knows and loves the destination. Over four decades, that conviction has grown into something bigger. We exist to demonstrate that adventure travel can be a genuinely positive force - for the natural environments that draw people to travel in the first place, for the local guides, businesses and communities that bring those places to life, and for the travellers themselves, who return home with broader horizons and deeper empathy. This purpose shapes every decision we make: from the size of our groups (averaging just 11 people) and the local partners we choose, to the carbon footprint we publish for every trip, the Explore Foundation we established to invest in destination communities, and our commitment to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Being a Certified B Corporation holds us publicly accountable to these commitments.

We are not simply selling holidays. We are building a model of travel that future generations can still benefit from - one where communities thrive from tourism rather than being diminished by it, where wildlife and wild places are protected because travellers value them, and where the act of exploration makes the explorer a more responsible citizen of the world.

Human Rights Statement

Our Human Rights Statement Committed to dignity and fairness in everything we do
We are committed to respecting human rights, as defined through international frameworks, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Respecting human rights is integral to our company’s purpose.

Lobbying Statement

Our Lobbying Statement Honest about what we do, and don't do
At this time, we do not engage in lobbying or direct political advocacy. Should this change in the future, we are committed to developing and publishing a clear and robust lobbying policy. This policy would ensure that any engagement in government affairs is transparent, responsible, and fully aligned with our sustainability strategy and the wider public interest.

We're committed to doing right by the planet and the communities we visit, and we're always keen to hear from people who share that commitment. If you'd like to learn more about our approach to sustainability, or if you have ideas or concerns to raise, please reach out to us at sustainability@explore.co.uk we genuinely welcome your input.

Purpose paper

As a purpose-led business, we want to held accountable for People and Planet goals too. We're delighted to share our latest Purpose Paper, which charts our successes in these, and also our areas for more focus. Read about:

- Our achievements, including hitting our carbon reduction target
- Our Explore Foundation projects and their progress
- Our targets for next year
- Our climate partners

And much more!

Read the purpose paper

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