Inntravel is marking its 40th anniversary year by achieving B Corp status, securing a score of 91.7, a strong score, particularly for a tour operator. The certification is recognition of Inntravel's long-standing commitment to authentic and responsible tourism. For 40 years, Inntravel has led the way in self-guided walking and cycling holidays, offering trips that embrace a slow, immersive and responsible ethos. Their holidays take guests to some of Europe's quietest corners, often by rail, and encourage them to discover local culture, food and traditions.

B Corporation now boasts 2,500 members in the UK, with over 125,600 employees. It is the only certification that measures the entirety of a company's social and environmental performance, creating a public and legally binding commitment to balance profit with people and the planet. To keep their certification, Inntravel must recertify every three years and achieve sufficient scores across five key areas of business activity: governance, workers, environment, community and customers.

Commenting, Emma Gray, Inntravel's MD said: “I'm absolutely delighted that Inntravel is now B Corp Certified. Inntravel was founded over 40 years ago on principles that align so closely to the B Corp community and environment goals – our type of travel is about visiting other peoples' places and experiencing their way of life – and to do so with care and responsibility. And since our inception, we have built our business in all areas with one simple intention – to do the right thing. Our B Corp certification acknowledges what we are already doing, but also helps us identify areas where we can do more and provides a framework for us to build on from here. We're so excited to join the B Corp community and play an even bigger role in ensuring travel really is a force for good.”

Some Sample Sustainable trips from Inntravel

Lowest Carbon Score – 49kg carbon per trip, just 7kg per person per day on a Bavarian Wander

This charming entry-level walking holiday to Germany's Bavarian Alps, easily accessible by rail, is based at one of the country's lowest impact hotels.  From the beautiful Biohotel Eggensberger, there's a raft of hikes for walkers to discover. Making use of the included bus card to access the highest villages and trails, without any of the effort, walks might include the Hopfensee circuit, with opportunities for hutte snacks and wild swimming, the Eschacher panoramic circuit, with its 18th century farmhouse, or the cheese and beer route, where walkers can sample and buy renowned cheeses, before moving on to a brewery and pub-restaurant in the picturesque village of Speiden. The BioHotel, one of Germany's leading low-impact hotels, boasts beautiful rooms, a farm to table restaurant, and a natural swimming pond alongside a top-class spa. Price: from £1,775pp based on 2 sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 3 dinners, walking notes and maps, free travel on local buses, transfers and return rail travel from London. Carbon score of 49kg per person (excluding travel).

Avoiding over-tourism on an off-the-beaten track trip to Slovenia's Logar Valley

Slovenia has in recent years flourished as a tourist destination, with visitors drawn to Lakes Bled and Bohinj and the colourful capital, Ljubljana. This single-centre week of walking takes hikers instead to the Logar Valley within the remote Solĉavska region, that remains far off the tourist trail. Much like Bled was some 25 years ago, this is now, hands-down, the gorgeous pin-up of Slovenia: craggy peaks, tumbling waterfalls and modest but proud people, all 500 of them populating the 103km² valley. Inntravel is unique in working with the 4-star Hotel Plesnik, the one and only hotel in this protected landscape (the next hotel is some 45 minutes' drive away). Use the car provided to reach other walks locally such as those around Velika Planina, a high-altitude herdsmen's village that resembles Middle Earth, or to tourist farms for lunch, made with the finest of home-grown produce.  Also on offer at the hotel are yoga and meditation classes and Ayurvedic therapies.  Guests can also make use of the outdoor natural swimming pool and sauna and relax in front of the panoramic window wall to soak up the views of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Price: from £1,425pp based on 2 sharing, including 7 days' car hire, 7 nights' B&B, 3 dinners, 3 lunches, guided half day heritage trail, and walking notes and maps.

Working with a hotel going the extra (green) mile in Aracena on a food-filled break

On this trip to Aracena, guests are encouraged to truly slow down, to discover the authentic villages whose inhabitants live in harmony with the land and walk along inviting paths through gentle cork oak and chestnut clad hills. This is a glimpse of Spanish rural life – men leading donkeys laden with vegetables and shiny chestnuts, and farmers tending the black-footed, free-range pigs which feast at leisure on acorns. Inntravellers stay at the charmingly-restored Posada de San Marcos, a hotel that has both the EU Ecolabel and Ecostar certification, recognising its green credentials. Insulated with sheep's wool and cork, the Posada is solar-powered, has a ground heat source pump, collects rainwater, and sources organic produce for its table from a network of local suppliers, as well as growing its own. Price: from £955pp based on 2 sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 3 dinners, car hire, half day privately guided walk, visit to secadero and ham tasting, and route notes and maps.

For more information, contact Inntravel inntravel.co.uk 01653 617000.

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