Making travel ecological and sustainable

Our sustainability mission:

To make travel in Japan a sustainable-development venture that supports communities, respects the environment and gives value to the country’s cultural wealth.

Our sustainable development policy

At Cocolo Travel, we are committed to designing enriching travel experiences while minimising the social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of our activities.

We are convinced that sustainable tourism is essential in order to preserve the destinations we love, support local communities and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.

Our sustainable development policy rests on the following fundamental principles:

1. Environmental responsibility

We strive to reduce our environmental footprint through a number of actions, both internally (offices, remote working) and within the trips we organise.

Good environmental practice at work

• Energy moderation:
  • Switching off lights, screens and electronic devices when they are not in use, especially at the end of the day.
  • Favouring natural light and using LED bulbs.
  • Limiting heating and air conditioning according to the season.
• Waste reduction and limiting plastic:
  • Applying the 3R principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
  • Deleting unnecessary emails and files to reduce digital consumption.
  • A cold and hot water fountain, reusable mugs, microwaves and kettles are available so that staff can bring their own home-made meals (bento) and avoid plastic packaging.
  • Sorting waste and raising staff awareness in order to limit the waste generated.
• Reducing water consumption:
  • Using the low-volume flush where possible.
  • Turning off taps after use and turning off the water while washing hands.
  • Reporting any leak or fault.
• Printing and paper materials:
  • Printing only when necessary, and double-sided.
  • Favouring recycled and environmentally friendly paper (business cards, communication materials).
• Sustainable mobility for staff:
  • 100% reimbursement of train and metro fares for home-to-work travel, in order to encourage the use of public transport.

2. Social equity, diversity and inclusion

We work to generate positive social impacts and are committed to:

• Supporting rural revitalisation and local communities by promoting less-visited destinations, generating economic opportunities for local people.
• A fair distribution of the benefits of tourism among artisans, small business owners and other stakeholders.
• Encouraging genuine cultural exchange that allows a better understanding of Japanese culture.

Non-discrimination and equal opportunity

Cocolo Travel guarantees equal treatment and the prevention of all discrimination across all of its practices, in particular: recruitment, terms of employment, access to training, career progression and positions of responsibility. No discrimination is tolerated on the grounds of residence status, gender, origin, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic.

Children’s rights and accommodation

• Through our chain of partner accommodation providers, we ensure that children’s rights are respected and protected.
• If a supplier employs children under the age of 14, special working conditions must be put in place to protect them.
• Child labour, defined by the ILO as work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful, or that interferes with schooling, is strictly prohibited.
• We accept no accommodation that exploits children, and we check that the accommodation offered has a legal status allowing it to host tourists lawfully.

Protection of local resources

So that tourists remain welcome in the destinations: the day-to-day operations of accommodation providers must not restrict local access to:

• Essential resources: water, energy, waste management
• Essential services: education, healthcare
• Livelihoods: farming, fishing
• Access to cultural, religious, traditional, natural or recreational sites

3. Responsible economic contribution

• Working with local partners and suppliers to support regional economies.
• Experiences that favour locally sourced products and services.
• Training the team to identify and limit the risks of overtourism.
• Promoting rural tourism, and tourism in areas where it directly benefits local people.

4. Preserving culture

• Making Travellers aware of the need to respect customs, traditions and sacred sites.
• Promoting visits and experiences that actively contribute to preserving cultural heritage.

5. Responsible purchasing policy

Objectives:

• Reduce the environmental footprint of our purchases.
• Favour sustainable, ethical and responsible products and suppliers.
• Support the local economy and beneficial supply chains.
• Encourage sustainable production and consumption practices.

Principles:

• Local or regional products
• Organic products, fair trade, low carbon footprint
• Eco-labelled products (FSC, Ecolabel, AB, etc.)
• Durable, reusable and repairable goods

Limitations:

• Limited availability of certified products in some contexts
• Possible additional cost of some sustainable products
• Absence of labelled solutions for certain specialised equipment

Practical examples:

• Office supplies: FSC paper and eco-labelled consumables
• Food products: local and organic fruit for internal meetings
• Gifts for partners: fair-trade certified craft products
• Furniture and equipment: durable, recycled or certified materials

Purchase of souvenirs and sensitive products:

• We do not permit the purchase of souvenirs containing:
  • Endangered plant and animal species
  • Historical or archaeological objects obtained illegally
  • Illegal drugs or substances
• We strictly comply with the local and international laws in force in order to prevent such practices.

Monitoring:

• Proportion of local and responsible suppliers
• Proportion of sustainable purchases
• Team feedback on quality and durability

6. Sustainable mobility for customers

For domestic travel within the trips we sell:

• Public transport is used wherever possible.
• Defined exceptions:
  • Domestic flight: weather conditions (Hokkaido in winter), specific cases such as the Okinawa destination
  • Taxi: for customers’ comfort or where necessary, e.g. transfer between airport and hotel (return), on request and to make it easier to carry luggage

7. Managing “sensitive” excursions and activities

When new activities or services are added to our database, certain types must be labelled “sensitive excursions”:

• Visits to indigenous communities
• Animal-related activities
• Visits to protected areas (nature reserves, national parks, etc.)
• Cultural or historical heritage sites

Products to be avoided:

• Any product that harms animals or that does not guarantee them a decent quality of life
• Activities that harm the environment
• Products that do not comply with decent working conditions

Guidelines for sensitive products:

• Heritage activities: stay on marked paths, do not touch or damage objects, follow local customs
• Animal activities:
  • Team members must follow specific rules when informing Travellers of good practice.
  • A page setting out these guidelines is available on the internal Wiki.
  • At present, only two animal activities are offered:
    1. Crane watching in Hokkaido, supervised by a specialist guide and at a distance that respects the animals.
    2. The “Jigokudani” monkey park in Nagano, where the monkeys can be observed in the onsens in winter.
  • These activities are currently sold only rarely, but the rules are prepared for future requests or additional activities.
  • Strict respect for the animals, limited group sizes, and compliance with the guides’ recommendations.
• Nature activities: do not pick flowers, stay on authorised paths, remain quiet

References:

• Excursions must comply with recognised and monitored sustainability standards

8. Commitment to sustainable accommodation

Our company is committed to promoting sustainable accommodation. The sustainability of accommodation establishments is of key importance, as it allows our company to extend sustainable practices to a central element of our tours and of our supply chain. We give preference to establishments that implement sustainable practices throughout their operations.

Sustainable accommodation principles

In our efforts to select the most sustainable accommodation providers possible, we give preference to establishments that follow these fundamental principles:

1. The right level of comfort at the right price

   The establishment is clean, healthy and safe, and able to offer a level of comfort and service matching our customers’ expectations. Sustainable accommodation practices can be found in every price range; we therefore seek to identify the most sustainable options possible within our customers’ budget.

2. Fair business practices

   The establishment observes fair business practices, in particular transparency and respect for the law, for human rights, for economic and social equity, and for the protection of the environment and of animals.

3. Reducing the impact on the environment and on society

   The establishment attaches great importance to sustainable practices and seeks to minimise its impact on the environment and the society around it.

General sustainability considerations

Sustainable practices exist in every budget range. Our company is therefore primarily interested in the practices put in place, in order to identify the most responsible suppliers.

Our company may assess accommodation in several ways:

• Observations by our guides
• Feedback forms from our customers
• Meetings with the establishment’s staff

The following criteria will be taken into account in the assessment of establishments and will guide our company’s preferences:

Plastic reduction policy

We give preference to accommodation that minimises the use of plastic and that provides areas where guests can refill the carafes supplied in the rooms, or their own bottles.

Waste management

In Japan, waste management is a regulatory requirement.

Energy efficiency

The establishment applies energy efficiency practices, such as the use of low-energy bulbs and energy-saving equipment. The provider encourages its guests (for example through notices in the rooms and corridors) to switch off lights and electrical appliances when they are not in use, or puts in place a general automatic switch-off system.

Water management

The establishment uses water efficiently. Places with water-saving systems — such as eco-friendly cleaning that reduces the amount of water needed to wash linen — will be given preference.

Child protection

The establishment ensures that children’s rights are respected and protected in accordance with Japanese legislation.

Our company applies zero tolerance towards all forms of exploitation of children, whether sexual or related to the labour of minors. We firmly condemn all forms of sexual exploitation of children as well as all forms of child labour contrary to international conventions and national legislation. We expect all of our partners, including accommodation establishments, to respect children’s rights strictly and to take all necessary measures to prevent such practices.

Partner establishments must in particular:

• comply with national laws relating to the labour of minors and to children’s rights;
• refuse any form of involvement, direct or indirect, in the sexual exploitation of children;
• report to the competent authorities any suspicion of exploitation or abuse involving minors;
• raise their staff’s awareness of child protection where this is possible.

Any partner involved in practices related to the exploitation of children will immediately have its collaboration with our company suspended or terminated.

Local sourcing

In rural areas, we give preference to small accommodation providers that use local products and actively support the local economy.

Biodiversity protection

The establishment limits, as far as possible, its negative impact on local and global biodiversity (for example by not offering species listed on the red lists on their menus).

Authentic character

The accommodation building (exterior and/or interior) incorporates elements of local art, architecture or cultural heritage.

Contribution to the local community

The establishment respects the intellectual property rights of local communities and contributes to the local community in various ways (for example by sponsoring local events or making donations to heritage sites).

Encouraging improvement in sustainable practices

Our company follows a long-term strategy aimed at improving the sustainability of its regular accommodation suppliers. On request or on our own initiative, we support collaborative initiatives with other tour operators and/or stakeholders in order to promote sustainability among accommodation providers in our destinations.

Where possible, we discuss with the owners or managers of establishments their current practices and what they could put in place in order to adopt more sustainable practices (for example during visits by our management or through our guides).

We may also share good-practice standards and advice with our accommodation partners, in particular:

• information on hotel certifications, such as Travelife for Hotels
• self-assessment tools
• training manuals

Sanctions

If it appears that an accommodation supplier is adopting unsustainable practices, our company will cease working with it.

Incentives

Our company will give preference to working with establishments that are able to operate sustainably, taking responsibility for their impact on the environment and on society. Where our volume of business allows, we may offer additional benefits, such as promotion of the hotel on our website or specific contractual terms.

Objectives and timetable

In order to improve the sustainability of our accommodation partners progressively, we undertake to achieve the following objectives:

By the end of 2026

• 50% of our accommodation partners will have put in place at least one sustainable practice (for example: recycling, water-saving measures or reduction of single-use plastics).
• We will assess the sustainable practices of our most frequently used partner accommodation providers — those without an official environmental certification — by means of a questionnaire.

By the end of 2028

• 70% of our accommodation partners will implement at least two sustainable practices.
• We will continue to expand our catalogue of small accommodation providers supporting local growth.

By the end of 2030

• At least 30% of our accommodation partners will hold a recognised sustainability certification or a formal sustainability policy.

Monitoring

We will review this policy and the progress made every two years, adjusting our objectives if necessary in order to continue improving the sustainability of our accommodation supply chain.

9. Travelife partnership

As part of our commitment to protecting the environment and to sustainable development, we have established a partnership with Travelife, an international certification and training body specialising in sustainability in the tourism sector. Through this certification process, we are reinforcing our determination to adopt responsible practices, to reduce our environmental impact and to contribute actively to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As soon as this certification is obtained, it will be published and made available on this site in order to evidence our commitment and the progress made in terms of sustainability.

Concerned to protect the environment and to promote sustainable tourism, we are a Travelife partner. Through this certification process, we are continuing our efforts to adopt responsible practices and to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Once the certification has been obtained, it will be displayed on this site as proof of our commitment to sustainability.

Conclusion

By building sustainability into our trips, our purchasing and our internal operations, Cocolo Travel contributes actively to responsible tourism that respects places, cultures and local communities. Every action counts, and we believe that change begins with concrete, everyday commitments.