The world’s largest adventure travel company, Intrepid Travel, is marking International Women’s Day by celebrating 40 inspiring Intrepid women and allies.
As a leader in gender equality, this celebration recognises a range of women who have made positive impacts on their teams, communities, and families throughout the pandemic.
Alongside being certified B Corp, the Australian born company is committed to filling gender gaps around the world, providing women with greater working opportunities. In 2017, Intrepid also became a signatory to the UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles, with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of Gender Equality being one of its SDGs.
In 2017, Intrepid identified that there was an opportunity to increase the number of women who worked as tour leaders. In many countries, this is a role that has typically been held by men. The company set a goal to double its number of female leaders by 2020 – which it achieved a year early, with more than 300 female leaders by 2019.
Now, after a devastating year for travel, Intrepid called on its global teams to nominate women, or male allies, who’ve shone over the past 12 months. The response was overwhelming, with 40 nominations. The full list is available here.
“I’m inspired by all these team members who embody Intrepid’s vision to change the way people see the world,” says Sarah Clark, Intrepid Travel’s APAC MD. “From delivering food parcels to Peruvian families in need to advocating for action on climate action or tirelessly leading remote teams in a time of great change, these women are driven by a deep sense of purpose. They continue to challenge expectations and norms and show us that we can all achieve more,” she adds.
A sample of the nominees (in no particular order) includes:
Yvette Thompson, GM Sales Partnerships – nominated by a number of colleagues for her calm leadership, management style and her commitment to Intrepid’s industry partners. Yvette’s colleagues praised her for her empathetic approach and said she is a true role model for many women throughout the business.
Maritza Chacacanta, Deputy Operations Manager – Trek in Cusco, Peru – nominated for continuing to challenge gender stereotypes in Latin America, including managing a team of mostly male porters and crew. Peru has been hit hard by Covid-19 and many people had to return to remote farming areas. Just before Christmas, thanks to funding from The Intrepid Foundation and not-for-profit MEDLIFE, Maritza helped to deliver essential food parcels to families in need in Peru’s Sacred Valley.
Robyn Nixon, GM Special Projects – nominated for her invaluable contribution to supporting other female business leaders during this turbulent time. Robyn moved to the UK in late 2019 to support a new incoming managing director Zina Bencheikh, before having to return to Australia as the pandemic hit. She’s since been instrumental in leading the development of Intrepid’s range of new local trips, with a particular focus on ensuring these trips bring benefits for the local communities.
“We know that diversity makes us a better business and it’s a privilege to work alongside so many passionate and talented women every day,” adds Clark.
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