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Freephone: +44 208 772 6446
We are committed to embedding sustainable practices in our own operations as well as offering sustainable alternatives in the main areas of our supply chain.
For over 40 years, Club Europe has taken young people on trips to explore and learn about the world. We want that world to be a beautiful and exciting place for young people to explore for the next 40 years and beyond.
We are committed to embedding sustainable practices in our own operations as well as offering sustainable alternatives in the main areas of our supply chain: transport, accommodation, excursions, and community. By the end of this season, we hope to have engaged all our colleagues, schools, and suppliers in our efforts.
As a responsible travel provider, we are working with ABTA’s sustainability team and Travelife for Tour Operators to increase sustainability in our product development, operations and marketing activities.
Photo by Jason Blackeye
Photo by Naja Jensen
Our sustainability journey
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"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
Ancient Indian proverb
Taking young people away on educational school trips both in the UK and beyond is at the heart of Club Europe’s business and it’s what we love doing.
But we, and our young clients, are increasingly aware that tourism can also have a negative impact on host-destination environments, economies and communities. As a responsible travel provider, we are committed to sustainability in our development, operations and marketing.
Photo by Behzad Ghaffarian
Achievements so far
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The first year was always going to be about learning and planning. We participated in ABTA’s Delivering Sustainable Travel conference and a few of us have taken their Sustainability e-learning course.
We have introduced recycling in the office, both for food waste and other materials, reducing the rubbish sent to landfill by 60%. We have audited the way we travel to the office, parents’ evenings, and events; and pledge to reduce our use of the car for these journeys. We will measure our success by the end of 2022. We have installed a smart meter in the office so that we can monitor our energy consumption and target efficiency savings. Within the office kitchen, milk is delivered in re-usable glass bottles and our coffee comes from a B-Corp accredited supplier. Finally, we are continuing our work with Snow-Camp and Keys of Change to ensure that the joy of skiing or music are shared with everyone.
These were all goals for improving sustainability within our own operations. We are also working on how we can make it easier for you, our clients, to choose sustainable travel options and to support you in reducing your carbon consumption while still enjoying the benefits of school trips.
Sustainable and educational school trips
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The first way to reduce your carbon footprint in travel is to stay more local and opt for coach or train rather than flying.
We have a range of UK-based trips offering outdoor activities, giving young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature or to focus specifically on environmentally educational activities, such as our Science Trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall.
Click below to read one teacher’s experience of this thought-provoking trip.
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Photo by Alberto Restifo
Sustainable skiing
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This may seem like a contradiction in terms, but we firmly believe that it is possible to make choices that don’t cost the earth, yet still allow our groups to experience stunning Alpine scenery and the physical challenge of winter sports.
Find out more about the small steps you can take to reduce your footprint while skiing here.
In Winter 2022 we were thrilled to announce our collaboration with WhoSki, a peer-to-peer marketplace for buying and selling pre-loved ski clothing. WhoSki are a brilliant example of a circular economy business, keeping ski wear in use and preventing wearable gear from entering landfill. For more information, click here.
Photo by Hugh Whyte
Next steps
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We have learnt so much over the last year, not least that there is still so much to do!
We hope to support you in making informed travel choices, by looking at carbon calculators and off-setting schemes, as well as choosing the most sustainable accommodation for your school trips. We will continue to monitor the proportion of flight trips, as well as our own travel choices, to ensure that we continue to reduce our own carbon footprint.
Our Sustainability Badge
Watch out for our new green badge, which we are awarding to any suppliers or partners who are taking concrete steps to reduce their impact on the environment. Examples include:
Please note, this not intended to be an official accreditation, but just a signpost to help you include sustainability when choosing your Club Europe trip.
Here’s what some of our partners are doing.
Learn more about the people and policies we’re working with on our sustainability journey.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead, anthropologist
