The Good Travel Collective is strongly committed to social impact. Tell us more.

Our company philosophy is built around the 3Ps – People, Planet and Performance. Performance isn’t purely financial, it means operating at our best across all areas of the business, which in turn strengthens our commitment to People, Planet and our wider ESG approach. 

Our parent, John Good Group, was founded as a shipping business in the 1800s, and from the very start there was a strong focus on the welfare of employees and the seafarers the company worked with. That ethos has continued through the generations. Today, sixth-generation owner Tim Good is more committed than ever to responsible business and giving back. 

This goes well beyond financial contributions. It’s about supporting our employees, reducing our environmental impact, helping our customers do the same, and driving positive change through the Matthew Good Foundation. The Foundation is named in memory of Matthew Good, who was Joint Managing Director of the company but tragically died in June 2011, aged just 32, while running a marathon for charity. 

Through the Foundation, we donate 10% of our company profits, supporting smaller charities and community groups where it matters most. Tim wants the Group to leave the world in a better place – acting as custodian for the next generation. It’s fortuitous having ‘Good’ as our name, because we’re committed to doing good and driving good. 

How are you further strengthening this focus on social responsibility? 

We’ve been committed to doing social good for a long time but we’ve been somewhat modest about it. With our rebrand and repositioning, we’re ready to galvanise what is already in place for our clients, employees and communities. 

We are already operationally carbon neutral, though that currently includes offsetting. Our next step is to close that gap and to further reduce our actual emissions. 

We run excellent volunteering programmes that enable our people to volunteer during work time in their local communities or further afield. With operations overseas, we’re also exploring social impact opportunities in India, where our tour operator Pettitts Travel has a team on the ground.  

These projects are hugely motivational for our people and help us attract new talent who increasingly want to work for a business with a social conscience. 

Ultimately, we can only do these things with a strong, profitable business – which comes back to the 3Ps. 

How will you help your clients on their social impact journeys? 

We’re seeing a real shift in client appetite for impact and social awareness. This year, we’re rolling out a range of new products for clients across our corporate, groups and events, and leisure divisions to support better buying behaviours, alongside growing our team’s expertise in this area. 

As a socially-conscious business, we also want to share best practice. The Matthew Good Foundation is recruiting a Partnership Manager, and through this role we’ll create opportunities for clients to learn from and replicate what we’ve built. The Foundation has the infrastructure and technology to help businesses implement similar programmes – including our highly successful Grants for Good scheme – and to support clients more deeply in their sustainability and social impact goals, right down to identifying bespoke ways to minimise carbon impact or engage in tailored offsetting programmes. 

What makes The Good Travel Collective well placed to be socially responsible? 

We’ve been operating for 190 years under the same family ownership and we want to be here for another 190 and more. Our shareholders are modest, and their priorities are aligned to the 3Ps. They invest back into the business and take a long-term view. Decisions are based on long-term stability – creating a great place for our employees to work, a trusted partner for our clients, and a fantastic business to work alongside for our suppliers. It’s a privilege to be custodian of something this special.

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