WorldStrides believes in a shared duty to be socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible.
WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.
Every company should invest in being socially and environmentally responsible since it is the "right thing to do"; however, we believe it is also the best thing to do to create long-term value for our team members, participants, and stakeholders.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Ensure employees and participants feel supported and celebrated
Sustainability
Reduce environmental impacts in our offices and on tour
Health & Wellness
Invest in the well-being of our participants and employees
Philanthropy
Increase philanthropic impact with strategic community partners
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to the personal development that happens when people interact with people who have different perspectives. We believe in extending the opportunity to learn through engaging others of all races, ethnicities, creeds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and physical and mental abilities.
Our commitment extends to our workplace and program locations, where we believe in creating inclusive spaces that promote and value diversity. We believe this focus makes us more successful, and that creating an environment that encourages people of all backgrounds to contribute their best work is the right thing to do.
Current initiatives are designed to continue fostering a community of belonging and equity to include:
- WorldStrides View on Gender Identity and Gender Expression
- Inclusive Housing Policy
- In 2022, we expanded our efforts to provide access to educational travel and experiential learning opportunities by launching WorldStrides Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship. Over $2 million, which represents 50% of our total scholarship allotment was allocated for 2022-2023 scholarships to create more inclusive opportunities for individuals to participate on our programs and become global learners. Participants are eligible to apply for the scholarship if they meet any of the 5 criteria:
- Member of an underrepresented group(s)
- Have a disability
- Financial hardship
- Currently attend a Minority-serving Institution
- First-time passport holder
- WorldStrides Professional Internship Program offers experiential learning opportunities for students seeking to develop job readiness skills in a corporate environment. This internship also introduces interns to our corporate social responsibility philosophy and provides experiential learning opportunities to integrate social and environmental justice into their corporate and community projects, along with their executive presentations.
Sustainability
At WorldStrides, we Choose Earth—it’s our way of building environmental and social responsibility into the ethos and outcomes of our business practices and educational programs. We believe that these programs should be adventurous while maintaining focus on our society’s biggest challenges, always circling back to our dedication to a sustainable future.
As an educational provider, we hold a special platform and opportunity to allow participants to engage in sustainable thinking while minimizing our company’s carbon footprint, both on program and in the office.
Current initiatives moving us forward in our sustainability journey include:
- WorldStrides’ own opt-in sustainability credential, the Choose Earth program.
- Recent partnership with Salesforce to initiate a Net Zero Carbon project that will analyze WorldStrides’ carbon footprint and allow the CSR team to create strategy and policies to mitigate and minimize our impact.
- Partnership with Fill it Forward to encourage waste reduction practices in our offices and our programs. In collaboration with the WorldStrides store, a Fill It Forward sticker will ship with each 32 oz. Nalgene water bottle purchased.
- A carbon-neutral shipping agreement with UPS to offset all CO2 emissions from WorldStrides’ U.S. shipments.
- Our opt-in boxed lunch recycling program, found primarily on D.C trips, ensures participant lunches are from vendors that utilize minimal-waste practices and adhere to our “leave no trace” mission.
Please refer to this page’s Corporate Social Responsibility electronic booklet for further details, data, and information on these initiatives.
Recent Accomplishments
- Partnered with Fill it Forward to engage WorldStrides team members and participants in waste reduction practices
- Launched One WorldStrides Internship Program to create more accessibility for those interested in being a part of a mission-driven organization
- Expanded the Choose Earth Certificate to broaden the reach of our collective goal to increase environmentally and socially responsible practices for a sustainable community
- Created more Employee Resource Groups to provide more engagement opportunities for our social and environmental groups of interest
- WorldStrides Canada launched their partnership with Carbonzero to offset air and land travel for participants
For previous accomplishments in the CSR & DEI space, read our 2021 CSR Strategy here.
Responsible Business Principles
WorldStrides bases commercial relations with vendors and business partners on Responsible Business Principles to promote ethics and good governance. We aim to create and nurture mutually beneficial relationships while staying true to our company values. Our goal is to set a positive example within our industry by encouraging other organizations to embrace these principles and to share their own best practices.
Maintain transparent business partnerships
When a decision is made choosing between possible vendors, WorldStrides first informs its business partners about the rules and criteria. Selection will be objective and consistent with these criteria.
Avoid creating economic dependence with business partners
WorldStrides will be attentive to the proportion of sales generated by its business partners and their customer diversification to avoid creating unintentional economic dependence.
Refuse gratuities and excessive gifts from business partners
WorldStrides will not grant or accept any acts of kindness, gratuities, or gifts with excessive value from its business partners.
Practice anti·corruption in all business transactions
WorldStrides does not make payments to members of the government or any other public official to obtain favorable decisions or undue advantages when obtaining any contract. WorldStrides also pays attention to our financial transactions to detect possible money laundering by bad actors.
Avoid conflicts of interest between employees and the company
We expect our employees to ensure that their activities and interests, including those of any family member or affiliated organization, do not conflict with WorldStrides’ best interests.
Maintain confidentiality of information and communication with business partners
WorldStrides ensures that no confidential information about its business partners is revealed, transmitted, or used outside its business relationship with them. After relations have been terminated, confidential information continues to be confidential in accordance with any applicable agreements and legislation.
Respect intellectual property rights of partners
WorldStrides respects the intellectual property rights enjoyed by its business partners. Unless there is an associated agreement, Worldstrides will not use their name, trademarks, or protected designs, and will prevent any illegal use of their software and their protected artistic or literary works.
Respect human rights within the labor force
WorldStrides is committed to a business environment free from harassment, exploitation, and abuse, and this extends to its partners and supply chains. WorldStrides will not do business with any company that has forced labor practices including, but not limited to child labor, or any of form of servitude, human trafficking, or slavery, and expects its business partners undertake to respect human rights within their businesses.