Intrepid Travel is to close its Melbourne headquarters on Friday (September 20) in support of a global Climate Strike.
The adventure operator, which has pledged to become ‘carbon positive’ by next year, is also encouraging industry partners to join the global mass demonstration, which is planned in 120 countries.
Chief executive James Thornton said “change is happening too slowly” and his team has contacted agent partners to add their names to the protest, which takes place three days before the United Nations summit in New York.
In an open letter, Thornton said: “We are at a pivotal moment in time. Taking definitive action to fight the climate crisis is critical. Children around the world have been leading the way through the Climate Strike movement, and now is the time for adults – and business leaders – to stand up and support the call for immediate action.
“At Intrepid, we believe that we have a particular responsibility to take climate action – because flying is a big contributor to emissions, and we want to ensure we are doing everything we can to mitigate our impact. We have been climate neutral since 2010, and in 2020 we will become a Climate Positive business.
“We firmly believe that there are positive solutions available – but change is happening too slowly. We need individuals, businesses and governments to work together to make change happen. This is especially true now, when short-term decision making is putting future generations at risk.”
Intrepid gained B Corporation status in 2018 – a rigorous accreditation in environmental and social sustainability.
Thornton added: “Every business can do something, whether it’s closing the doors, having a meeting-free day, allowing a long lunch, or sending an email to make it clear teams will not be penalised for taking a few hours off.”