After much discussion, IPPG has decided to discontinue its endorsement program for the reasons set out below. We take this opportunity to restate our aim: "an ethical trekking industry in which porters are treated appropriately".
We are confident that trekking companies will support us in our efforts and continue to work for the well being of the porters they hire directly or through their local partner.
As a result, there will be no more names of particular companies on IPPG's website. If you have any comments or queries please contact your country representative.
Reasons for dropping endorsement
The main reason to drop endorsement is that it is backfiring on the changes IPPG is attempting to bring about in Nepal. There are 500 trekking companies registered with the Nepalese government. Those companies, plus teashop trekkers, hire 100,000 porters in a normal year.
Endorsement was simply offered to companies as an incentive to improve, and as recognition to companies with established high standards of porter care. In some quarters this has been mistakenly interpreted that we are sorting "good" companies from "bad" ones. This was never our intention.
Another reason to discontinue the endorsement is that it implied IPPG should monitor each endorsed company's performance in the field. When companies failed to satisfy trekkers' expectations of care, IPPG was taking blame instead of the company involved! Again monitoring was never our intention and would be impossible to carry out anyway. Even foreign and Nepali companies have a difficult task keeping an eye on their own operations!
Unfortunately this has generated some negative reaction and disadvantaged a few excellent, but small, Nepalese companies. The result has been a distraction from our main message and other good work in this field.
The alternative ... a voluntary code of conduct...!
IPPG now offers trekking companies the chance to state: "WE SUPPORT IPPG" and to use IPPG's logo. Companies stating this must print IPPGs' five guidelines (box page 1) in their publicity and implement them, as well as train their staff in porter care.
IPPG will in turn expand its campaign to advise prospective trekkers to check individual companies by asking specific questions.
Questions suggested for trekkers to ask trekking companies:
- Does your company follow the IPPG's five guidelines on porter safety?
- What is your company's policy on equipment and health care for porters?
- What does your company do to ensure your trekking staff is properly trained to look after porters' welfare?
- What is your company's policy on training and monitoring porter care by its ground operator in Nepal?
- Does your company ask about treatment of porters in your post trek questionnaire to clients?
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Trekkers are encouraged to report their findings to your company and to their IPPG country representative.
Any feedback IPPG receives about particular trekking companies (positive or negative) will be sent to the company in question.
At the end of the day, it makes increasingly good commercial sense for companies to state their policy on porter safety and staff training in their literature and web site.
Please note: All the people who work on the porter issue as IPPG representatives do so on an entirely voluntary basis. Many of us work directly or indirectly in the trekking industry. Our stated aim is to encourage trekking as a vital part of the tourism industry, with an emphasis on the working conditions of the local porters.
