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Corporate Social Responsibility

Our aim at Sita is to make travel a meaningful activity and experience in social, ecological and economic terms. We attach great value here to open communications amongst all the parties involved, from our customers to our personnel and our hotel partners at our tourist destinations. We want Corporate Social Responsibility to be felt, both within and outside the company; we want to see it practiced at every level in our company; and we want it to be and remain a cornerstone of the Sita’s corporate culture.

We have liaised and associated ourselves with likeminded organisation to consciously bring sustainability into our products and work culture. We are the first in the industry to create a measuring system for sustainability.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework for collective action to tackle global issues such as poverty, gender equality and climate change.

Sita’s Sustainable Tourism Policy focuses on 6 of these 17 goals.

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Sustainable Policy

We understand our responsibility towards a more sustainable world. We believe that it is the right of the future generations to experience the beauty and majesty of the planet as we have had the privilege of seeing it. We promise to stride towards making travel greener, smarter, developmental, and more responsible. Promote quality over quantity and make the right choices to achieve this. We promise to take full cognizance of current and future economic, social and environmental impacts of our business, addressing the needs of our guests and without compromising on the quality of delivery. We pledge to spread awareness, educate and train all stakeholders associated with the organisation.

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We are Travelife Certified

Sita has received the Travelife Certified Award. The award is a recognition for the long-term efforts and frontrunner position of Travel Corporation India Ltd regarding sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.

The company complies with more than 200 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relations; and is formally Recognised as in full compliance with the UN supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.

Travelife is the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 35 national travel associations are promoting the scheme to their members including 20 European Travel associations. Since 2012, more than 1500 tour operators have been trained in CSR and more than 500 tour operators have been awarded.

Mr. Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for tour operators, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operators’ sector is obtaining momentum. The award of Travel Corporation India Ltd will inspire other companies in India to follow the same path”.

“Our signing up to the globally recognized Travelife system and now receiving the Travelife Certified Award, marks a further milestone in implementing our sustainability strategy. We continue to maintain an open dialogue with all our stakeholders and involve them to ensure the sustainability of our business. We see this collaboration as crucial to our continued success. The Travelife Certified Award will further strengthen our commitment to ensuring a better travel product and will inspire other companies in India to follow the same path,” said Dipak Deva, MD & CEO, Travel Corporation India Ltd.

To view the certificate, click here.

Sita Signs Up to the Travel For Life Pledge

In an effort to further strengthen our commitment to ensuring a better travel product, a fairer tourist industry and a more sustainable world, the company has signed the Travel For Life Pledge, an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism.

As a forward-thinking travel company our employees, our customers and our partners expect Sita to be a sustainable and responsible destination management company. We want to assume and bear such responsibilities, within our scope of influence and with the means and resources available. By signing the pledge, we are further reinforcing our commitment towards sustainability.

Sita Signs Up to the Travel For Life Pledge

The company has signed the Responsible Traveller Guidelines created by the Responsible Tourism Society of India and adopted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

As a signatory to the Responsible Traveller Guidelines the company will:

  • Opt for service providers promoting sustainable tourism practises.
  • Explore travel to remote and lesser-known destinations.
  • Respect the local customs, practises and sentiments.
  • Not disturb or harm the natural habitat or surroundings.
  • Appreciate and engage in the art, culture and folklore of the place.
  • Promote and support conservation of natural and heritage sites.
  • Promote local economy.
  • Dispose waste responsibly and avoid single use plastic.
  • Advocate responsible travel.

By signing the pledge, we are further reinforcing our commitment towards sustainability by being an advocate for responsible tourism.

Sita is proud to be a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism

Sita has become a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, Sita commits to deliver plans aligned with the pathways to cut tourism emissions in half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.

The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism unites travel and tourism behind a common set of pathways for climate action, aligning the sector with global commitments and catalysing collaborative solutions to the many challenges facing businesses and destinations globally. The Glasgow Declaration encourages the acceleration of climate action in tourism by securing commitments to reduce emissions in tourism by at least 50% over the next decade and achieve Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050.

Women’s Empowerment Principles –
A UN Initiative

The company is a signatory to The ‘Women’s Empowerment Principles’ – A UN Women Initiative. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

As an extension of its Corporate Responsibility, the company has signed up to the ‘Women’s Empowerment Principles’ – A UN Women initiative to support gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and the community. Women Empowerment remains one of our core Corporate Responsibility initiatives.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles offering guidance to business on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. Established by UN Global Compact and UN Women, the WEPs are informed by international labour and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and a responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

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CSR Certified

Sita is TourCert certified and proud to be India’s first DMC to be awarded the CSR Committed Seal. Travel for Tomorrow means making the travel industry fit for the future and also sensitizing travellers on achieving a positive contribution for everyone involved with their holidays.

All TourCert criteria are based on the international quality and environmental management standards according to the ISO and EMAS as well as the ISO guidelines for corporate responsibility (ISO 26000), and are also oriented to the international regulations of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

The Code

Sita is a proud signatory to The Code (short for “The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism”). The Code works to end the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism by creating a knowledgeable and well-trained tourism industry that can recognise and prevent potential abuse and also by building zero tolerance environments where travellers understand that these crimes are unacceptable and offenders will be prosecuted.

Literacy India

Sita has been working with a non-profit organization, Literacy India as an extension of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. Literacy India is based in Gurgaon, Haryana.

Literacy India works with the objective of empowering underprivileged children and women by making them self-sufficient. They focus on bringing about a qualitative change in the lives of underprivileged children by giving a different meaning to education. Literacy India provides diverse education support to children from underprivileged communities, breaking the cycle of poverty by building trust and awareness, teaching about personal grooming, providing role models, producing street plays, identifying local social problems, along with more traditional classrooms schooling, adult literacy classes, sponsorship and vocational training.

They also support an independent Paper Unit where paper is recycled by women from the surrounding villages, who have been taught the skill to help them earn a living.

Sita supports Literacy India’s noble cause by giving them several projects to help empower women.
Through these project, underprivileged women are given an opportunity to gain employment and develop their skill further to sustain their livelihood.

To view a video please click here.

Beat Plastic Pollution

In an effort to align with the global sustainability efforts the company joined the Beat Plastic Pollution drive. As a first step towards this good cause, plastic in the form of water bottles has been banned within the organisation. An Aluminium Water Tumbler has been designed as a special handout for all employees to place on their work stations and use for consuming water. This move is part of the company’s continuous effort to conserve the environment and encourage a sustainable lifestyle.

Ambulance at Amber Fort

As a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavour, Sita donated an ambulance at the Amber Fort for any medical assistance around the clock, to the Amber Development Authority.

In a formal ceremony, during the “Jaipur by Nite Festival,” the vehicle was handed over to Mrs Usha Punia, Honourable Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Rajasthan on August 2, 2008 at Jaipur. Present at the occasion were senior members of the Government from the Ministry of Tourism, Art & Culture.

This initiative gives the Company immense pride as it gives an opportunity to reach out to tourists who alternatively had no option of medical assistance at Amber, where the need for the same had been felt for a long time now.

The upkeep and maintenance of the ambulance will be the responsibility of the Amber Development Authority.

Jaipur Tourist Vehicle

As an extension of its Corporate Responsibility initiative, Sita donated a Toyota Innova to the Government of Rajasthan to serve as a Tourist Assistance Force Vehicle for the outlook of tourists in Jaipur.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day, September 27, 2012, the Sita branded vehicle was handed over to Smt. Bina Kak, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, during a formal ceremony at Albert Hall in Jaipur. Present at the occasion were senior members of the Government from the Ministry of Tourism, Art & Culture.

The Tourist Assistance Force Vehicle patrols around areas of tourist attraction in Jaipur and is available for any assistance required by the tourists.

Past Initiatives

Child Protection

As part of its Corporate Responsibility programme the Company conducted workshops in India in 2009 and 2010 with the core objective to enhance awareness amongst the various stakeholders of the tourism industry in Kerala and Goa to sensitise hotel partners and suppliers about the vulnerability of children to sexual exploitation.

The workshops were organised in co-operation with Equations, the Indian affiliate of ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography And Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes – an NGO with International links) and with Child Rights Goa (CRG) who Sita continues to partner with for this initiative.

Sita has been awarded with the PATA 2010 Gold Award for this initiative which is a first by any travel company in India.

Run for Nepal with Sita

The Sita team and its friends and partners participated in the: Sita and You – Walk, Run or Cycle to raise money for Sita’s Nepal Relief Fund on 17 May, 2015.

The event took place in Gurgaon, Jaipur, Cochin and Goa.

Neeraj Bhatt, Head of Operations & Business Development at Sita belongs to Nepal and took the lead on this initiative along with Deenam Lamichhane our General Manager in Nepal.

For any queries please email them at: neeraj.bhatt@sita.in

Nepal Relief Fund Project

Sita worked with Abari a socially oriented research, design and construction firm based in Nepal to rebuild a classroom block at Saraswati Secondary School at Dhulikhel as a part of its CSR Project using the Nepal Relief Fund that was generously donated by our colleagues, partners and family to support the people affected by the devastating earthquake on April 25, 2015.

Sita journeyed with Abari every step of the way, from the bamboo truss for both classrooms being put up, to the lime plaster process to soling and concrete filling of the floor to bamboo cut pieces and preparatory work for metal brackets for the roof truss to classrooms rooftops being put up. It has been a journey of knowledge, understanding and has given us a deeper meaning to sustainability. The new classroom block is earthquake resistant.

The big day came on 26 February, 2017 when the classroom block was officially handed over to the school authorities in a ceremony at the School.

Thank you to all members who donated towards this cause and a big thank you to the Sita Nepal team for coordinating this project.

Good luck Saraswati Secondary School.

To view picture gallery, click here

Human Rights

Sita is committed to operate with respect for human rights. Sita conducted a project on human rights due diligence in the Indian tourism industry in October 2013.

Sita is the first Destination Management Company in India to conduct this project in the Tourism Industry.

Through this project Sita aimed to assess and analyse the human rights context of its operations in India and the impacts our activities and business relationships can and do have on human rights.

The objective of the project was to:

  • Provide Sita with a more precise understanding of the human rights context of its operations and business relationships in India and the actual or potential human rights impacts it may cause, contribute to, or be linked to, as well as existing measures being taken to address them.
  • Identify possible mitigating measures and means to enhance access to remedy.
  • Generate a process which engages management and stakeholders at a corporate and destination level, at an on-going level, that can be embedded into Sita’s business practice.

We thank all our partners who were a part of this project in India.

Spiti Initiative

Sita took up a Corporate Responsibility Initiative in the high altitude cold desert of Spiti in the Himalayas in August 2012, to build a Solar Bath for a Buddhist nunnery in Spiti.

The solar bath was built in association with Ecosphere, a local social enterprise supported by eco-tourism. Ecosphere provides diverse income generating opportunities to Spiti’s remote mountain community along with working on various green energy alternatives and conservation initiatives. The Sita team spent two weeks in Spiti to build the bath. The team travelled by public transport to minimize the carbon footprints of their travel.

Women in Spiti don’t have a designated bathing area in the house. During the 6 month long winter, large quantities of fuel wood are burned to keep the houses warm and to heat water leading to high carbon emissions, especially those of black carbon which causes temperature changes leading to a variety of negative environmental impacts on humans, plants and animal ecosystems. But there is abundance of sunny days, when Solar Baths play a positive role. Solar Baths not only cut down carbon emissions and fuel wood consumption but also enhance the personal hygiene of the womenfolk. Sita hopes to contribute by making a positive impact on the lives of these women.

The beneficiary of this initiative is the Pangmo Nunnery of Spiti located in a village of Pangmo. The village has about 25 homes with 150 people and a primary school.

This initiative is a reflection of the organisations commitment towards making a positive impact towards our surroundings and the people that it encompasses.

For more details on Sita’s sustainability initiatives please send an email to sustainability@sita.in
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