SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF OUR DNA

Metropolitan Touring owns and operates three sterling vessels plus three boutique properties. In each of our hospitality products, we have implemented corporate policies to minimize our environmental footprint while seeking to create a positive impact on the people and communities where we operate.

Join us on our sustainability journey!

HOW WE AND YOU PLAY A PART IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY MISSION

Founded in 1953, and operating in the Galapagos Islands since the 1960s, our company soon became aware of the need to care for the natural resource which is our products’ and services’ core attraction. It’s an inescapable burden of responsibility — one which we have borne gladly over the decades, since it has forced us to be creative and innovate at every turn.

Today, our commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, to Carbon Neutrality (since 2017) and our work on the Environment, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) framework has led us to go further than simple environmental protection and seek to create value for all the stakeholders that we interact with and influence.

We invite you to join us on our journey to make our impact more positive for both people and planet.
Sustainability
Mashpi Lodge

CONSCIENTIOUS STEWARDS

In order to be conscientious stewards of the destination for future generations, we constantly improve our own best practices, seek to be an example for others in the industry to follow, work with the local and national government authorities, and inspire our guests to play their part, too.
Co2

CARBON NEUTRAL SINCE 2017

All our operations have been fully carbon neutral since 2017. Not only are our offices and operations neutral, but, by traveling with us, the carbon emissions you create — calculated according to your specific itinerary — will be offset through a program run by our holding group’s foundation, Fundación Futuro.

In this way, our guests and our company protect the biodiverse and threatened forests of Ecuador’s Andean Chocó region, and help develop more sustainable livelihoods for its people.

Play Video about Rainforest Mashpi Lodge

THE ESG FRAMEWORK

Our Environment, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) framework considers the impact the company has on the seven stakeholders where we operate. Along with our holding group’s companies, we have committed to adhering to ESG standards and conduct ourselves ethically across those three areas. We have a range of strategies and short- and medium-term tactics to achieve our objectives. Within each pillar of ESG, we are working on the following:
Fruits
Solar panels at Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

DECARBONIZATION

We actively seek out new and innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint across our properties, including the installation of solar panels, reducing food waste, better managing waste, improving purchasing, reducing packaging, and offering more vegetarian options in our menus.

CO2 COMPENSATION

Even with our best efforts in decarbonizing our operations as much as possible, we recognize that we still have a long way to go and therefore pledge to continue compensating our emissions into the future.
Through our carbon emissions offsetting program, established in 2017, all our operations are entirely carbon neutral. The program protects and helps grow the private reserve managed by Fundación Futuro in the fragile, threatened and hugely biodiverse forests of the Andean Chocó, northwest of Quito. The program also contributes to developing more sustainable livelihoods for the reserve’s surrounding communities.

PROTECTION OF NATURAL HERITAGE & CULTURE

We believe one of the chief means of protecting heritage is by sharing knowledge about our ecosystems and cultures. We therefore communicate regularly to our stakeholders through, for example, communicating the scientific advances in the Mashpi-Tayra Reserve to our employees, suppliers, academia, and surrounding communities. Watch an example.

DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL

We believe in a workforce that is constantly learning and expanding its capacities. We promote sustainable, responsible and inclusive labor practices. We respect the rights of workers and take measures to improve working conditions, decent wages, and health and safety at work.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI)

We aim to be an inclusive company, one that respects and promotes equity and diversity among its collaborators, employees, suppliers and clients. We base our actions and decisions on the highest standards of ethics, integrity and respect for Human Rights. We are committed to fighting discrimination.

PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY

We protect the integrity and safeguard the privacy of our collaborators, employees, suppliers and customers. We are committed to a robust, reliable network infrastructure that minimizes the points of vulnerability against possible attacks.

RESPONSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPLIERS

We engage our supply chain in impactful social and environmental practices. We ensure ethical and environmental standards in each of the links of our supply chain through the modification of policies, and through the evaluation and selection of suppliers who care for the environment, society and stakeholders. We are developing a comprehensive education plan for strategic providers’ employees.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES

We aim to increase our commitment and positive impact in the communities in which we operate. We encourage our collaborators to give time and talent to contribute to the development and well-being of people and their communities. We support the development of our local suppliers.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

We aspire to be a benchmark for the high levels of service and satisfaction which we give our customers and explorers. We believe that in order to transform the lives of our explorers through memorable experiences, we must always meet the highest standards of comfort and well-being.

Santa Cruz II Bridge

TRANSPARENCY

We promote a culture of transparency across our corporation. We are convinced that transparency is essential to achieve our business’s sustainability, involving all stakeholders. We are committed to transparency, assuming full responsibility for our positive and negative impacts.

BUSINESS ETHICS

Our values and standards strengthen our organizational culture and improve the work environment of all our workers. We are committed to honest, ethical and transparent operations, free of corruption.

ANTI-CORRUPTION

We are committed to implementing effective processes to curb bribery and corruption risks that may affect our business. We work against corruption in all its forms.

Like all transparent and responsible businesses, we are on a journey towards ever-greater sustainability, incorporating the elements of the ESG framework into our day-to-day activities and operations. In some cases, we have achieved much. In others, there’s still a long way to go.

PROGRESS ON OUR JOURNEY

Renewable Renewable Energy
  • 60% of our Quito office electricity is solar powered
  • 50% of the Finch Bay Galapagos hotel 86 CO2 tons reduced annually at Finch Bay
  • 60% reduction in our LPG gas usage at Casa Gangotena
  • 90 CO2 tons reduced annually at Casa Gangotena
  • 100% Mashpi Lodge’s electricity is powered by hydroelectric power
Reduction Reduction and Recycling of Waste
We are currently measuring waste across our properties in order to set objectives for 2024 — including packaging, food waste, water use, energy use and more.
Purchasing Purchasing from responsible suppliers
We are analyzing how to work better with various suppliers with (more) sustainable practices in the future
Local SUPPLY CHAIN
One area we will be working on diligently is our supply chain, aligning our suppliers with our ESG criteria and therefore generating a positive impact.
  • 37% of all our F&B purchases in Galapagos are local
  • 66% of our local supplier businesses in Galapagos are led by women
  • 15 years - the average length of relationship with suppliers
  • 15 new suppliers on-boarded in 2022
Local COMMUNITIES
The holding group's companies contribute to the Fundación Futuro, which manages carbon offsetting programs and works with local communities to develop sustainable futures.
ColegioSchools benefitted 5

EstudianteStudents benefitted 250

Mano Con DineroIncome increase in 2022 thanks to local purchasing by Mashpi Lodge $220 / month for 15 families

FamiliaFamilies benefitted 19
DEI
BalanceBoard members and our executive committee are both equally represented in terms of gender. 49% Men 51% Women

Chat8.9/10 Happiness Index

BookWe have a Code of Conduct for employees that covers matters of corruption and ethical behavior.
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One area we will be working on diligently will be our supply chain, aligning our suppliers with our ESG criteria and therefore generating a chain of positive impact that will ripple through our operations in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.
Traveler

PIONEERS IN SUSTAINABILITY

Given our company’s origins as pioneers in travel to the Galapagos Islands, we have always taken our responsibility to the environment seriously and made it part of our DNA.

We created the first NGO which focused on waste issues in the islands, for example, investing in infrastructure and training so that, today, the local municipality of Santa Cruz Island has the highest rates of recycling anywhere in Ecuador.

We have also played a part in the community, by inviting over 1,600 students and members of the community to embark on expedition cruises with us over the decades, in order for them to experience the true wonders of National Park and become even better stewards of its future as a result.

To find out more about our efforts at our properties, click on the links below:

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We are on a journey. Can we do more? Of course! Can we measure our impact better and communicate it better? For sure. It’s part of our mission, part of our DNA
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