IMPACT

Our Sustainability Journey with Travelife

Proudly working towards Travelife certification | Current status: Travelife Engaged

What is Travelife?

Travelife is a fair and affordable system that helps tour operators and travel agencies manage and improve their social and environmental impacts. Companies do this by working towards a clear set of sustainability criteria covering how they run their business, treat people and communities, and care for the environment. When a company meets all the requirements, it receives a Travelife award.

The Three Stages of Travelife Certification

Certification is achieved step by step through three stages:

• Travelife Engaged – the starting point, where a company commits to the process and begins documenting its sustainability policies and putting good practices into action.
• Travelife Partner – the middle stage, where the company continues to build and strengthen its sustainability system.
• Travelife Certified – the final stage, awarded when all requirements are met.

Where We Are Today

We are currently at the first stage, Travelife Engaged. At this stage we are documenting our sustainability policies and putting good practices of sustainable operations into action across our business. We are still on the path to certification, and we are being open about that. We believe honest progress matters more than hurried claims.

Our Commitment

We are committed to delivering sustainable tourism operations in everything we do. Responsible travel is not a one-off project for us. It is a way of working that shapes how we plan journeys, choose partners and look after the places and people that make travel in India special.

We also know that real change cannot happen alone. We encourage our business partners, including suppliers, accommodations, guides and local service providers, to make their own operations and activities more sustainable, and we are happy to learn and grow together with them.

Join Us on the Journey

Every step we take with Travelife brings us closer to becoming a more responsible travel company. We invite our guests and partners to follow our progress, and we look forward to sharing more as we move on to the next stages of certification.

Sustainability Policy - Planet India Orange

Planet India Orange is dedicated to promoting sustainable and ethical tourism practices by minimizing its environmental impact, supporting local communities, and encouraging responsible travel. We strive to inspire our clients, partners, and suppliers to integrate sustainability into their own operations. This policy establishes clear principles, guidelines, and actions to embed sustainability across all areas of our business, from internal operations and management practices to customer engagement and communication.

Our policy is fully aligned with the Travelife standards, Global Sustainable Tourism Council's principles, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and relevant national laws and international conventions.

The policy is organized around ten comprehensive themes, each supported by practical initiatives, measurable objectives, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

1. Sustainability Management and Legal Compliance

• Designate a Sustainability Coordinator to oversee the implementation and ongoing management of sustainability initiatives.
• Maintain and publish a sustainability mission statement that is readily accessible to employees, clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain a documented sustainability policy aimed at minimizing environmental, social, cultural, and economic impacts.
• Actively participate in tourism sustainability networks, forums, and industry working groups.
• Regularly assess and review sustainability performance across all areas of business operations.
• Develop and maintain sustainability guidelines and supplier evaluation procedures.
• Implement a comprehensive sustainability action plan with defined objectives, timelines, and responsibilities.
• Establish monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track progress and support continuous improvement.
• Ensure transparency by publishing annual sustainability performance reports.
• Adhere to all applicable national laws, regulations, standards, and industry codes of conduct.

2. Internal Management: Social Responsibility and Human Rights

• Provide all employees with clear employment contracts and compensation that meets or exceeds national minimum wage requirements.
• Offer medical insurance and employee benefits in accordance with applicable Indian labour laws.
• Provide paid sick leave, medical leave, and provisions for carrying forward unused leave, where applicable.
• Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, supported by first-aid training and appropriate emergency equipment.
• Operate an effective grievance mechanism that enables employees to raise concerns confidentially and fairly.
• Promote diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunities regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, or personal beliefs.
• Deliver regular training on workplace safety, emergency preparedness, employee rights, and well-being.
• Encourage the employment of persons with disabilities and provide internship opportunities for students and young professionals.
• Respect employees' rights to freedom of association and participation in trade unions or representative organizations.

3. Sustainable Procurement Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange is committed to responsible procurement that reduces our environmental footprint and strengthens the communities we operate in. We give preference to environmentally responsible, certified, locally sourced, and fair-trade products and services, work to minimise waste through responsible purchasing and recycling, and regularly review our procurement practices to keep improving. For electronics and equipment, we favour energy-efficient options, comparing performance ratings and lifecycle costs, and working with suppliers to identify more efficient technologies while assessing the long-term return on investment of major purchases.

We extend the same standards to our partner agencies and suppliers, working with those who demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainable tourism, maintaining up-to-date sustainability records for our partners, and incorporating sustainability requirements into our contracts. Partners are encouraged to take part in sustainability training and to comply with national tourism codes and standards, and we periodically evaluate their performance to ensure continued alignment with our commitments. Through 2026–2028, we are rolling out a formal supplier evaluation checklist, a centralised partner sustainability database, contractual sustainability clauses, and an energy-efficient procurement checklist for all new equipment purchases.

4. Partner Agency Engagement

• Collaborate with partner agencies and service providers that demonstrate a commitment to sustainable tourism practices.
• Maintain up-to-date sustainability records and assessments for partner agencies, accommodations, and suppliers.
• Incorporate sustainability requirements and expectations into contractual agreements with partners.
• Encourage partners to participate in sustainability training, awareness initiatives, and compliance with national tourism codes and standards.
• Conduct periodic evaluations of partner performance to ensure ongoing compliance with sustainability commitments and policy requirements.

5. Sustainable Transport Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange is committed to reducing the environmental impact of travel across our own operations and the tours we design. We give preference to transport providers and vehicles that demonstrate lower emissions and stronger environmental performance, and we ensure that company-owned and contracted vehicles are regularly maintained and compliant with applicable emission standards.

Wherever practical, we encourage our employees and clients to choose public transport, shared mobility, or other sustainable alternatives, and we work to integrate these options into our tour itineraries. Between 2026 and 2028, we are formalising selection criteria for low-emission transport partners, introducing a fleet maintenance and emissions-compliance checklist, and increasing the share of itineraries that offer a genuinely sustainable transport option.

6. Sustainable Accommodation Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange partners with accommodation providers that reflect our commitment to environmental and social responsibility. We give preference to properties holding recognised environmental certifications and to locally owned and operated accommodations that support the local economy and community development, and we encourage our partners to adopt strong waste management, energy conservation, and child protection practices.

These expectations are written into our accommodation agreements, and we discontinue partnerships where unethical, illegal, or environmentally harmful practices are identified. Over 2026–2028, we are building a preferred list of certified, locally-owned accommodation partners, embedding sustainability clauses into all new contracts, and introducing periodic audits to ensure our partners continue to meet these standards.

7. Sustainable Excursion Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange designs excursions and activities that protect wildlife, natural ecosystems, cultural heritage, and the communities we visit. We work only with excursion providers who operate responsibly and meet recognised ethical and sustainability standards, and we favour destinations that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainable tourism and responsible visitor management, taking care to avoid contributing to over-tourism.

Our tours actively support local artisans, community initiatives, and conservation and heritage preservation projects, and we do not promote or sell souvenirs, products, or experiences that are illegal, unethical, or harmful to people, wildlife, or the environment. To help our travellers play their part, we ask every guest to respect local customs and sacred sites, seek permission before photographing people, support local artisans and businesses, conserve water and energy, follow their guide's instructions around wildlife, and avoid single-use plastics – while never touching or disturbing wildlife, purchasing products made from endangered species, littering at natural or heritage sites, or taking part in exploitative or unethical wildlife activities.

Between 2026 and 2028, we are formalising provider screening, developing pre-trip guest guidance, expanding partnerships with local artisans and conservation projects, and auditing our souvenir and experience offerings to ensure they remain fully aligned with these commitments.

8. Tour Leaders, Local Representatives, and Guides

• Prioritize the recruitment of local guides, representatives, and tour leaders while providing ongoing training in responsible tourism practices.
• Offer fair compensation that meets or exceeds applicable legal wage requirements.
• Equip staff with the knowledge and skills needed to educate travelers on environmental stewardship, cultural awareness, and responsible travel behavior.
• Provide specialized training to help identify, prevent, and report child exploitation, abuse, and other forms of misconduct.

9. Destination Management Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange is committed to selecting and managing destinations in ways that benefit local communities, protect biodiversity, and preserve cultural and historical heritage. We promote destinations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainable tourism development and responsible visitor management, and we take care to avoid contributing to over-tourism, supporting high-visitor destinations only when tourism activities provide meaningful benefits to the people who live there.

Across our itineraries, we actively support initiatives that protect biodiversity, strengthen local economies, and safeguard cultural and historical heritage, and we do not promote or sell souvenirs, products, or experiences that are illegal, unethical, or harmful to people, wildlife, or the environment.

Between 2026 and 2028, we are formalising clear destination-selection criteria, identifying community-benefiting alternatives to over-visited locations, supporting biodiversity and heritage conservation initiatives, and auditing our destination-linked offerings to ensure they remain fully aligned with these commitments.

10. Customer Service Policy

Planet India Orange is committed to transparent, accurate, and supportive communication with every traveller. We ensure that our pricing, marketing materials, and sustainability claims are honest and up to date, and we provide clients with reliable, factual information about destinations, transport, accommodation, and travel experiences. We see our customers as partners in responsible tourism and actively promote sustainable travel practices and respectful behaviour throughout the traveller journey.

Every traveller has access to 24-hour emergency assistance, and we continuously improve our service through regular customer satisfaction assessments. From 2027, we are strengthening this commitment further with a full transparency audit of our marketing and pricing, a dedicated 24-hour emergency assistance protocol, and enhanced post-trip feedback and responsible-travel education for our clients.

11. Sustainable Energy Policy

Policy period: 25 July 2026 – 25 July 2028
Approved by: General Manager (Sustainability Coordinator)

Planet India Orange is committed to reducing energy consumption across our operations through structured management, smart technology, and staff engagement. We invest in energy-efficient equipment, lighting, and automated solutions such as timers, motion sensors, and smart plugs, and we set measurable targets for energy and water conservation. Each department has a designated Energy Coordinator responsible for overseeing compliance and monitoring performance, supported by clear procedures for shutting down equipment when not in use.

We reinforce these efforts through regular awareness campaigns, periodic energy audits, and mandatory energy-conservation training as part of employee induction and ongoing development. Between 2026 and 2028, we are appointing Energy Coordinators across the business, introducing an equipment shutdown standard operating procedure with supporting automation, conducting annual energy audits, and reducing office waste and single-use plastics as part of a broader resource conservation effort.

12. Enforcement and Accountability

All employees share responsibility for supporting and implementing Planet India Orange's sustainability commitments. Compliance with this policy is expected at all levels of the organization, and any failure to adhere to its requirements may result in appropriate disciplinary action.

This policy will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure its continued effectiveness, compliance with applicable regulations, and alignment with evolving sustainability standards and international best practices.

Conclusion

As a cornerstone of our long-term sustainability strategy, this policy guides our efforts to generate positive environmental, social, and cultural impacts while consistently delivering high quality and responsible travel experiences.