KNMtravel and sustainability

KNMtravel sustainability policy

Our first and foremost policy is to raise awareness, engage in sustainable practice, and eventually work closely with sustainable suppliers across different sectors of the industry. Specific policies regarding key themes are as follows: 

Internal social management update for 2024-2025:
- An increase in full-time employees (22 compared to 21). All receive formal written contract detailing responsibilities/tasks, rights-including holidays, wages, working hours, and the freedom to terminate contracts.
- All employees receive minimum wage required by law or above, depending on the scope and content of work.
- Offer overtime compensation and medical insurance that meet the requirements by law.
- Regular company meetings are held every week where issues with work are discussed, key exchanges including operational issues with suppliers, client feedback (positive or negative), as well as general updates of the industry.
- Yearly general review of the work is in place as a self-reflection tool. While satisfaction survey form provides an opportunity for employees to express their comments, complaints, concerns, and satisfactions about the company during the year end interview with superiors.
- Ensure a safe working environment where first aid boxes are stationed, and fire extinguishers are checked regularly. Yearly training on fire safety for all staff is practiced according to the law; the latest one was in July 2025.
- Practice equal opportunities in terms of hiring (students, disabled persons, ages, nationalities, or religions) and in terms of access to available resources (incentives, trainings) depending on the scope of work.
- Staff are encouraged to take part in field inspection during the off season in neighboring countries.

Internal environment:
- Switch-off policy during off work hours on all equipment /lighting in both Ljubljana and Novo mesto offices. All printers and laptops are automatically set to sleep mode if not used for a while. In Ljubljana office, air-conditioning and lighting are off automatically when no staff is in the office. In Novo mesto office “switch-off” reminder is added to light switches and air-conditioning.
- Reduce energy also through smart use of internal communication via-less attachments, short and concise content, or circulating information through shared platforms e.g. team or Viva-Engage etc.
- When renting or buying office equipment, priority is given to those with efficiency mode/function.
- Maintain 99% digitalization for promotional materials.
- Bulk buying to reduce packaging in terms of souvenirs and order also locally produced products.
- Recycle paper by doing duplex copy or using the blank side for other purposes.
- Recycle waste by properly separating it according to government guidelines. 90% of the employees bring their own lunch on average 3 times per week, with a slight increase from last year.  This helps to reduce the waste of food packaging.
- Food waste in the office is reduced by promoting “eat what you bring” and taking “the left-over home.”
- One-time plastic use is reduced by at least 50% in the office by providing kitchenware and cutlery for common use.  When food delivery or take away is ordered, food eco-friendly packaging should be considered.
- Occasional car sharing in practice in both offices among colleagues while some are using bus, bike and train to commute. Remote working from home is applied for those who live farther away.  As of 2025, company cars are either hybrid or electric.
- Source local souvenirs as the gifts to our partners when attending travel fairs

Supply chains:
- Continue to use coaches as the main means of transport for groups and if possible, with low emissions.
- Provide partial public transfer (e.g. bus, train, ferry/catamaran) as an option when giving suggestions to individual guests.
- Develop sustainable packages that elaborate locally oriented elements, by prioritizing local suppliers from the tourism field-nature, culture, gourmet, or accommodations, guides, artists etc.
- Sustainable accommodation continues to extend in wider Balkan regions.
- Work with accommodation units that follow legal framework and refuse child and compulsory labor and communicate it to all audiences via our website.

Destinations:
- Wherever possible, select attractions that are of natural, cultural, and historical significance.
- Avoid mass tourist destinations or provide alternative suggestions that take sustainability into consideration.
- Take the initiative in working with partners at the national/local levels to increase awareness of sustainable tourism development.
- Provide proper information concerning souvenirs to guests and avoid promoting those that are made of endangered species (flora and fauna list from CITES), or those recommendations given by the EU.

Customer relations:
- Communicate a clear message-no over promise/no hidden prices.
- Protect personal privacy through all processes of communication and respect to the GDPR policy.
- Provide information on code of conduct & personal health & safety on chosen destinations.
- Give alternative suggestions whenever available concerning the accommodation, local transport, and restaurants etc.
- Work with certified and skilled local guides/escorts and provide relevant info, particularly in the nature/culture sensitive area.
- Customers/local guides are well-informed of the emergency contacts and that our person in charge/other staff in the office follow guidelines and deal with emergencies in a timely manner.
- Monitor and measure clients’ satisfaction and complaints through our established procedures and adjust products and services if necessary.
- Communicating with suppliers/local guides to receive positive/negative comments and different points of view.

KNMtravel key sustainability results

Within KNMtravel: 
- Up to June 2025, KNMtravel is consisted of a total of 8 different nationalities-Slovenian, Croatian, Lithuania, Indonesian, Japanese, Taiwanese, Peruvian and Mexican.
- Two students started working with us from November 2024 while one of them became full employed in May 2025.
- KNMtravel is awarded another 2 years of Travelife partner official from Mar 2024. We continue to implement key elements “Reduce, recycle, reuse” in our office environment. Recycle bin-paper, plastic, packaging are set up in both offices while we have changed all toiletry with eco-label products.
- One of our colleagues received the diploma of Planet Positive Event in November 2024. Novo Mesto is recognized as a Green destination via Slovenian Tourist Board in February 2025. KNMtravel cooperates closely with Zavod Novo Mesto to promote local featured experiences with local suppliers. 2025 projects were focused on revitalizing the Rudolf Raft, through various activities connecting the local artists, and the gastronomy providers.
- Team/Calendar Microsoft is becoming a key tool for internal communication, especially on shorter message/content/appointment/meetings, which helps to reduce email correspondence of at least 30%.
- KNMtravel continues to implement a working-from-home policy where each employee is entitled to 3 to 4 days per month with prior notice, which further supports our sustainability goal. 
- A new operation/reservation system was officially launched mid 2024. It aimed to facilitate the working process and reduce work redundancies. Full implementation of the system on offers and services is planned till mid 2026.
- Mobility-Increase of public transport commuting or shared transfer. In 2025, two of the new colleagues joined the initiative-2 with bike, 1 train and bus, while company cars are now either 100% electrical or hybrid.  

Others: 
- In 2024/2025, we took part in:
B lab B summit gathering project and supplier sustainability survey with our USA partner. Few community events were organized on the Rudolf raft-Women's day celebration & Summer Gin part, December celebration (Chef table, Winter Gin).
- Coaches remain the main mode of travel for groups, with emphasis on low emission bus in certain markets.  For FIT guests, at least 50% of the trip materialization including the use of public transfer (bus, train and boat).
- One of our key local transfer providers is certified as “Responsible Travel Standard” by Slovenian tourist board.  In 2025, an electric fleet offer is officially launched, though the infrastructure is yet to be upgraded.
- New Croatia bus supplier assisting with daily excursion in the Zadar region is also a Travelife member.
- Updated contract with several hotels is now including clauses of no child/force labor/no human traffic.
- Small increase of special interest group in 2025, mainly the Australia, USA market, with focus on local gourmet and wine in Slovenia, Croatia.
- There is also an increased interest in train travel in Europe. For FIT sector, request for train ride connecting major European cities (within Austria, Czech, Hungary, Germany or interconnecting) has slighted increased, approximately 10% compared to 2024). For the group sector, we also started in 2025, assisting two tailor-made train expedition groups in September & October. In 2026, regular cooperation with train expedition providers is in place. 

 

Background

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