APT has become the latest in a list of travel industry businesses, including Intrepid and Chimu, to join B Corp in an industry the sustainable business certification says is “awash with eco claims and certification fatigue”.
There are now more than 740 B Corp businesses around Australia and New Zealand – a move B Corp says comes from travellers often struggling to identify truly impactful businesses.
It says with more than 100 sustainability certifications “floating around tourism”, it can be hard to separate substance from greenwashing.
B Corp certification was created to evaluate not just carbon emissions or towel reuse, but also governance, labour practices, community relationships, customer stewardship, and environmental performance. It demands transparency, and importantly, it pushes for continuous improvement.
And that’s something APT has always done, says CEO David Cox.
“Honestly, it reflects how we’ve always operated. We’ve been a family-owned Australian business for nearly 100 years, and the values that B Corp certification recognises are accountability to our people, our communities and the environment.
“These are all important elements to our business, and they’re just how we run the business. What the certification does is formalise that. It takes what we already knew to be true and makes it official, verified and legally binding. We weren’t chasing a badge. We were looking for a framework that matched where we already were.”
Cox admits that right now, sustainability isn’t front of mind for most of its guests when they’re booking a trip, but he says that doesn’t mean you don’t look to the future.
“We’re not going to pretend otherwise. But what it does signal is that we don’t luxewash or greenwash.
“When we talk about responsible travel, sustainable practices or supporting local communities, this certification is the proof point.
“Travellers, particularly the next generation, are increasingly looking at who they spend their money with, and they’re getting better at telling the difference between businesses that mean it and businesses that don’t. B Corp puts us firmly in the first category.”
Walking the talk
Some of the examples of what APT does in line with the certification are around giving back, workforce diversity, local ownership and community connection and responsible purchasing.
Cox points to its partnership with Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation (supporting the rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked children in Vietnam and funding a new Ho Chi Minh City centre in 2025), $116,000 contributed to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 2025, a $500,000 Parkinson’s research pledge, and ongoing support for Doctors Without Borders, Foodbank, Backpacks for Vic Kids and the Salvation Army.
He says with majority local ownership and leadership based close to its Melbourne workforce, it also directly supports local emergency and lifesaving services around Port Phillip Bay with hands-on employee engagement, including 74 staff contributing 616 volunteer hours in 2025 (up 133 per cent year-on-year).
He says Kimberley Wilderness Adventures, part of The APT Travel Group, has also been inducted into the Ecotourism Australia Hall of Fame, “recognising 20 consecutive years of Advanced Ecotourism Certification and long-term leadership in sustainable, conservation-focused tourism”.
Cox says APT certified above the threshold, but what’s more important is that you’re continually held accountable.
“The number matters less to us than the direction. Certification is revisited every three years, and we intend to improve at each cycle.
“Our people is an area where we scored the highest, we are a people business across our employees and guests, so we are really proud of that.”
For more information, visit APT Luxury Travel and B Corp.
