🌱 Sustainability Journey

Our B Corp Journey

AVES is committed to becoming the first B Corp certified birding company in Colombia, joining BirdsChile as only the second birding-focused B Corp globally. Our journey toward certification reflects our dedication to the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility.

What Does B Corp Certification Mean?

B Corp certification is awarded to companies that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Environment

Measuring environmental impact and commitment to sustainable practices, carbon neutrality, and habitat protection.

Community

Supporting local communities, indigenous partnerships, and contributing to economic development in the regions we operate.

Governance

Transparent decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and accountability in all business operations and impact reporting.

Impact

Measuring and improving positive impact on workers, customers, suppliers, and the broader ecosystem.

Our B Corp Certification Roadmap

We're taking a systematic approach to meet and exceed B Corp standards across all areas of our business, addressing the comprehensive B Impact Assessment that evaluates companies across five key impact areas.

βœ“ Completed

Phase 1: Foundation & Assessment

Completed comprehensive baseline assessment across all five B Corp impact areas, establishing measurement frameworks and identifying areas for improvement.

Governance Assessment

  • Mission lock and legal accountability framework established
  • Stakeholder governance model with indigenous representation
  • Transparency and accountability policies implemented

Workers Assessment

  • Fair compensation analysis for all team members and guides
  • Professional development and training programs established
  • Health, safety, and wellness benefits framework

Community Impact

  • Indigenous partnership protocols and revenue sharing models
  • Local supplier diversity and community investment tracking
  • Economic impact measurement in operating regions

Environment & Customers

  • Complete carbon footprint assessment and neutrality plan
  • Conservation impact measurement framework
  • Customer education and engagement programs
πŸ”„ In Progress

Phase 2: Implementation & Improvement

Currently implementing enhanced policies and practices to meet B Corp standards, with focus on achieving minimum scores across all impact areas and preparing for verification.

Key Questions We're Addressing:

Governance & Accountability:

  • β€’ How do we ensure stakeholder voice in major decisions?
  • β€’ What legal structures best protect our mission?
  • β€’ How do we measure and report our impact transparently?

Worker Equity & Benefits:

  • β€’ How do we ensure fair compensation across all roles?
  • β€’ What professional development opportunities can we provide?
  • β€’ How do we create inclusive, safe working environments?

Community Investment:

  • β€’ How do we maximize economic benefits to local communities?
  • β€’ What percentage of suppliers should be local/diverse?
  • β€’ How do we support indigenous land rights and sovereignty?

Environmental Impact:

  • β€’ How do we achieve and maintain carbon neutrality?
  • β€’ What conservation outcomes can we directly measure?
  • β€’ How do we minimize our operational footprint?

Current Implementation Focus

  • Enhanced worker equity policies and profit-sharing programs
  • Supplier diversity initiatives and local sourcing expansion
  • Community investment program with measurable outcomes

Environmental Certifications

  • ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification
  • Carbon Trust certification for carbon neutrality
  • Conservation impact verification through third parties
🎯 Q2 2025

Phase 3: Verification & Certification

Final assessment, third-party verification, and submission for official B Corp certification. This phase includes rigorous documentation review and site verification processes.

Certification Requirements & Timeline:

80+
Minimum B Impact Score Required
6-10
Months Verification Process
3rd
Party Site Verification

Verification Process

  • Complete B Impact Assessment submission (200+ questions)
  • Documentation review and evidence verification
  • On-site verification including community interviews

Legal Accountability

  • Legal structure amendment to include stakeholder governance
  • Mission lock provisions in corporate documents
  • Annual benefit report publication commitment

Expected Outcomes & Impact

Certification Achievement:

  • β€’ Official B Corp certification and logo usage rights
  • β€’ Membership in global B Corp community
  • β€’ Access to B Corp marketing and partnership opportunities

Ongoing Commitments:

  • β€’ Annual impact reporting and transparency
  • β€’ Recertification every three years
  • β€’ Continuous improvement in all impact areas

Current B Corp Initiatives

We're already implementing many B Corp principles in our daily operations and tour experiences.

Carbon Neutral Operations

All tours operate with full carbon neutrality, with offsets reinvested in critical bird habitat preservation projects throughout Colombia.

Indigenous Partnerships

Fair employment and revenue sharing with indigenous communities, supporting traditional ecological knowledge and land rights.

Conservation Endowment

10% of net profits fund our Conservation Endowment Trust, dedicated to permanent habitat restoration and protection.

Transparent Reporting

Annual impact reports detailing our environmental, social, and economic contributions to conservation and communities.

Stakeholder Governance

Advisory board including indigenous representatives, conservation scientists, and community leaders guiding our decisions.

Worker Equity

Profit-sharing programs, comprehensive benefits, and professional development opportunities for all team members and guides.

Join Our B Corp Journey

Experience birding tourism that makes a difference. Every tour supports our mission to become Colombia's first B Corp certified birding company.