What has changed since the first one? Firstly, the leadership: Evaneos was founded in 2009 by Eric La Bonnardière and Yvan Wibaux. In 2023, we have taken over as co-CEOs. We complement each other and are committed to facing the many challenges ahead, both for us and the travel industry as a whole. These challenges will be addressed throughout these pages, especially our three main areas of action: achieving better distribution of tourist flows, reducing carbon intensity, and ensuring fair distribution of created value. The solutions are clear: choosing the right time to discover a destination, decarbonizing our journeys, and better distributing value to local communities. Join us as we dive into the specifics and discover our social and climate commitments, our partnerships, and our areas for improvement. With complete transparency, clear data, and ambitious goals, we are excited to share our progress with you.”
ENJOY THE READ!
Aurélie Sandler & Laurent de Chorivit
Evaneos in a Nutshell
To understand our actions, you need to know our model. It’s simple: Evaneos connects travelers with local agencies to create 100 % customizable itineraries for authentic and responsible adventures. Our itineraries are tailored to your needs and highlight meaningful experiences. With us, travel is fairer and more rewarding for both travelers and hosts.
This is our Better Trips vision: more responsible tourism that sets higher standards for the entire industry.
WITH EVANEOS, AT LEAST 85% OF YOUR TRAVEL COST GOES DIRECTLY
TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES (COMPARED TO 30-50% WITH TRADITIONAL OPERATORS*).
* source : Gilles Caire et Pierre Le Masne,
« La mesure des effets économiques du tourisme international sur les pays de destination », Marché et Organisations, N°3, 2007, p.63-88
Some tips to travel better
CHOOSE TRAIN TRAVEL | learn more
SKIP THE 3-DAY CITY TRIPS | learn more
TRAVEL OFF-SEASON, AWAY FROM CROWDS | learn more
STAY IN INDEPENDENT ACCOMMODATIONS | learn more
TRAVEL WITH COMMITTED AGENCIES | learn more
WE’LL DIVE INTO ALL THESE TIPS IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES.
Oh, wow.
700 000 AGENCIES WORKING ALONGSIDE US.
TRAVELLERS
HAVE PUT THEIR TRUST IN US SINCE WE STARTED OUT, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE
A continuous journey
IN ADDITION TO OUR B CORP CERTIFICATION IN 2022, OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY WAS RECOGNISED BY THE TRAVELIFE CERTIFICATION.
692 382€ Money, money, money!
WERE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR BETTER TRIPS FUND IN 2023. THIS FUND IS HELPING US TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
WE PUBLISHED OUR 1ST IMPACT REPORT , AS WELL AS OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. 100% transparency
We’re all in this together
OF THE AGENCIES IN OUR NETWORK ARE NOW ON THE JOURNEY TO SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION. AND OUT OF THESE, 12% HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED CERTIFICATION OR A FIRST LEVEL OF QUALIFICATION.
Walking the talk
WE DECIDED TO OFFER NO MORE “CITY BREAKS” –
TRIPS OF LESS THAN FIVE NIGHTS THAT INVOLVE TAKING A PLANE – ON OUR WEBSITE.
Disposable? No, thanks.
OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES HAVE JOINT OUR PLASTIC FREE PROGRAMME THAT WE LAUNCHED WITH TRAVEL WITHOUT PLASTIC.
WE FORGED NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP TURN TOURISM INTO A FORCE FOR GOOD. AND WE’RE IMMENSELY PROUD TO WORK WITH MULTIPLE NEW NGOS.
Team spirit
EVANEOSSIANS ARE CHANGING THE WORLD OF TRAVEL.
Our Network
Why act alone?
We partner with various organizations who share our mission. Some independently certify our commitments, while others set standards that we follow with conviction. Here are the key names you’ll encounter in this document.
Certifications Initiatives Partners
Volunteering with Social Builder, Red Cross, Surfrider Foundation and others
01. AGENCIES
OUR NETWORK OF LOCAL AGENCIES IS OUR GREATEST ASSET. THEY DESIGN 100% BESPOKE TRIPS, CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR DESTINATIONS, AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
Demanding, Us? Absolutely.
Out of 10 agencies that apply, only 1 makes it to Evaneos. We have a rigorous application process and an auditing system to select them. The chosen ones must meet strict criteria:
BE A LOCALLY ESTABLISHED AGENCY (THAT’S FUNDAMENTAL!)
ADHERE TO THE EVANEOS CODE OF CONDUCT / VIEW HERE
• This code outlines our minimum standards, aligned with international tourism standards from organizations like the UNWTO or ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents).
• It covers essential topics such as fair working conditions, child protection, animal welfare, and more.
THE EXTRA MILE
WE ENSURE THAT AGENCIES ALIGN WITH OUR BETTER TRIPS VISION AND HELP THEM CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOP THROUGH OUR BETTER TRIPS INDEX.
01. Agencies Better Trips Index: Raising the Bar
We are committed to offering unforgettable trips for travelers with a better impact on the world.
This promise is made possible by our community of agencies that share this vision and are ready to evolve with us.
An Evaluation Tool for Us: Ensuring agencies align with the Better Trips vision we established in 2021.
A Development Tool for Our Agencies: Helping them identify areas for improvement and supporting them with the best ways to achieve it.
A Quality Tool for Our Travelers: Assisting them in choosing the agency that best matches their values and needs.
In 2023, we completely revamped the BTI to focus on the essentials while raising our standards.
The 3 Pillars of the BTI
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IMPACT
WE ASSESS THE CONCRETE COMMITMENTS OF AGENCIES TO IMPROVE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS. AS WELL AS GUIDING TRAVELERS’ CHOICES. AGENCIES RECEIVE HIGHER SCORES IF THEY ALREADY HOLD OR ARE WORKING TOWARDS RECOGNIZED SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS.
TRAVELER SATISFACTION
WE EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AND THE OVERALL TRAVEL EXPERIENCE PROVIDED BY THE AGENCY, BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM OUR TRAVELERS. AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE THE BEST REVIEWS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE TRIP ACHIEVE HIGHER SCORES.
COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE
AS A PARTNER, WE ALSO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR AGENCIES IN CREATING AND SELLING TRIPS THAT MEET OUR TRAVELERS’ EXPECTATIONS.
01. Agencies Better Trips Index: Raising the Bar
BTI: VISION 2024
WE WOULD LIKE ONE-THIRD OF OUR AGENCIES TO BE LOCAL HEROES. THESE ARE THE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME OF OUR AGENCIES, THE HIGHESTRATED IN EACH CATEGORY. THEY WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED TO TRAVELERS TO GUIDE THEM IN THEIR CHOICES. THEIR COMMITMENT IS REWARDED: THEY WILL RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF OUR REQUESTS.
HIGHLIGHT LOCAL HEROES TO TRAVELERS, HELPING THEM TRANSPARENTLY CHOOSE THE AGENCY THAT BEST ALIGNS WITH THEIR VALUES AND DESIRES.
01. Agencies
A 360° Support
To help our agencies grow at all levels, we rely on our dedicated agency network development team. Here are some key figures and proud achievements of 2023:
ONLINE EVENTS ORGANIZED WITH NEARLY AGENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
E-TRAININGS AND GUIDELINES UPLOADED TO OUR LEARNING PLATFORM – INCLUDING A NEW GUIDE FOR CREATING THE BEST AND MOST RESPONSIBLE ITINERARIES.
AGENTS
LIVE WORKSHOPS
MEETINGS HELD IN JORDAN, THAILAND AND (VIRTUALLY) IN EGYPT BETWEEN OUR AGENCIES AND LOCAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXPERTS TO WORK ON DESTINATION-RELATED, RESPONSIBLE INNOVATIONS.
IN BANGKOK, MARRAKECH, AMMAN, PARIS, AND MORE WITH PARTNER AGENCIES AND TRAVEL WITHOUT PLASTIC, A LEADING EXPERT IN REDUCING PLASTIC IN TOURISM, JOINED THE LAUNCH OF THE EVANEOS PLASTIC FREE PROGRAM.
A 360° Support 01. Agencies
But also...
Partnerships with global tourism industry leaders (Travelife, Animondial, One Planet Network, Travel Without Plastic, etc.) to provide our agencies with the latest guidelines.
A dedicated program to help our agencies obtain sustainable development certification by providing financial and operational support.
The development of a custom payment platform for our agencies to protect their margins from exchange rate volatility, shielding them from this risk and helping them remain competitive. Thanks to this innovation, we will guarantee the exchange rate for over 100 million euros processed in twenty different currencies by 2024.
01. Agencies
Together, We Go Further
In 2023, thanks to our sustainability certification support program and our exclusive partnership with Travelife:
3% OF OUR AGENCIES HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION
9% OF OUR AGENCIES HAVE ACHIEVED THE FIRST LEVEL (E.G., TRAVELIFE PARTNER OR TOURCERT QUALIFIED)
46% OF OUR AGENCIES HAVE BEGUN THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, THE MAJORITY WITH TRAVELIFE
IS THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR NETWORK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE TO RECEIVE A SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION OR AT LEAST A FIRST-LEVEL QUALIFICATION.
Empowering Female-Owned Agencies
In 2021, we committed to having over 200 womenowned agencies by 2025. By the end of 2023, we have reached 50% of our goal!
The Figure to Remember
OVER 50 WOMEN-OWNED AGENCIES RECRUITED IN 2023, WITH 24% IN ASIA-PACIFIC AND 20% IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA – REGIONS WHERE GENDER INEQUALITIES ARE OFTEN MORE PREVALENT.
ASIA-PACIFIC
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
REST OF THE WORLD
01. Agencies
Satisfied or... Satisfied!
Our partnership is built on a foundation of continuous trust.
Through our account managers, agent support team, community and learning platform, newsletters, regular check-ins, and more, we are here to support our agencies every day.
IS THE AVERAGE SATISFACTION RATING FROM OUR AGENCIES REGARDING OUR PARTNERSHIP.
We calculate this score from a quarterly survey* and their regular feedback guides and shapes our engagement strategy.
*In 2022, this rating was 4.2/5.
VISION 2024
THERE ARE MANY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO HELP OUR NETWORK OF AGENCIES INCREASE THEIR POSITIVE IMPACT.
IN 2024
WE AIM TO FOCUS ON OUR SUPPLY CHAIN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OUR PARTNER AGENCIES HAVE ON DESTINATIONS (E.G., THEIR HIRING PRACTICES, OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES, ETC.)
ADDITIONALLY, WE AIM TO RAISE OUR AGENCY SATISFACTION SCORE TO
02. TRAVELERS
700,000. WOW. THAT’S THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS WE SURPASSED IN 2023. AND EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE IS THAT 92% OF THEM WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE. OUR SATISFACTION RATING WAS 4.5/5 IN 2023 (UP FROM 4.4/5 IN 2022, WITH A GOAL OF REACHING 4.6/5 IN 2024).
As a marketplace, our mission is to find the best agencies and offer the best trips to those who travel with them. But if we can also inspire them to travel differently, raise awareness, and provide all the tools for making the best (travel) choices... that’s even better.
Guided by Good Practices
At Evaneos, we love sharing best practices with our travelers. Since last summer, we’ve been sending out two guides before departure: one for packing more responsibly and one to share our Ethical Traveler’s guide.
VISION 2024
WE WANT TO UPGRADE FROM A GUIDE TO A CHARTER: OUR TRAVELER’S PLEDGE WILL NEED TO BE READ AND SIGNED BY EVERYONE TRAVELING WITH US. WE ALSO AIM TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR TRAVELERS TO CHOOSE BY HIGHLIGHTING CERTIFIED AGENCIES AND ITINERARIES WITH REDUCED CARBON FOOTPRINTS.
02. Travelers
Staying Inspired
Our trips are co-created with our travelers to fit each traveler’s wishes... But usually the co-creation process starts with an inspirational proposal on our website. So last year, we made great efforts to ensure these proposals from our local agencies align with our values.
We developed new itinerary guidelines for our agencies, encouraging them to promote… ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENCES
CULTURAL EXCHANGES
INDEPENDENT, SMALL-SCALE ACCOMMODATIONS
TOURISM FOCUSED ON ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Every itinerary on our site is carefully reviewed to ensure it qualifies as a “Better Trip”. Beyond the points above, we remove those that violate our standards (such as polluting activities or those disrespectful to animal welfare, city breaks, etc.). We are also offering more train journeys.
For those unsure of where to go, we offer recommendations based on the desired length of stay. We explain that it’s unreasonable to travel halfway around the world for a week and highlight destinations accessible without flying.
To avoid overcrowding, we no longer publish “top destinations” at the beginning of the year. Instead, we offer a quiz that provides personalized recommendations, mostly off the beaten path and close to their home.
Our social media and newsletters follow the same code of conduct. Tens of thousands of followers are encouraged to travel better: by train, by bike, away from the crowds, off-season…
02. Travelers
Room for Improvement
Here are our areas to work on:
IMPROVE THE ANALYSIS OF OUR SOLD ITINERARIES
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND TRACK THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF EACH TRIP.
PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO OUR TRAVELERS TO HELP THEM MAKE BETTER CHOICES: IS THE CHOSEN AGENCY CERTIFIED? IS THE ACCOMMODATION LABELED? WHEN IS THE BEST OFF-SEASON TIME TO VISIT EACH DESTINATION?
UTILIZE SUSTAINABILITY FEEDBACK: IN 2023, WE INCLUDED NEW SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED QUESTIONS IN OUR SATISFACTION SURVEYS TO MEASURE MORE CLOSELY HOW OUR TRAVELERS PERCEIVE THE SUSTAINABLE IMPACT OF OUR AGENCIES AND THEIR TRIPS. IN THE FUTURE, WE AIM TO BETTER CENTRALIZE AND USE THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION!
03. DESTINATIONS
THERE’S NO TOURISM WITHOUT DESTINATIONS. WHETHER TRAVELING TO DISCOVER NATURAL SITES OR CULTURAL PLACES, OUR JOURNEYS IMPACT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT. AND WE KNOW THAT THE IMPACT IS OFTEN NEGATIVE. SO, HOW CAN WE DO MORE WITH LESS?
Setting Our Course
As you read through this report, you’ll see our commitment to improving our impact everywhere. But in 2023, we decided to also develop a destination-based strategy, placing a special focus on certain key destinations.
Each destination has its own challenges: a hyperlocal approach to sustainable management makes more sense than a global strategy. Last year we started with three destinations: Egypt, Greece, and Jordan. We chose these locations because they attract many of our travelers and face issues like overtourism and high carbon intensity.
Simultaneously, we developed the first version of our Evaneos Destination Index. The criteria include, among others: climate risks, human rights, overtourism, and train accessibility.
03. Destinations
Setting Our Course
The key numbers
EVANEOS TEAM MEMBERS
COMPLETED A OVER 20 HOURS
LONG TRAINING BY THE GLOBAL
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM COUNCIL (GSTC) ON RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS.
SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP WAS ORGANIZED WITH 20 TOURISM PROFESSIONALS AND LOCAL
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXPERTS TO JOINTLY WORK ON MORE RESPONSIBLE SERVICES IN JORDAN.
VISION 2024
IMPROVE THE CALCULATION OF OUR EVANEOS DESTINATION INDEX.
PUBLISH AN OVERTOURISM INDEX DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING FIRM ROLAND BERGER.
EXPAND OUR DESTINATION-BASED APPROACH TO MORE DESTINATIONS AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER TOURISM INDUSTRY PLAYERS TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT STRATEGIC DESTINATIONS.
03. Destinations
Climate Action: Our Commitment
We know that the climate crisis is one of the major threats to not just destinations, but all of us. But how do we take action?
Evaneos signed the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism at COP 26 in 2021. This means we are committed to halving our emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.
In 2023, we published our climate action plan – explore it here –and will share updates of our progress annually.
The 5 pathways of our Climate Commitment:
MEASURE AND COMMUNICATE ALL OUR TOURISM-RELATED EMISSIONS.
DECARBONIZE OUR TRIPS WITH TARGETS ALIGNED WITH CURRENT CLIMATE SCIENCE.
REGENERATE
BY RESTORING AND PROTECTING ECOSYSTEMS, ENHANCING NATURE’S CARBON ABSORPTION CAPACITY, AND PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY, FOOD SECURITY, AND WATER SUPPLY.
COLLABORATE
BY SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT RISKS AND SOLUTIONS WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING OUR TRAVELERS AND COMPETITORS.
FINANCE
BY ENSURING SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITIES TO MEET OUR GOALS, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS AND REDUCTION MEASURES.
03. Destinations
Measure: Let’s Do the Math
The Idea? We aim to calculate all our emissions, including those from travelers during their itinerary at the destination, as well as international transport, even if it’s not sold through Evaneos.
We’re not required to do this, but ignoring these emissions would be dishonest.
After all, we all live on the same planet, right?
IS THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF OUR OPERATIONS: 0,4 %
> Energy usage in our (home) office
> Transportation (commutes and business travel)
> Purchases (all services and products)
> Waste
> Digital emissions (servers, digital campaigns...)
> Infrastructure
0,4 %
76,2 %
23,4 %
OF OUR EMISSIONS ARE RELATED TO THE TRIP ELEMENTS INSIDE THE DESTINATION:
> Domestic flights
> Ground transportation
> Accommodation
> Activities
> Meals
> Guides
76,2 %
OF OUR CARBON IMPACT COMES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT OF OUR TRAVELERS.
23,4 %
03. Destinations
Measure: Let’s Do the Math
OUR OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS BREAKDOWN:
We partnered with Sami, a carbon accounting and decarbonization tool, to measure and analyze this 0.4%. While this footprint is very
small, it remains our most direct impact and the area where we can—and must—exert the most influence to reduce it.
NB: All data in tons of CO2 equivalents (tCO2e) MEALS AND ACCOMMODATION 3
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION
1233
850
03. Destinations
Measure: Let’s Do the Math
Some of you might wonder why our footprint increased compared to 2022.
The reason is simple: we’re being much more meticulous! We now account for things like our digital marketing campaigns, the energy consumption of our colleagues working from home, or our food choices during office hours.
We’re aware that it’s not ideal to change the scopes of our measurement from one year to another, but for us, the most important thing is to be as accurate as possible so we can then work on reducing our footprint. Carbon accounting standards still have a long way to go, and so do we. But we are committed to continuously learning and communicating our progress transparently.
03. Destinations
Measure: Let’s Do the Math
FOCUS ON OUR TRAVEL-RELATED EMISSIONS.
In 2023, we partnered with ecollective, a consultancy specialized in measuring the carbon footprint of travel companies, to better understand the carbon footprint of the trips that are sold through our platform.
This was no small task, as tens of thousands of tailormade trips are sold each year through our hundreds of partner agencies. We ended up with a vast amount of data, months of analysis, and our first set of findings, but the road ahead is still long!
76,5 %
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT
11,1 % ACCOMMODATION
5,6 % ON-GROUND TRANSFERS
0,9 % DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
3,9 % GUIDES 0,6 % ACTIVITIES 1,5 % MEALS
03. Destinations
Measure:
Let’s
Do the Math
CARBON ACCOUNTING: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?
Data on our trips:
Each of our partner agencies creates custom trips. Precisely calculating the carbon footprint of activities on-site can feel like running an obstacle course. So sometimes, we’ve had to rely on estimates or averages.
Data on international transportation:
Here too, we had to make many assumptions because we don’t always know how our travelers choose to get to a destination. But we do know that for them to enjoy an Evaneos experience, they need to get there, and we believe it’s logical to take our share of responsibility.
To account for missing or inaccurate data, we’ve added a 15% margin of error. And we’re already working on improving our data quality and calculation methods for our future impact report. Pssst !
03. Destinations
Decarbonize: Steps Toward Reduction
Theory vs. practice: you know the drill.
We could focus solely on the footprint of our own operations, as many in our industry do.
BUT WE BELIEVE IT’S MORE IMPACTFUL (AND THE RIGHT THING TO DO) TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR TRAVELERS’ FOOTPRINT, EVEN IF IT’S NOT THE EASIEST PATH.
YOU CAN REFER TO CHAPTER 1: AGENCIES AND CHAPTER 2: TRAVELERS TO EXPLORE OUR SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER TRAVEL. AND IN 2023, WE ALSO BEGAN IMPORTANT WORK TO INTEGRATE OUR CARBON REDUCTION GOALS.
WITH THE HELP OF CARBONE4, A CONSULTANCY SPECIALIZING IN CLIMATE ACTION, WE STARTED DEVELOPING OUR LONG-TERM REDUCTION STRATEGY TO MEET OUR COMMITMENT TO THE GLASGOW DECLARATION FOR 2030.
For example?
WE STOPPED OFFERING “CITY BREAKS”
(trips of less than 5 days)
ARE EXPANDING OUR SHORTDISTANCE TRAVEL OPTIONS
AND ARE SEEKING PARTNERSHIPS TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE TRAIN TRAVEL
FOR THE REMAINING EMISSIONS FROM TRIPS BOOKED THROUGH OUR SITE THAT WE WEREN’T ABLE YET TO REDUCE, WE PURCHASE CERTIFIED CARBON CREDITS.
03. Destinations
Decarbonize: Steps Toward Reduction
HORIZON 2024
ON MANY ISSUES RELATED TO SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS, WE ARE STILL AT THE BEGINNING OF A LONG JOURNEY. IN OUR SIGHTS: REGENERATIVE TOURISM, CLIMATE JUSTICE IN TOURISM, AND SUPPORTING DESTINATIONS HIT BY DISASTERS... WITH PARTNERS LIKE PLANETERRA AND THE TRAVEL FOUNDATION, WE ARE EXPLORING THE BEST WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THESE TOPICS.
Pssst !
The 4th pathway of the Glasgow Declaration emphasizes collaboration. In this spirit, we are always looking for new allies and would love to support impactful projects. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to discuss this further!
04. Internal MATTERS
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT THE EVANEOS UNIVERSE WITHOUT MENTIONING ITS BEATING HEART: THE EVANEOSSIANS.
Our team turns vision into reality—if tourism is becoming a force of positive change, it’s thanks to the work done internally and an environment that allows everyone to learn, grow, and express themselves.
Our cultural identity is built on three pillars: AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS, A SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE, AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO IMPACT This is how we’re moving the needle.
04. Internal Matters Lifelong Learning
Continuous education fuels growth: more than 70% of our team engaged in training last year. And the focus in 2023 was on sustainability-related training:
OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND MANY TEAM MANAGERS COMPLETED A COURSE OF MORE THAN 10 HOURS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LINK BETWEEN THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY (WE RECOMMEND THE MOOC - ACCESSIBLE HERE - CREATED BY C3D AND POUR UN RÉVEIL ÉCOLOGIQUE!).
OF EVANEOSSIANS PARTICIPATED IN AN AWARENESS-RAISING ACTIVITY ON CSR TOPICS. SUCH AS THE : CLIMATE FRESK, THE MOOC, THE DIVERSITY FRESK, THE GSTC TRAINING OR A 2TONNES WORKSHOP.
ADDITIONALLY, EVERY NEW HIRE UNDERGOES A
4-DAY TRAINING ON NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION.
VISION 2024
TRAIN INTERNAL FACILITATORS FOR THE DIVERSITY FRESK, THE 2TONNES WORKSHOP, AND THE DIGITAL FRESK, TO MORE EASILY DEPLOY NEW CSR WORKSHOPS IN THE FUTURE. ENSURE THAT 100% OF EMPLOYEES COMPLETE THE MOOC ALREADY TAKEN BY OUR LEADERS.
04. Internal Matters
Collective Commitment
Small streams make big rivers. In the office and at our events, we have implemented the some changes last year:
Vegetarian Diet: Our company meals and after-work buffets are fully vegetarian, a choice that’s more respectful of the environment and animals. And the food is just as delicious.
Low-Carbon Seminar: For our annual seminar, we chose to stay in France, visiting a farm just outside of Paris by bus. (Spoiler: for our 15th anniversary, we took a bigger trip at the beginning of 2024 again while still keeping our carbon footprint low—naturally).
Extra time to travel slowly: Choosing the train over the plane takes time. When our team members opt for this option during their personal vacations, we support them with an extra day off.
VISION 2024
IN 2023, 8 DAYS WERE TAKEN OFF BY OUR STAFF TO TRAVEL MORE SLOWLY. BUT THIS NUMBER CAN BE HIGHER, SO WE WILL ENCOURAGE OUR TEAMS TO MAKE THIS CHOICE MORE OFTEN. AND IN 2024, WE ACHIEVED THE FEAT OF TRAVELING ACROSS EUROPE BY TRAIN WITH 150 PEOPLE, BUT WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN OUR NEXT REPORT!
04. Internal Matters
Committed to Community
We support each other internally... but not just that. Here are our initiatives to do good all around us:
Solidarity Month: It’s becoming an annual tradition—in June 2023, we once again organized a Solidarity Month where over 45 Evaneossians volunteered their time for various NGOs: The Red Cross in Paris’ 9th arrondissement, Social Builder, Surfrider, La Chorba, SPA, JRS Refugees, and more.
Extra time to care: To encourage our staff to support organizations close to their heart throughout the year, we offer an additional day off for volunteering.
WE AIM TO STRENGTHEN OUR LONG-STANDING PARTNERSHIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LOCAL RED CROSS BRANCH CLOSE TO OUR OFFICE. WE ALSO WANT TO BOOST EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION TO TAKE A DAY OFF FOR VOLUNTEERING —AN EXCELLENT WAY TO SUPPORT THE CAUSES THEY CARE ABOUT.
04. Internal Matters
What About (Mental) Health?
How do we ensure everyone feels well, heard, and confident? Here are the actions we’ve implemented: Need to Talk? A psychologist is available at the office once a month to offer up to two sessions (in-person or remote, and of course entirely confidential) to anyone interested.
Psychosocial Risk Training: After an in-depth evaluation of well-being in the company by a certified psychologist, we decided to beta-test a new training on psychosocial risk awareness. All team leaders will have completed it by 2025.
The (New) Voyagerie : We’ve finally completed a long renovation project of our offices in Paris. The plan included diversifying collaboration spaces for more creativity, connection, and comfort at work, using recycled decor, vintage furniture, and local artists. The space was already nice; now, it’s beautiful.
4.5-Day Workweek: Flexibility!
Work-life balance! Free time! The “4.5-day workweek” has been in place since last year. We can choose not to work on Friday morning or afternoon without taking leave. On average, each employee compressed their week into 4.5 days twice a month in 2023.
How’s It Going (Really)?
WE CONDUCT REGULAR INTERNAL SATISFACTION SURVEYS (ALWAYS ANONYMOUS!) ON VARIOUS WELL-BEING INDICATORS. THE OVERALL SCORE: 7.7 OUT OF 10 (DOWN 0.1 POINTS FROM LAST YEAR).
Planeterra
TO CHANGE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WE NEED ALLIES. IN 2023, WE MET PLANETERRA, AN NGO FOUNDED IN 2015 THAT AIMS TO MAKE TOURISM A POSITIVE FORCE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THEIR MISSION ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH OURS, MAKING THE PARTNERSHIP AN OBVIOUS CHOICE.
After signing, here’s how we’re moving forward:
THEIR EXTENSIVE FIELD EXPERIENCE CONVINCED US TO SUPPORT THEM. WE ARE ALLOCATING A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BETTER TRIPS FUND TO THEIR INITIATIVES.
OUR AGENCIES AND TRAVELERS BENEFIT FROM THEIR EXPERTISE. BEYOND THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS ARE MADE AT THE DESTINATION. IT’S A WIN-WIN.
Planeterra
But First… Let us introduce you Planeterra
In practical terms?
Planeterra champions the idea of fairer tourism that benefits local communities while offering travelers better experiences.
The NGO helps these communities leverage tourism and its economic benefits to improve local lives, protect their environment, and celebrate their culture. In short, a virtuous circle.
It could be a cooking class in Bali at a cultural center run by women, with the proceeds funding access to education in the region.
IN THE LONG TERM, THERE WILL SOON BE DOZENS OF SUCH INITIATIVES WORLDWIDE FOR OUR TRAVELERS TO DISCOVER. EVANEOS HAS INVESTED AN INITIAL
FOR PLANETERRA TO EXPAND ITS NETWORK GLOBALLY. AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
To learn more… you’ll have to wait for our 2024 impact report when the project kicks off.
Planeterra
Pilot Projects
In Peru
Welcome to the Chinchero region. Here, travelers can learn to weave or cook local recipes from women of indigenous communities. Skills, memories, and sisterhood.
In Madagascar
In Antananarivo, the art of raffia empowers women. This traditional technique is used to create unique and ethical items, and sharing their craftmanship is directly benefiting women in need, ensuring their financial independence.
In Bali
A visit to Payangan. This community center builds cultural bridges: you can learn yoga, gardening, and local crafts. The proceeds fund education and nutrition programs for local children.
Final WORD
Thanks for journeying with us through this report!
To conclude? We still (and always will) have a lot of work ahead.
In 2024, we’ll focus on: PREPARING FOR CSRD OUR B CORP RECERTIFICATION . OUR (AMBITIOUS) 2030 DECARBONIZATION PLAN.
WE’RE ALSO WORKING ON HIGHLIGHTING THE BEST AGENCIES ON OUR WEBSITE TO PROMOTE THEIR EFFORTS. But shhh… you’ll read all about it in our next impact report in a year.
The Better Trips Fund
Established
July 2021 Objective
Support projects that reduce the negative impacts of tourism and initiatives that promote a positive transformation of the industry.
Funding
A percentage of each trip sold is allocated. This amounts to over 2% of our annual revenue.
Scope of Action
In the past, we have supported various projects like reforestation, waste collection, carbon offset initiatives, and supporting our partners on their journey to sustainability certifications.
In 2024, we aim to restructure the Better Trips Fund to make project selection, prioritization, and communication easier.
Significant
In 2023, the fund received €692,382.
Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Our mission is to use tourism as a force for good, and as a B Corp, we are committed to ensuring that we’re doing good for all our stakeholders, not just a select few.
We believe that meaningful stakeholder engagement is integral to our sustainability strategy. Engaging with and learning from our stakeholders allows us to understand their perspectives, address their concerns, and collaborate on achieving our sustainability goals.
As a global company with international travelers and agency partners in around 170 destinations worldwide, we interact with a vast range of stakeholders every single day.
In the following, we provide a summary of our multi-stakeholder model and how we aim to deliver value to all stakeholders through open dialogue and collaboration, fostering mutual understanding and progress.
Travelers
Our mission to offer “Better Trips” also entails “better trips for travelers”: focusing on high-quality and authentic experiences, human connection, and exceptional service. This is what we work on every day. And to achieve this, it is crucial for us to maintain a close exchange with our traveler community, understanding their wishes, needs, and points of critique.
We engage with our travelers through various channels. Most importantly, we send satisfaction surveys before and after a trip to all travelers. The results of these surveys are constantly measured, analyzed, and automatically forwarded to our agency partners to help them and us improve our services. They are also considered in our internal “Better Trips Index”, which influences how our partners are featured on our website. Of the over 700,000 travelers who have traveled with us so far, 92% were satisfied with their trip, and in 2023, the average rating of a trip was 4.5 out of 5 stars (compared to 4.4 out of 5 in 2022).
Additionally, our teams can be reached via phone, email, various social media platforms, and execute punctual proactive outbound calls to selected travelers, creating open channels of dialogue. We also use focus groups, user tests, and interviews
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with our customer base to ensure that our product matches their expectations and needs. Through these efforts, we continuously strive to enhance the travel experiences we offer.
Agency partners
At Evaneos, we refer to the local agencies that work with us as our “partners,” not “suppliers.” This reflects the true nature of our relationship: a partnership rather than a unilateral, transactional one. We are in constant contact with our network of over 600 agency partners, aiming to support them as best as possible and in ways that cater to their individual needs.
To facilitate this, we have several dedicated contact points: dedicated account development managers and an agent care team provide personalized support, while our digital community platform, “Community Campus” allows the entire community to exchange ideas and learn from one another. Additionally, we offer webinars, (e)trainings, and academies around the world, and send regular newsletters to keep the community informed about important news and updates.
To best include our agency partners’ perspectives, we have formed Local Agency Committees with representatives from the community. We meet with these committees approximately every two months to discuss challenges or strategic projects, incorporating their feedback and ideas into our decision-making process.
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We also work with focus groups on specific topics, such as supporting the sustainability development of the agency network. And an automated feedback loop allows partners to continuously share feedback and ideas regarding our technical solutions with our teams.
To ensure we are successful in our efforts to be a supportive partner and create a community of like-minded, committed travel experts, we monitor the satisfaction of our agency partners three times a year through anonymous surveys sent to the entire network. In 2023, the average satisfaction of our agencies was 4.35 out of 5, an improvement from 4.1 out of 5 in 2022.
Destinations
Tourism has a significant impact on destinations, affecting their local environment, population, culture, and economy. Our mission is to make these impact as positive as possible, and limit the negative consequences. Therefore, we actively engage with tourism destinations around the world as key stakeholders.
Our most direct connection to the over 170 destinations, which we send travelers to, are our local agency partners. These agencies, being local-based, are direct representatives of their destinations and cultures. They are committed to protecting and supporting their local cultures and environments.
Beyond our agencies, we are also in contact with various tourism boards, local sustainable tourism experts, and increasingly, governmental institutions within these destinations. Additionally, our partnership with Planeterra, an NGO that envisions a world where people create their own economic opportunities, places are protected, and cultures are celebrated through travel, provides another direct link to local communities. We also collaborate with industry partners such as The Travel Foundation, Travelife, or Animondial, who often have direct connections to or expert knowledge of destinations.
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The outcome of all these exchanges is the realization that every destination is unique, faces different challenges, and has different needs. A strong exchange and hyper-local approach are essential to finding the best solutions for each destination. For example, in 2023, we invited multiple tour operators and sustainable tourism experts from Jordan to meet with our sustainability staff and co-create solutions for the sustainable development challenges they face in their region.
Employees
Evaneos is made up of a multinational team of over 160 Evaneossians working from five European countries. They bring our vision of “Better Trips” to life, and we are committed to providing them the best environment to work, learn, and grow.
To ensure we succeed in this commitment, we have established multiple processes for continuous and honest feedback between the company and its employees. We implement a 360 HR cycle with three key moments throughout the year, allowing both staff and team leaders to reflect on and communicate about challenges, successes, expectations, and needs. In our monthly team meetings, we include an anonymous Q&A section where any kind of question can be addressed anonymously to the management and receive a public response. This safe, anonymous method often leads to more honest and authentic exchanges. Additionally, we send short anonymous surveys to all employees every two weeks to check in on their satisfaction across various engagement and well-being categories. In 2023, the overall satisfaction of Evaneos employees was 7.7 out of 10.
Lastly, we maintain strong links with employee representatives to ensure the diverse perspectives and needs of all employees are heard and considered. Our “staff representatives” consists
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of 12 employees representing various communities, genders, nationalities, and profiles. They are informed about all important information and consulted before any strategic decisions are made. In 2023, we also formed a “Youth Council” to ensure that the voices of younger employees are heard, particularly regarding their expectations for their work environment and culture.
NGOs and international organizations
We work with outstanding NGOs in Europe and abroad that share our vision of creating a more sustainable future. Many of these organizations are supported through our Better Trips Fund, to which we invest a portion of every trip, amounting to over 2% of our revenue.
Our key NGO partner is Planeterra, an organization that helps local organizations and communities use tourism as a catalyst to improve people’s lives, protect their natural environments, and celebrate their culture. Rather than merely providing financial support to Planeterra, we have developed a strong collaborative partnership, leveraging synergies between our two missions. As a sign of mutual trust and commitment, our CEO joined their board as a supervisor.
Additionally, we collaborate with NGOs such as ANIMONDIAL, The Travel Foundation, or Travel Without Plastic on joint missions to enhance the positive impact travel can have globally. We are also an active member of the UN Global Compact network in France, which encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies based on ten universal principles covering human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Moreover, we maintain links with UN Tourism and
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the UN One Planet network, ensuring our alignment with global sustainability standards and initiatives.
Tourism industry
Trying to change an entire industry can’t be done alone, and we believe there should be no competition when it comes to sustainable development. This is why we actively seek out exchanges and collaboration with industry partners, competitors, and trade associations.
For example, we are active members of various tourism and travel associations across Europe, such as ATTA and VIR, among others. Participating in their events and engaging with a network of diverse tourism actors is a key way for us to connect with the broader industry and work on joint challenges.
Evaneos is a launch signatory of the United Nations Glasgow Declaration, a joint call from the industry for more climate action in tourism. We publicly communicate about our commitments and invite other tourism actors to join us. We have published our Climate Action Plan to share our strategies with the industry and actively exchange learnings with other signatories. Similarly, we are part of the UN Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, collaborating with the United Nations One Planet Network to engage our agency partners in reducing plastic waste in tourism.
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Additionally, we maintain links with direct and indirect competitors to collaborate on research projects and advance our sustainability goals and actions.
Evaneos also serves as a mentor in Travel Tech France, supporting innovative startups in the tourism industry to succeed and promoting sustain
Governments and policy makers
We believe in the responsibility of companies to engage with governments and policymakers around the world to create a more sustainable economy, inclusive society, and healthier planet.
As a certified B Corp company, we are part of a global network of companies working to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. This network leads economic systems change to support our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Our policy work pushes for meaningful legal change around corporate accountability and social impact.
Similarly, we are part of the Mouvement Impact France, a network of entrepreneurs and economic actors committed to integrating social and ecological impact into their business models. This movement seeks to create a fairer, more united, and sustainable society by fostering businesses that prioritize social and ecological impact. It also advocates for changes in French and European laws to support these goals.
Our management maintains relationships with both the French and European governments, engaging in policy advocacy to influence legislation and regulations that affect the tourism and tech start-up
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industry. This engagement has been particularly important during the challenging period of the pandemic, when the tourism industry faced an ever-changing context. By engaging with policymakers, we aim to ensure that the industry’s recovery aligns with sustainable and inclusive growth principles.
Civil society
Whether through public debates, speaker panels at conferences and festivals, advertisement campaigns, or TV interviews, we actively share our vision and mission with the broad public and engage in discussions about responsible travel.
To better understand the needs and expectations of the public regarding more sustainable travel, we regularly conduct public surveys. For example, we conducted a large-scale survey in multiple European countries to gauge travelers’ interest in traveling longer but less often, or during the low season. The results highlighted the responsibility of employers and governments to develop models that support more sustainable tourism practices. By engaging with civil society in these ways, we aim to foster a broader cultural shift towards more sustainable travel.
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Shareholders
We value honest and transparent communication with our board members, maintaining direct contact through regular meetings and calls to discuss all aspects of business performance, trends, and strategic plans.
The board is regularly informed about and supportive of our CSR strategy, which includes initiatives such as prioritizing Better Trips, becoming a B Corp and officially incorporating the notion in our bylaws that we aim to bring value to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. More recently, our ambitious decarbonization strategy has also received their backing.
We provide dedicated ESG reporting to our investors annually, ensuring they are fully informed about our environmental, social, and governance efforts. Our commitment to sustainability has been recognized, as we have been included as a case study in several of their own reports. This ongoing dialogue and transparency help us align our business practices with the expectations and values of our investors.
Thank you for reading the very last lines of this report. Mic drop, and see you next year!
