International tour operator publishes its second corporate responsibility report

Transat A.T. Inc., one of the world’s largest tour operators, issued today its Corporate Responsibility Report for fiscal 2009 and 2010, entitled The Will to Do Better. The report provides an account of the organization’s sustained commitment to taking responsible actions with all stakeholders, including in its destination countries, and describes the achievements of the past two years. The website http://www.resp.transat.com/ has been created for the specific purpose of disseminating all of the information of the report.

For a company in the tourism and travel sector, corporate responsibility consists, broadly, in incorporating social, environmental and economic issues into the operations of the organization in order to promote mass tourism that is progressively more sustainable. It is not only about protecting environmental stewardship, but about curbing poverty through economic activity that is respectful of host communities, and fighting against some undesirable impacts of tourism, all while ensuring an enriching experience for travellers.

Projects that Transat has implemented in recent years include:

• A program for hotel operators that encourages adoption of best practices.
• A partnership with Beyond Borders to combat the sexual exploitation of children in tourism. 
• A financial assistance program that has so far provided support for 12 projects in 8 countries, representing investments of nearly $500,000.
• An ongoing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification project by Air Transat.
• A partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that cares for orphaned and abandoned children in 132 countries.
• A humanitarian leave program, whereby Transat employees can go on short international missions to do volunteer work.

“We are proud of the work accomplished to this day, but we know that we have a great deal more to do when it comes to increasing the benefits of tourism development while fighting its adverse impacts,” said Jean-Marc Eustache, President and CEO, Transat A.T. Inc. “The ongoing co-operation of our employees, our customers and our partners ensures that we can continue our efforts and put new programs in place—and, in so doing, make Transat an increasingly more responsible company.”

Transat A.T. Inc. is an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. A holiday travel specialist, Transat operates mainly in Canada and Europe, as well as in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean Basin. Montreal-based Transat is also active in air transportation, accommodation, destination services and distribution. (TSX: TRZ.B, TRZ.A)