Successful UK Asian Business entrepreneur - Case Study from Article 13, the corporate responsibility experts

Ajay Sodha, Managing Director of Key Travel spoke at a recent conference on British Asians and Corporate Citizenship -- Profiles in Leadership, organised by the Centre for Social Markets. His company had been chosen as a champion and role model" for Asian entrepreneurs leading the way in CSR.

(PRWEB) November 21, 2003 --Key Travel employs over 100 staff in two locations in the UK (London and Manchester). In a survey published in 1999, Key Travel were listed as the 47th largest travel agency by turnover in a UK travel industry of over 8,000 agents.
A business travel agency, catering specifically for the not-for-profit sector. Through their Reach Out Programme, Key Travel works to provide a service for charitable organizations, whether they provide medical relief, aid and development, spiritual or educational projects.
Business objectives:
Key Travel recognises that the essential funds of many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are raised from donations or funded by the public purse and are therefore committed to offering travel services at the lowest possible cost. They have achieved this by negotiating with many international airlines including British Airways, United, Air France and Lufthansa, and so have made it their unique selling point.

Social responsibility insights
Speaking at a recent conference on Asian Business and CSR, Ajay Sodha spoke about his companys efforts under three key headings People, Planet and Profits... Key Travel has innovative and effective policies for its social, environmental and economic impacts.

Key Travels core objective is in fact a social proposition, and the company may therefore be classed as a social entrepreneur. But as well as this core service it provides to its not-for-profit clients, the company also practices and promotes the principles of sustainable development and social responsibility.

Advocacy
 Key Travel has an explicit Purchasing Policy to source consumables which are energy efficient, environmentally friendly and fairly-traded, asking all suppliers to make a commitment to adopting an Ethical Policy.
 Key Travel also uses its position as a travel agent to encourage socially and environmentally responsible travel. There are four areas in which they believe this social responsibility extends to and these have been summarised into a leaflet produced by Key Travel and given to all clients and contacts:

1. Respect the people whose homelands you are visiting
2. Respect the natural environment
3. Respect the animals
4. Be an environmentally aware shopper

Business benefit
In developing a business proposition which in essence is an act of social entrepreneurialism, Key Travel has effectively positioned themselves as a socially responsible company, and have internalised some of the ethical issues which many travel companies see as external to their business. It is this congruence between the product Key Travel offers, and the values and believes about how socially responsible travel should be conducted, which creates a successful business model.

In practical terms, Mr Sodha outlines the benefit to the bottom line of having this approach: lower costs, improved efficiency and staff motivation, new customers and retention of existing customers where there is a synergy in value systems and approach.
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Sources:
Ajay Sodha, Key Travel, speaking at British Asians and Corporate Citizenship -- Profiles in Leadership, 15th October 2003
Company website

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