QUEST's Responsible Travel Policy consists of elements of environmental, ethical, and within these economic, responsibility. We aim to educate everyone involved with QUEST to provide practical guidance where possible and set realistic goals for us all to work towards.

Environmental Policy

QUEST provides a positive environmental impact by:

• Educating and informing all team members on our Expeditions about the global and local environment through training, briefing and experiencing. Encouraging responsible behaviour on all of our Expeditions and beyond. Providing specially designed workshops and seminars run by experts on all aspects of sustainable tourism for all participants. All participants receive an Aid-Memoire to reinforce everything learned on the course;
• Minimising environmental impacts by having 'Climate Neutral Operations' and requesting all of our team members to offset their flights through ‘Climate Care’;
• Minimising environmental impacts by the responsible use of resources, especially water, adopting a zero-litter policy, promoting the use of environmentally friendly products and managing waste in an appropriate manner;
• Constantly updating and monitoring our projects to adhere to high environmental standards. Running overseas projects that are ‘Carbon Footprint Approved’;
• Running projects that actively improve the environment and include providing education to local communities about the conservation and sustainable use of resources;
• Training and briefing all UK and overseas staff on the company Environmental Policy and how to adopt best practice. Ensuring staff produce a Responsible Tourism Report at the end of each Expedition;
• Ensuring suppliers and Project Partners are fully aware of our Environmental Policy and that they adhere to it where possible;
• Staying abreast of latest international standards, policies and regulations;
• Ensuring all of our new projects are researched fully, taking all local environmental considerations into account. Planning always takes into account making a positive impact on local environments;
• Ensuring that there is a system to respond to and act on any complaints and suggestions made by team members with regards to environmental practice. Providing a feedback form with specific sections on Responsible Tourism;
• Ensure that type and scale of any impact is appropriate to local conditions. All groups limited to an appropriate number for that Expedition, e.g. 16 for a Combined Expedition, 10 for an Escape Expedition;
• Assigning a dedicated Environmental Co-ordinator to maintain and improve UK operations with regards to recycling, sustainable energy usage (through strategic and operational guidelines suggested by the Carbon Trust), and waste minimisation. For more on this please see our dedicated UK Office Environmental Policy. 

Ethical Policy

QUEST provides a positive local impact by:

• Educating our team members before and during Expeditions regarding Responsible Tourism and Cultural Awareness as well as country specific information. Encouraging responsible behaviour on our Expeditions and beyond. Workshops and seminars are run by experts on a variety of topics for all participants. Aid Memoires are provided to all to reinforce sustainable tourism practices;
• Ensuring that there is a system to respond to and act on any complaints and suggestions made by team members with regards to ethical practice through post Expedition questionnaires with a dedicated Responsible Tourism section;
• Language training is provided on all trips, ranging from short briefings to 3 week courses, as a means to help team members adapt to and provide an insight into the local language and culture;
• Going local. Buying foods locally, supporting local businesses and employing a local workforce for all skilled in-country labour. Visiting and working with locally run social projects. Buying local or Fair Trade for the UK Office;
• Using local operators and where this is not possible using contacts that operate responsibly utilising a local workforce;
• Paying a fair price everywhere that we go;
• Training and briefing all UK and overseas staff on company Ethical Policy. Ensuring staff produce a Responsible Tourism Report at the end of each Expedition;
• Ensuring suppliers and Project Partners are fully aware of our Ethical Policy and that they adhere to it where possible;
• Staying abreast of latest international standards, policies and movements through organisations such as Tourism Concern. Being members of The Travel Foundation Forum and keeping up regular contact with organisations such as Ethical Volunteering , Global Sense and Tourism Concern to ensure this;
• Distributing and actively supporting the Ethical Volunteering Guide produced by Dr Kate Simpson;
• Ensuring that our projects are financially supported year round and not just when Quest Overseas teams are present. Money is not only provided by volunteers, but also through fundraising events. Funding goes directly to the project and to those who need it;
• Ensuring all of our new projects are researched fully taking local economic and cultural considerations into account. Ensuring that the type and scale of impact is appropriate to local conditions;
• All groups limited to an appropriate number for that Expedition, e.g. 16 for a Combined Expedition, 10 for an Escape Expedition.

UK Office Environmental Policy

Following an internal office audit by our Environmental Co-ordinator all office staff are aware of and adhere to our office policy. Regular internal assessment and updates from organisations like the Carbon Trust act to monitor the policy. All UK energy use is assessed and all carbon produced is offset through Climate Care.

• Electricity
    Sourced from a green supplier
• Heating 
    Switch off heating in summer, at weekends and holidays 
    Open patio doors/windows if too hot
    Blinds in place to shade office when hot
    Carbon Trust thermometer in office to monitor temperature
• Lighting
    Switch off all lights when areas not in use
    Only use lights when required
    Green light bulbs to replace all old bulbs where possible
• Electronic Equipment 
    Switch off machines when not in use 
    Use standby and energy save modes when not feasible to switch off
• Consumables 
    Downloable brochure
    Always use paper on both sides
    Use double sided printing and copying when feasible
    Only make copies when necessary
    File on computers where possible
    Reuse scrap paper, e.g. to make scrap paper pads and for informal printing
    Buy recycled
    Re-use files, ring binders and folders etc 
    Share items in occasional use (staplers, hole-punches etc)
    Don’t use anything disposable where possible
• Re-use and Recycle
    All paper, cans, tins and plastic recycled
    Recycling bins placed around office for easy access
    Avoid packaged products
    Ecover products used for all cleaning products
    Recycled toilet paper only
    All correspondence sent out of the office is printed on recycled paper
    Avoid disposable products
    Buy goods with a recycled content or reconditioned parts
    All old clothes, computer materials etc given to charity to re-use
• Office Equipment Purchases
    All purchases to be verified by Environmental Co-ordinator 
• Limit the Impact of UK travel
    Use electronic mail as opposed to post where possible
    Couriers not used
    No company cars
    Car share in practice
    Space to store bicycles for cyclists
    Buy local
    Plant trees in local area to 'Carbon Offset' local travel