Since its founding in 1997, Handspan Travel has been a local pioneer dedicated to creating innovative and sustainable travel experiences across Vietnam and the wider Indochina region. We recognize our responsibility to promote sustainability in all aspects of our work, from implementing responsible practices and reducing negative social and environmental impacts to inspiring our clients and partners to do the same.

Our Sustainability Policy is structured around 10 key themes, each outlining guiding principles and concrete actions to ensure our commitment is consistently put into practice.

1. Sustainability management & Legal compliance

At Handspan Travel, we are dedicated to integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations. To achieve this, we commit to the following actions:

• Appointing a dedicated staff member responsible for coordinating all sustainability initiatives.
• Maintaining a clear Sustainability Mission Statement, communicated to our customers, partners, and suppliers.
• Developing and maintaining an accessible, written Sustainability Policy that aims to reduce negative social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts, while also addressing employee health and safety.
• Conducting baseline assessments of our company’s sustainable performance to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Implementing a Sustainability Action Plan with defined targets, actions, measures, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Establishing sustainability guidelines and an assessment system to evaluate the performance of key suppliers and partners.
• Developing documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of our sustainability policy, objectives, and targets.
• Ensuring transparency by publicly reporting and communicating our sustainability efforts and progress.
• Promoting internal awareness so that all staff fully understand, support, and contribute to the continuous improvement of our Sustainability Policy.
• Actively joins sustainable forums and projects that aim for sustainable purposes.

We are fully committed to complying with all national legislation, regulations, and codes of practice related to sustainable tourism.

2. Internal management: Social policy & human rights

We are committed to promoting sustainable and responsible internal management by maintaining a clear, written, and well-communicated Social Policy based on the following principles:

• Ensuring all employment contracts include job descriptions and comply with national labor laws.
• Clearly stating wage rates in employment contracts, which meet or exceed the national legal minimum wage.
• Defining and compensating overtime hours in accordance with mutual agreements and legal requirements.
• Providing medical and liability insurance in compliance with national law.
• Offering annual health check-ups at designated government-approved hospitals.
• Granting employees fixed paid annual leave, paid sick leave, and an allowance for unpaid annual leave.
• Providing clear and fair maternity and paternity leave entitlements.
• Maintaining a comprehensive Health and Safety Policy that complies with national standards.
• Ensuring first aid kits are available at all relevant work locations.
• Adhering to national regulations regarding the Minimum Age for Employment.
• Implementing documented and effective procedures that allow employees to voice complaints, feedback, and expectations confidentially.
• Establishing and communicating a transparent disciplinary procedure.
• Creating opportunities for students through internship, traineeship, and apprenticeship programs.
• Defining clear regulations and allowances for business trips.
• Encouraging employment opportunities and inclusion for persons with special needs.

We are committed to upholding and promoting human rights across all our operations by ensuring the following practices are implemented and enforced:

• We pledge not to hinder trade union membership, collective labor negotiations, or the representation of employees by trade unions.
• We participate in and comply with any existing sector-wide collective labor agreement or negotiation structure, where applicable.
• We prohibit all forms of discrimination in recruitment, employment conditions, access to training, career advancement, or promotion regardless of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
• We strictly prohibit sexual harassment, assault, or any form of misconduct in the workplace under all circumstances.
• We ensure that all employees have equal opportunities and fair access to training, education, and resources that support their personal and professional development.

3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations

We are dedicated to protecting the environment and strengthening community relations by ensuring the implementation of the following practices:

• Actively reduce the use of disposable and single-use consumer goods.
• Prioritize the purchase of sustainable goods and services, including office supplies, catering products, giveaways, and merchandise.
• Source products locally whenever feasible to support local economies and reduce transport-related emissions.
• Purchase in bulk to minimize packaging waste.
• Set all printing and copying equipment to default double-sided printing or other paper-saving modes.
• Use eco-certified, non-hazardous, non-eutrophic, and biodegradable cleaning materials.
• Implement measures to reduce printed brochure waste, favoring digital or “internet-only” communication.
• Actively measure, monitor, and reduce energy consumption across all operations.
• Purchase renewable (green) energy and use energy-efficient lighting wherever available.
• Switch off lights and equipment when not in use, and apply automatic timers, motion sensors, or default energy-saving settings when feasible.
• Choose low-energy equipment when purchasing new items, considering both cost efficiency and quality.
• Maintain and monitor an active water conservation policy, with monthly or yearly benchmarks.
• Comply with all national waste management legislation.
• Take action to minimize packaging materials and avoid non-recyclable or non-biodegradable packaging.
• Reduce office use of non-refillable plastic water bottles.
• Separate recyclable materials and ensure proper collection and disposal.
• Apply waste-reducing methods when using ink and toner cartridges, including reuse and recycling where possible.
• Recycle or properly dispose of batteries.
• Ensure compliance with national wastewater treatment standards, ensuring water is safely reused or released.
• Minimize the use of harmful substances, ensuring safe storage, handling, and disposal of chemicals.
• Implement measures to prevent and reduce pollution from company buildings and operations.
• Encourage employees to use public transportation or other sustainable modes of travel through financial or practical incentives.
• Reduce travel-related impacts by promoting remote work and virtual meetings where appropriate.
• Provide regular training and information to staff on their environmental responsibilities and internal best practices.
• Comply with all land use, zoning, and protected area regulations when planning, constructing, renovating, operating, or demolishing buildings or infrastructure.
• Base all new construction and renovation projects on locally appropriate, sustainable design principles and materials.
• Support the protection and preservation of local historical, cultural, archaeological, and spiritual sites, ensuring community access is not restricted.
• Ensure that all travel products exclude any activity that violates our Code of Conduct or ethical principles.

4. Partner agency

Based on an inventory of our key partner agencies, we have developed and implemented a Sustainable Partnership Policy to strengthen sustainability practices across our supply chain. Our goal is to make sustainable development tangible and actionable for every partner we work with.

We commit to this by:

• Maintaining an updated list of our partners’ sustainability practices and performance.
• Collaborating only with organizations that genuinely implement sustainability principles in their tourism operations, and rejecting any form of greenwashing.
• Minimizing the ecological footprint of our offices by prioritizing public transportation, reducing paper use, separating waste, and using certified recycled paper.
• Considering the local community benefits and the social policies of local accommodations when selecting business partners.
• Raising sustainability awareness among key partners through online campaigns and educational initiatives.
• Providing partners with information about Travelife certification and relevant national tourism standards.
• Signing cooperation contracts that include an annex with the national code of conduct for local partners, encouraging their commitment to sustainable practices.
• Regularly evaluating the sustainability performance of our key partners to ensure genuine and ongoing improvement.
• Informing partners about our company’s Sustainability Policy and expecting them to comply with it and, where relevant, communicate it to final customers.
• Including key sustainability clauses in contracts with inbound and receptive partners.
• Encouraging partners to participate in sustainability training programs and workshops for travel companies.
• Maintaining written agreements with all partner agencies to ensure transparency and accountability.
• Including clauses that allow for the termination of contracts if a partner fails to take adequate measures to prevent the sexual exploitation of children within their supply chain.
• Ensuring that all partner companies comply with national labor laws and uphold the rights and welfare of their employees.

5. Transport

We recognize that transportation plays a crucial role in sustainable tourism and are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of all travel-related activities. We strive to ensure that vehicles used on our tours produce no more than average pollution levels and, wherever possible, contribute to reducing overall emissions.

We commit to this by:

• Selecting the most sustainable transport options available, while considering price, comfort, and practicality.
• Promoting the use of sustainable public transport for travel to and from departure points for international or long-distance journeys.
• Giving preference to eco-friendly transport alternatives for local transfers and excursions, balancing sustainability with comfort, cost, and operational feasibility.

6. Accommodations

We aim to build a fully sustainable tourism supply chain, recognizing that our partner accommodations play a central role in achieving this vision. We actively motivate, support, and collaborate with our partners to strengthen and implement responsible practices across all aspects of their operations.

We commit to this by:

• Selecting accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards, with special focus on the following:
  • Demonstrated commitment to sustainability.
  • Existence of water-saving and energy-saving programs.
  • Implementation of a waste management and energy reduction system.
  • Adoption of a sustainable supply chain approach.
  • A formal child protection policy.
  • Engagement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
  • Regular Health & Safety training for employees.
• Motivating and encouraging partner accommodations to obtain recognized sustainability certifications.
• Preferring locally owned and managed accommodations, supporting local economic growth.
• Selecting accommodations that employ local community members, promoting inclusive and equitable tourism.
• Requesting documented evidence that clarifies accommodations’ sustainability goals and implementation strategies.
• Encouraging participation in best-practice training and workshops on responsible tourism.
• Inviting accommodations to complete a sustainability questionnaire to assess and enhance their performance.
• Clearly communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to all contracted and relevant accommodation partners.
• Prioritizing accommodations that hold internationally recognized certifications such as GSTC-recognized or Travelife certification.
• Including standard sustainability clauses in all accommodation contracts, addressing key topics such as child labor, anti-corruption, bribery, waste management, and biodiversity protection.

Protection of Children’s Rights

We are committed to ensuring that the rights and welfare of children are respected and safeguarded throughout our accommodation supply chain by:

• Including contractual clauses across our value chain declaring zero tolerance for the sexual exploitation of children.
• Retaining the right to terminate any contract if an accommodation provider fails to implement adequate preventive measures.
• Training employees on children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation, and procedures for reporting suspected cases.
• Collaborating with stakeholders and local organizations to prevent and address child exploitation in tourism.

Respect for Local Culture and Communities

• Partnering with accommodations and restaurants that integrate elements of local art, architecture, and cultural heritage, while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities.

7. Excursions and activities

We place the highest value on animal welfare and community well-being, and aim to offer tours that leave only a minimal footprint. We are committed to safeguarding the authenticity of local communities and the natural environment, and strongly oppose any practices that harm wildlife or pollute ecosystems.

We commit to this by:

• Maintaining an inventory of environmentally and culturally sensitive excursions offered at each destination.
• Advising guests on appropriate behavior during excursions and activities, with an emphasis on respecting local culture, communities, and the natural environment.
• Communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to all contracted and relevant excursion providers via codes of conduct, representatives, social media, email, discussions, or meetings, to minimize negative visitor impact and enhance positive experiences.
• Excluding excursions that harm people, animals, plants, natural resources (such as water and energy), or that are socially or culturally inappropriate.
• Prohibiting excursions involving captive wildlife, except when activities are properly regulated and fully compliant with local, national, and international law.
• Avoiding involvement with companies that harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade wildlife species, unless part of a regulated activity ensuring sustainable and legal utilization.
• Employing skilled or certified guides to lead guests at sensitive cultural, heritage, or ecologically fragile sites.
• Promoting and recommending excursions that directly benefit local communities, such as purchasing local goods and services, traditional crafts, food production methods, or visiting social projects.
• Encouraging excursions and activities that support local environments and biodiversity, including visits to protected areas or participation in environmental protection projects.

8. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides

We are committed to maximizing local employment within the tourism industry and ensuring a fair, safe, and supportive working environment that respects and benefits local communities.

We commit to this by:

• Ensuring all employees have a written employment contract that includes labor conditions, a job description, and that they fully understand the terms and conditions.
• Prioritizing local staff—including tour leaders, representatives, guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other personnel—where skills and abilities are equal, and providing training as needed.
• Ensuring our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws, industry minimum standards, and any other relevant statutory requirements, with preference for the more stringent standards.
• Paying contracted tour leaders, local representatives, guides, porters, and other staff at least a living wage, meeting or exceeding legal minimums or industry standards.
• Providing annual accident insurance for all contracted tour guides.
• Ensuring all tour guides, hosts, and contracted employees are qualified and receive regular training.
• Informing local employees about relevant aspects of our Sustainability Policy and ensuring compliance through newsletters, contract references, emails, training sessions, and information briefings.
• Offering a sustainable travel module in training programs for local tour guides and hosts, highlighting key aspects of responsible tourism, their roles, and relevant destination-specific sustainability knowledge.
• Requiring tour leaders, representatives, and guides to educate clients on sustainability issues in the destination (e.g., protecting flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, responsible resource use), social norms and values (e.g., tipping, dress codes, photography), and human rights (e.g., prevention of sexual exploitation).
• Providing specialized training on the prevention of sexual exploitation of children, including guidance on compliance and verification of exclusion requirements.

9. Destination

We strive to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at the destinations where we operate, supporting the sustainable development of local communities, environments, and cultural heritage.

We commit to this by:

• Considering sustainability criteria when selecting new destinations and promoting alternative, non-mainstream options where feasible.
• Avoiding destinations where tourism causes structural negative local effects, unless our involvement can deliver clear mitigating benefits.
• Prioritizing destinations that are accessible via more sustainable transport options.
• Complying with all legal spatial planning, protected area, and heritage regulations, as well as relevant destination management strategies set by local, regional, and national authorities.
• Supporting initiatives that strengthen relationships between accommodations and local producers.
• Engaging with and supporting local authorities, where possible in collaboration with other travel companies and stakeholders, on sustainability, destination planning, resource management, and socio-cultural issues.
• Contributing to biodiversity conservation, including the protection of high-biodiversity areas, through financial support, advocacy, and inclusion in our product offerings.
• Avoiding promotion or sale of souvenirs containing threatened flora and fauna (as listed in CITES or the IUCN Red List) or historical and archaeological artifacts, except where permitted by law.

10. Customer communication and protection

At Indochina Junk, the well-being, safety, and informed decision-making of our customers are of utmost importance. We ensure clear, accurate, and transparent communication, as well as high protection standards throughout the customer journey.

Prior to Booking

We commit to:

• Providing a company guideline for client consultation, followed by all client advisors.
• Ensuring customer privacy and data protection at all times.
• Complying with all relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising, avoiding over-promises or greenwashing.
• Offering clear, complete, and accurate product and price information, including sustainability claims where applicable.
• Supplying factual and balanced destination information, including sustainability aspects.
• Informing clients about the environmental impact of transport options to reach destinations and offering sustainable alternatives where available.
• Promoting certified sustainable accommodations, excursions, packages, and transport options with clear identification and messaging as preferable choices.
• Providing information about sustainable alternatives for accommodations, excursions, package holidays, and transport options where available.
• Clearly communicating the company’s sustainability commitments and actions to potential and direct customers.

After Booking and During Holidays

We commit to:

• Providing clients with information on the natural surroundings, local culture, and cultural heritage of their destination.
• Educating clients about key sustainability issues in the destination and offering guidance on how to make a positive contribution.
• Informing clients about health and safety risks and necessary precautions.
• Maintaining a permanent contact person and emergency telephone number for urgent situations.
• Training staff and providing guidelines on handling emergency situations effectively.
• Offering documented guidelines or codes of conduct for sensitive excursions and activities to minimize negative impacts and maximize enjoyment, developed where possible in collaboration with NGOs and local communities.
• Informing clients about commercial, sexual, or other exploitation risks, particularly regarding children and adolescents.
• Providing guidance on legal requirements related to the purchase, sale, import, or export of historic or religious artifacts or items containing threatened flora and fauna.
• Encouraging clients to support local restaurants, shops, and businesses where appropriate.
• Informing clients about sustainable transport options at the destination, when feasible.
• Encouraging clients to donate to local charities or sustainable initiatives.

After Holidays

We commit to:

• Systematically measuring client satisfaction and using the results to improve services and products.
• Integrating sustainability considerations into client satisfaction research.
• Maintaining clear procedures for handling client complaints promptly and fairly