Sustainability Policy

Buenos Aires, August 1, 2022

Sustainability Policy

As part of a Triple Impact Management approach, MATER Sustentable embraces a philosophy that combines solutions to social and environmental challenges with economic value creation.

We contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 1: No Poverty
 We promote local development through a management philosophy focused on designing and marketing sustainable travel experiences. This effort is also linked to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.

SDG 4: Quality Education
 Our participation in academia is key to establishing sustainability as a management model in tourism. We offer lectures, workshops, and consulting services to both the private and public sectors.  Examples include: Training workshop for the Municipality of Tigre. Awareness, training, and design of sustainable tourism routes for local tourism providers and public management representatives in Aluminé, Las Lajas, and Zapala (Neuquén province). Collaboration with the Argentine Network of Community Rural Tourism (RATURC), the NOA Sustainable Tourism Network, the La Pampa Tourism Secretariat, and universities such as UNLa, UADE, Comahue University and TurTech Academy.  For more details, visit:  https://grupo.matersustentable.com.ar/category/informacion-general/

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
 We implement traveler communication strategies focused on sustainability, such as our participation in BIOFERIA 2018, 2019, and 2020. Additionally, we collaborate with strategic partners who adopt sustainable practices, including eco-certified hotels, and we contribute to the Argentine Network of Smart Tourism Destinations.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • We work alongside experts from various fields to promote sustainable tourism, offering authentic travel experiences, supporting local communities, fostering cultural exchange, and protecting the environment through a sustainability-driven approach.

  • Certified by Travelife in 2014, MATER Sustentable has demonstrated compliance with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s strict standards while contributing to seven of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

  • Since 2014, we have partnered with Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina (WWF member) on reforestation projects in Chubut and Misiones. Additionally, we purchase green bonds every month to offset the CO2 footprint generated by our trips, making a key contribution to sustainable tourism.
  • Recognized in 2017 for two years under the Environmental Management Guidelines Program, promoted by the General Directorate of Tourism Promotion through Argentina’s National Ministry of Tourism.
  • Certified since February 2021 by Biosphere standards for fostering business sustainability in the region.
  • Certified since August 2021 as a B Corporation (B Corp), which recognizes social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
  • We actively collaborate with NGOs, institutions, social groups, and community tourism programs, ensuring that we continue to promote the values embedded in our identity.
  • We work with tourism providers who adhere to international ethics and fair-trade standards. We prioritize businesses, accommodations, and services committed to minimizing environmental impact, applying social economy policies, and preserving local cultural traditions.
  • We promote sustainable and regenerative tourism management, considering the three pillars of sustainability—society, economy, and environment—while incorporating a fourth key axis: public policy.
  • Our social commitment is to work with rural, peasant, and Indigenous communities across Argentina and Latin America. We offer accommodations in local family homes, fostering authentic exchanges with community members.
  • From an economic perspective, we provide resources, tools, and knowledge to support the self-development of rural, peasant, and Indigenous communities. In addition to visiting local businesses and contributing to the economy, MATER Sustentable actively supports the commercial empowerment of these communities through training and technical assistance.
  • In community-based rural and Indigenous tourism programs, the economic benefits for each participating family come with additional positive impacts: the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, the revitalization of local traditions and identity, and new employment opportunities for younger generations. This reduces rural-to-urban migration, allowing them to stay on their ancestral lands with a promising future through sustainable tourism.

 

  • Our environmental commitment is primarily focused on reducing tourism’s carbon footprint. That’s why we encourage travelers to download the “Carbono Cero” mobile app, which helps them track their CO₂ emissions from flights, ground transportation, and electricity use. We also provide multiple options to offset their impact.

  • We prioritize local operators that actively reduce their carbon footprint. We choose eco-friendly activities and promote educational excursions that raise awareness about environmental conservation. Our tours visit natural parks and reserves, fostering appreciation for the planet.

  • At each destination, we select accommodations with active sustainability policies. If they lack these policies, we work collaboratively to implement them. These accommodations commit to waste management, reducing environmental impact, preserving natural surroundings, and engaging in CSR initiatives. Examples include tree-planting programs in Moconá and contributions to the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, ensuring a sustainable future for both the environment and local communities.

  • In our office, we implement sustainable practices such as energy-saving measures (natural light throughout the workday, air conditioning set at 24°C), waste recycling and reduction, paperless operations, encouraging public transport or cycling, and responsible water and energy use.

We believe in aligning our actions with the experiences we promote. Therefore, we are committed to the continuous improvement of our sustainability policies, which are documented and communicated to our organization, clients, suppliers, and the public. These policies will be periodically reviewed and updated.

 

This statement corresponds to the update of previous versions (2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020).