Responsible Business
Travelling Thoughtfully: Our Sustainability Road Map and Modern Slavery Statement
A proud B Corp company
In 2023, we became B Corp accredited, with an Impact Assessment score of 83.
We’re delighted to share our Annual Impact Report, reflecting our progress towards Net Zero and our ongoing commitment to our people and places.
For over two decades, our community has been united by a love of soulful places and by being the keyholders to extraordinary villas, homes that not only support local communities but also create lifelong memories for our guests. Becoming a B Corp formalises our belief that tourism, when thoughtful and ethical, can be a genuine force for good. It’s why we nurture close bonds within our destinations and invest in both our head office and local teams.
As members of Travel by B Corp, and through our long-standing partnership with the Conservation Collective, we continue to support vital environmental projects across the Mediterranean.
Ecotourism and The Thinking Traveller
For us, ecotourism is not a concept but a way of travelling: a thoughtful balance of care for the environment, respect for culture, and benefit to local communities.
Our Villas
At the heart of our approach is the villa. Each property in our collection is deeply tied to its community - built, restored, and maintained by local artisans using traditional techniques and materials, and cared for by local teams who welcome our guests as friends. From cooks and caretakers to gardeners, drivers, and winemakers, we strive to ensure the benefits of your stay ripple outward into the villages and towns around you.
Many villas have solar panels, LED lighting, rainwater collection, air cooling systems in place of air conditioning, and organic kitchen gardens where guests can pick fresh ingredients straight from the land. We encourage thoughtful touches during your stay too, such as reusing towels, and other small acts that, together, help preserve the beauty of these places.
Our in-villa cooks source local, seasonal produce, reflecting the culinary heritage of each destination. And by dining in nearby restaurants, shopping at village markets, or visiting local wineries, guests directly support the communities that make our destinations so special.
Respecting Places and People
We believe that travel, done thoughtfully, should nurture as much as it inspires. That’s why we work with partners such as Planeta, pioneers in sustainable winemaking, and support environmental initiatives through the Conservation Collective and the Sicily Environment Fund. These partnerships help protect fragile ecosystems and promote responsible land use.
Sharing Knowledge
For us, ecotourism is also about cultural respect. Our local specialists and our in-depth travel guides offer guests not just information, but real connections: cooking lessons with village hosts, private vineyard tours, or archaeological walks led by PhD-qualified experts. These experiences deepen understanding and create meaningful bonds between visitors and communities.
In essence, our approach to travel rests on two principles: benefit and respect, ensuring that every journey enriches both guest and host.
The Thinking Traveller and the Conservation Collective
Every time you book with us, you help protect the Mediterranean we all love. We donate a portion of each booking to the Conservation Collective, a network of environmental foundations funding grassroots projects across the region.
- Sicily Environment Fund - Supporting initiatives from ghost net recovery in Ustica to plastic-free schools. Rossella, our Co-Founder, proudly serves on the steering committee.
- Ionian Environment Foundation - Protecting dolphins, monk seals, and butterflies, while pioneering eco-friendly sailing and inspiring the next generation of island conservationists.
- Tuscany Environment Foundation - Safeguarding biodiversity and marine life, funding projects from sea turtle protection to pollinator habitats.
- Argosaronic Environment Foundation -Restoring habitats, protecting marine meadows, and promoting sustainable tourism along the Peloponnese and Saronic Islands.
- Cyclades Preservation Fund - Restoring marine ecosystems and funding education around water, plastics, and sustainable fishing.
By travelling thoughtfully, you become part of a wider effort to care for the Mediterranean’s lands, seas, and communities.
Our Roadmap to Becoming an Ever More Responsible Business
Our Sustainability Road Map
At The Thinking Traveller, our purpose has always been clear: to share the Mediterranean’s most exceptional villas while caring for the people, places, and cultures that make them extraordinary. With this comes responsibility. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact, supporting local communities, working only with trusted partners, and ensuring that dignity and respect are embedded in everything we do.
Our Villas: The Starting Point
Our villas are at the heart of this journey. Restored by local artisans and maintained by local teams, they preserve traditions, create livelihoods, and connect our guests to the soul of each destination. Many already feature renewable energy, rainwater collection systems, organic gardens, and energy-efficient design. Looking ahead, we will continue to work with owners to enhance these attributes, encourage the use of durable, locally made furnishings, and find new ways to reduce waste.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
We have begun by measuring our direct emissions, while encouraging greener ways of working, from sustainable commuting to the use of hybrid and electric vehicles by our local teams. But measurement is only the first step. Our next milestone is to understand and reduce the wider impact of villa stays and supply chains, ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of the environment.
Strengthening Our Supply Chain
Our suppliers reflect our values. We choose to work with local partners who prioritise sustainability and fair practice, and we require clear commitments on ethics and social responsibility. Over time, we will continue to refine this network, placing greater emphasis on those who share our vision of thoughtful, responsible travel.
Supporting Local Communities
Every booking helps to fund grassroots projects through the Conservation Collective, from protecting dolphins and monk seals in the Ionian to promoting plastic-free schools in Sicily. These initiatives safeguard habitats, restore ecosystems, and inspire future generations. In the years ahead, we will deepen these partnerships, helping villa owners and guests alike to connect with and contribute to vital local work.
Our People
Our team spans London, Athens, and our destinations. We are multilingual, multicultural, and united by a commitment to thoughtfulness. We invest in training, uphold inclusivity, and maintain a zero-tolerance stance towards modern slavery. As we grow, we will continue to build a culture of fairness, respect, and opportunity.
The Road Ahead
This is only the beginning. Our path starts with villas but extends to carbon, communities, suppliers, and people. Step by step, we are building a way of travelling that ensures benefit and respect for all — where every stay strengthens the places and people we hold dear.
Thoughtful Travel, Meaningful Impact.
Learn more about our Modern Slavery Statement.
