Sustainability Policy

Our Company

Novaway Ltd. (est. 2014) is a Bangkok‑based destination management company (DMC) specializing in incentive travel, meetings and seminars, bespoke events and tailor‑made tours across Thailand. Serving predominantly French‑speaking markets, Novaway combines more than 25 years of travel experience with creativity, flexibility and consistent service to deliver unique programmes that exceed expectations at a fair price.

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Our Mission

As a human‑sized company with European and Asian heritage, Novaway’s mission is to guide and support clients in their projects, designing programmes that leave a unique mark on important events while fostering connections between participants and rewarding loyal customers. Our core values are clients first, passion for work, creativity, consistent service and efficiency.

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Our Commitment: The ATTA‑Travelife Standard

Novaway has joined the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and Travelife in a joint commitment to develop a more sustainable Thai travel sector. We have joined the ATTA‑Travelife working group with the mission to reach Travelife Partner Level status. This sustainability policy is our road map to achieve that standard. It covers all aspects of the ATTA‑Travelife standard and the ten core themes below.

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Our Sustainability Policy

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1. Sustainability Management & Legal Compliance

• Appoint a sustainability coordinator: We appoint a responsible staff member as our Sustainability Coordinator (currently Bruno Bourdin) to drive all sustainability initiatives.

• Mission and policy: Maintain a sustainability mission statement and written sustainability policy to reduce the negative impacts of our operations.

• Communication: Communicate our policies to staff, customers, partners and suppliers.

• Assessment: Use the ATTA‑Travelife online platform to conduct a baseline assessment of our performance across all areas of the standard.

• Supplier improvement: Systematically improve the sustainability performance of our key suppliers.

• Action plan: Develop a sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, responsibilities and time planning, with documented procedures to monitor and evaluate implementation.

• Staff awareness: Ensure our staff are aware of this Sustainability Policy and taking action.

• Reporting: Communicate and report the progress of our sustainability policy and actions.

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2. Internal Management: Social Policy & Human Rights

• Fair working conditions: Pay staff at or above the minimum wage and provide paid holidays, maternity and sick leave.

• Health & safety: Maintain a health and safety policy for employees that complies with national legal standards.

• Non‑discrimination: Prohibit discrimination in employment conditions on the grounds of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

• Child labour: Obey national laws concerning the employment of young people and prohibit child labour.

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3. Internal Management: Environment & Community Relations

• Procurement:

  • Reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods.

  • Favour purchasing sustainable goods and services, including office supplies and catering.

  • Purchase products in bulk to reduce packaging.

  • Measure and reduce paper use; purchase recycled or sustainably sourced paper and set printers to double‑sided by default.

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• Energy:

  • Measure and reduce electricity consumption.

  • Prefer low‑energy equipment when purchasing new items.

  • Switch off lights, air conditioning and electrical equipment when not in use and use automatic switches and timers where possible.

  • Set equipment to energy‑saving mode by default.

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• Water:

  • Measure and reduce water consumption, with reuse where possible.

  • Comply with national wastewater treatment laws.

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• Waste:

  • Comply with national waste disposal laws, ensuring residual waste disposal has no negative impacts on local populations or the environment.

  • Pilot a solid‑waste reduction and recycling policy with quantitative goals.

  • Take action to reduce single‑use plastics in our operations, with a core focus on reducing plastic water bottles.

  • Separate recyclable materials, including batteries, and ensure proper collection and disposal.

  • Ensure company vehicles are well maintained, comply with legal emission standards and are checked regularly to reduce emissions and energy use.

• Training: Provide all staff (including field staff) with information, guidance and periodic training about their roles and responsibilities related to environmental practices.

• Legal compliance: Comply with land use laws and regulations for company infrastructure.

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4. Partner Agency

• Inform key partners about our Sustainability Policy and expect them to comply with the policy and communicate it to final customers where relevant.

• Motivate incoming and inbound partners to participate in sustainability trainings for travel companies.

• Create an inventory of our key partner agencies.

• List the sustainability practices of partner accommodations and agents.

• Make concrete efforts to choose partners which benefit people and the planet.

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5. Transport

• Select the most sustainable transport options considering type of excursion, group size, price and comfort when selecting transport to destinations.

• Ensure regular servicing of all vehicles used for our tours by requiring our transport suppliers to maintain their vehicles to high safety and efficiency standards.

• Train drivers in sustainable driving techniques and monitor their practice.

• Minimise vehicle idling and use air conditioning economically.

• When working with external transport suppliers:

  • Ensure they follow a policy to select the most sustainable transport options.

  • Provide drivers with a code of conduct and guidance for sustainable driving techniques.

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6. Accommodations

• Clearly communicate our sustainability objectives and requirements to hotels and other accommodations.

• Select hotels that comply with sustainability and quality standards and can demonstrate benefits for people and the environment.

• Select hotels that guarantee the welfare of their staff and guard against the exploitation of children.

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7. Excursions & Activities

• Develop a policy and goals to improve the sustainability of our excursions and communicate this to contracted excursion providers.

• Ensure all excursions offered comply with local laws regarding environmental, wildlife and cultural protection.

• Provide clients with a list of Dos and Don’ts to encourage responsible behaviour.

• Train guides to work in culturally and ecologically sensitive destinations.

• Select restaurants that do not offer illegal wildlife and minimise single‑use plastics.

• Safety:

  • Ensure that every tour includes at least one guide who is certified in First Aid and CPR/AED.

  • Maintain a contact list of critical emergency numbers and ensure these are easily accessible to guides and clients.

  • Regularly check, review and maintain safety and emergency equipment.

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8. Tour Leaders, Local Representatives & Guides

• Prefer to work with local tour leaders, guides, porters, drivers, cooks and other local staff when their abilities are equal, and provide training with a strong emphasis on our sustainability goals.

• Comply with all legal requirements regarding employment and employees’ welfare, including contracts and minimum wages.

• Ensure tour leaders, local representatives and guides are trained and inform clients on all relevant sustainability matters in the destination — environmental, cultural and human rights. Training includes the avoidance of sexual exploitation of children.​

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9. Destination

• Consider sustainability aspects in the selection process of new destinations and avoid destinations where tourism leads to negative local effects.

• Ensure all excursions offered comply with local laws regarding environmental, wildlife and cultural protection.

• Work with local stakeholders to maximise positive impacts and minimise negative impacts at destinations, contributing to sustainable development of the places where we operate.

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10. Customer Communication & Protection

• Privacy and accuracy: Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised and that product and price information is clear, complete and accurate, including any sustainability claims.

• Pre‑trip information: Inform clients about the environmental impacts of different options, the natural surroundings and local culture of the destination, and all health and safety considerations.

• Maintain a 24‑hour emergency contact number.

• Provide clients with information about commercial, sexual or any other form of exploitation, particularly of children and adolescents, and about legislation concerning the purchase and export of prohibited artefacts and threatened flora and fauna.

• Encourage clients to support the local economy by using local restaurants and shops (where appropriate) and to donate to local charity and sustainable initiatives.

• Post‑trip: Have clear procedures in place for handling complaints by clients.

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For additional information about our sustainability policy, please contact:

Bruno Bourdin – Sustainability Coordinator

Email: travelife@novaway.asia | Phone: +66 80 252 6664

Approved by: Philippe Chandru – Managing Director

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Download our sustainability policy (PDF) – Click here.

Novaway | Version 1.0 | Approved on 24/10/2025​

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