At Saddle Skedaddle, it has always been our philosophy that holidays should have a positive impact on the places we visit. That’s why we choose to travel sensitively, at the speed of the bike, supporting local communities along the way.
For over 25 years we have had one simple mission: to inspire as many of you as possible to travel by bike. Our co-founders’ cycling adventure back in the mid-90s is where it all began and this journey instilled a lifelong passion to ensure Skedaddle’s holidays maximise the benefits to the areas and communities we visit.
We believe strong communities are essential to helping protect the planet for future generations. That’s why we have made long-term connections with hundreds of local partners. People who share Skedaddle’s values and are passionate about the places they call home, that’s everyone from our glorious guides, to the guesthouses we call home for the night.
In recent years, we’ve watched with growing concern as global warming increases at an alarming rate. As outdoor enthusiasts, to see the damage this is having on the planet we love is absolutely devastating. Whilst cycling has a relatively low carbon footprint, we also acknowledge that other aspects of our holidays, including transfers and accommodation, have an environmental impact. Then there’s the significant impact of travelling to destinations.
It’s a topic we have discussed widely amongst our team and reducing our carbon impact is something we are determined to work on and strive towards being better. We not only owe it to our extended community but to future generations, so they too can enjoy the same incredible places we’ve had the privilege to experience.
So, what are we doing?
We (that’s us here in the UK and our sister companies Skedaddle Italia and Skedaddle España) have officially joined the Tourism Declares community, an initiative that supports tourism businesses, organisations and individuals in declaring a climate emergency.
There is a need for change. We recognise the need for system change across the industry to accelerate a just transition towards carbon-free tourism. We’ll also be working with our wider community to better understand the role we all play in travelling more responsibly. We encourage our suppliers and partners to join and participate in sharing best practices in the Tourism Declares community.
Skedaddle is also a proud signatory and launch partner of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.
As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, we commit to deliver plans aligned with the pathways to cut tourism emissions in half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.
Like all signatories, we have committed to the following:
- Support the global commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and reach Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050;
- We’ll develop and put into action a ‘Climate Emergency Plan’ within the next 12 months, which sets out our intentions to reduce carbon emissions over the next decade;
- Align plans with the five pathways of the Declaration (Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate, Finance) to accelerate and co-ordinate climate action in tourism;
- Report publicly on an annual basis on progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as on actions being taken;
- Work in a collaborative spirit, sharing good practices and solutions, and disseminating information to encourage additional organisations to become signatories and supporting one another to reach targets as quickly as possible.
As a member of the Tourism Declares Community, we agree that as a minimum we need to take purposeful action to reduce carbon emissions in line with the advice from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is to cut global carbon emissions to 55% below 2017 levels by 2030 in order to keep the planet within 1.5 degrees of warming. We’ll ensure our Climate Plan represents actions designed to achieve this as a minimum, through delivering transparent, measurable and increasing reductions in the total carbon emissions per customer arising from our operations and the travel services sold by us.
How you can travel better? Find some tips and advice we’ve learnt on our journey so far…