Social Responsibility
A lot of companies use the term “Corporate Social Responsibility”, but what does that really mean? At Frontiers North, social responsibility is at the very core of who we are and how we do business. In fact, we are recognized as a Certified B Corporation™. This means we work hard to leave a positive impact on our travellers, our employees and on the communities where we operate.
To achieve this certification, we constantly review our environmental track record and goals, ensure transparency in our self-reporting, and balance our profits with social and environmental good.
Our social responsibility encompasses five core areas where we feel we can make the greatest impact in creating a sustainable model that will have a positive impact for generations to come.
1. Environmental Practices & Sustainability
Canada’s North is home to many species of arctic wildlife that rely on a pristine environment. We travel responsibly to protect these fragile natural habitats, to benefit local communities and to preserve and celebrate the customs and traditions of the places we visit.
2. Employee Practices
We value our team of employees and endeavour to foster a positive working culture with high employee morale. We are inclusive, employ a diverse workforce, employees receive profit sharing incentives and we have staff participate in a yearly planning session where they are engaged in decisions that affect our business.
3. Commitment to Our Community
We employ as many Canadian and local-to-the-North staff and guides and utilize as many local suppliers as possible.
We invest in communities where we operate by hiring locally, buying locally and supporting local causes. We also work closely with the Town of Churchill, Manitoba Conservation and Climate and Parks Canada to define, develop and implement policies for Churchill’s tourism industry.
Our purchasing policy ensures we source local, Indigenous, and suppliers and businesses that support social and environmental responsibility. We also support causes that invest in the communities where we operate, such as our work with Churchill's Canadian Junior Rangers or by offering a bursary to local students.
4. Educational Outreach
© Jessica Burtnick
We strive to provide a platform for education about the wildlife and issues affecting Canada’s north. Our world-class guides and drivers offer an experience with a wealth of contemporary and traditional knowledge.
Also, through our partnership with Polar Bears International (PBI) and Explore.org, we are able to share polar bears and beluga whales with people around the world through the Polar Bear Cam, Beluga Whale Cam and Google Street View.
5. Corporate Giving
We form partnerships with charitable organizations that focus on supporting three main causes: people living with disabilities, investing in the communities where we operate, and conservation and wildlife.
We were the first major sponsor of Polar Bears International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the worldwide conservation of polar bears through research and education. Since 2000, we have maintained Platinum Level sponsorship and continue to work with PBI on a number of conservation initiatives and programs. We also partner with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, supporting their Cetacean Conservation Research Program.
Did you know? Canadian Business for Social Responsibility recommends giving 1% of pre-tax profits; on average we give 2% of pre-tax profits.
-For more information on our 5 core areas of Corporate Social Responsibility, read our complete Sustainability Report below.
The Future
As the importance of conservation becomes more urgent, we believe it's imperative we incorporate further education into our tours. That is why we created two conservation-focussed trips, Conservation Journey®: Polar Bears and Conservation Journey®: Beluga Whales.
© Dmytro Cherkasov, © Abby Matheson, © Zhang Yongpeng
These exclusive tours combine education with adventure and offer our guests the chance to interact with leading scientists who are experts in their field. Partial proceeds from these tours also go towards Polar Bears International and Raincoast Conservation Foundation in support of their programs and conservation efforts.