I got an email today from Hands Up Holidays.  They found my site and requested to be linked with me.  So I went to their site to check them out and I REALLY like what they are doing!

Hands Up Holidays is a travel company based in London that combines eco-sightseeing with a meaningful taste of volunteering. Their website says their volunteer adventures ”are for you if:

• you are interested in having a break, want to explore a destination, and also give something back to a local community.
• you value meaningful interaction with other cultures – achieved through the medium of volunteering.
• you value small group or tailor-made sustainable tourism practices that directly benefit local communities.
• you do not have specific skills, but have a lot of enthusiasm and a positive attitude (OR if you do have specific skills, we will match your skills where possible.”

Sounds great to me.  I especially liked that they say, “It is our hope that after experiencing a Hands Up Holiday voluntourism trip, you will feel inspired to  volunteer for a longer period somewhere (even in your home town), or become a lifelong advocate or donor for the Community Development project you got involved with.”

Hands Up Holidays also offers corporate trips that blend both community service with relaxation or adventure. “This works well for companies that are seeking to both reward employees and also improve their Corporate Social Responsibility profile; ideal for:
- Incentive trips
- Team building trips

These trips are formulated after close consultation with your Senior Management and HR regarding the goals for your organisation.

Some of the benefits of such a trip for your company include:
- Higher staff motivation and employee loyalty.
- Social image enhancement of your company.
- Measurable results with a tailor-made project (we can include a team building component as well).
- Contribution to a better world.”

Hands Up Holidays is a founding member of the Ethical Tour Operators Group, part of Tourism Concern that is committed to sustainable tourism that benefits local communities and the environment.

I am looking for a great adventure for my 50th birthday later this year…I will definitely check them out as an option!  You should too!  Click here for their eBrochure.

Are you familiar with the term corporate/business social responsibility (or CSR) and the business benefits with which it is associated? Many entrepreneurs and smaller businesses mistakenly believe it is only a concern for large, Fortune 500 companies. However, there is an increasing demand from consumers and investors that companies of all sizes engage in ethical business practices. Combined with the growing awareness that socially responsible businesses tend to be more successful over time, smaller companies also are paying closer attention to being more socially responsible as a proven way to improve their profitability and competitiveness in the market.

There are five main components of business social responsibility:

1. Business Philosophy and Design (includes business vision, mission, values, ethics, transparency and governance)

2. Workplace Policies and Practices (includes such topics as employee benefits, work schedules, training, promotion, remuneration, and issues of work/life of balance.)

3. Marketplace Practices (includes selling quality products and services, honest advertising, supply chain practices, customer and vendor relations)

4. Environmental Practices and Sustainability (includes green office practices and minimizing/eliminating negative environmental effects from the manufacture, use or disposal of products.)

5. Community Involvement