Captura de pantalla 2017-05-28 a las 12.20.50 a.m.

Context

Ruta PiCaSo (Route of the Skin, Footwear and Hat) is a cultural tourism product launched in early 2014 in the city of León, in the state of Guanajuato. This municipality is recognized for its industrial activity in leather and footwear, which represents 40% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The idea of ​​the PiCaSo Route was born in 2010 in a classroom at the Technological University of León (UTL) when Professor Manuel Miroglio talked with his students about how to enhance the attractions of León, highlighting certain aspects of their identity. The operator was created by Manuel Miroglio, Carlos Ramos Montes and Pilar Dawe Salas in 2014.

Given that the operator ensures sustainable tourism development, it has moved towards this, acting according to the “Guanajuato Model for competitiveness”, which is a guide for business management that integrates strategic and operational requirements related to the themes that promote achieving its objectives and promoting its competitiveness. Thus in its seventh indicator “Social Commitment”, it is established that: the company with social commitment is one that, in addition to consolidating itself through ethical behavior and respectful of the community, creates sustainable value, that is, economic, environmental and social value in the short term long term.

On the other hand, it is intended to act according to “A agreement for the Tourism Sustainability of the State of Guanajuato ”, signed on October 25, 2016 by the Secretary of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato, Fernando Olivera Rocha within the framework of the 1st. International Forum on Tourism Sustainability. With this document, the State Government and the Tourism Secretariat of the State of Guanajuato (SECTUR) seek to promote a change in policies, practices in companies and consumer behavior, to promote a more sustainable tourism sector, in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals dictated by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

General objective :

Establish norms for the Ruta PiCaSo operator, in order to move towards a sustainable management, which allows its full development in the socio-cultural, economic and environmental spheres. In addition to these standards allowing to operate in a friendly way with the environment and society.

Specific objectives :

  • Implement sustainable policies for the operation of the Ruta PiCaSo operator.
  • Make known and involve the company’s collaborators, clients and their allies in the execution of the sustainability policy.
  • Opt for a management and development model friendly to the operating environment.
  • Promote good environmental practices, both from the operator and from the partners.
  • Promote local culture, as well as the consumption of local products. Scope: The operator Ruta PiCaSo by implementing its sustainability policy contributes to the conservation of the environment, to the socio-cultural valuation, and local economic development. It also promotes awareness of sustainable practices and the benefits they bring, to find a balance with them and give way to effective management.

Socio-Cultural Policies.

  • Promote the labor inclusion of local people.
  • Guarantee equal opportunities regardless of gender, religion or physical condition.
  • It is the duty of the collaborators of the Ruta PiCaSo operator to report to the relevant authorities any case of child prostitution, sexual harassment and consumption of illegal substances; both in the office and in the different tours.
  • Promote the consumption of local products, be they food, souvenirs or any other.
  • Communicate to our clients and collaborators about the importance of contributing to sustainable development.
  • Take measures to avoid problems or situations that affect the culture, the environment and the inhabitants of the places visited.
  • The staff must have knowledge and willingness to work in the area of ​​tourism.
  • Joint work with society and existing organizations will be promoted.
  • To measure the quality of the clients with respect to the services received, a satisfaction questionnaire will be applied considering sustainability aspects.

Economic Policies.

  • Buy what is necessary to avoid excessive generation of waste.
  • Faced with the need for replacement or renovation of equipment or furniture, different alternatives should be sought and the best economic and environmental option should be chosen.
  • Choose products that can later be reused and recycled.
  • Prepare an inventory of office products required to schedule purchases. Suppliers Policies:
  • The contracted suppliers should preferably share the sustainable and friendly vision helping the sustainable management of the route.
  • When choosing the necessary products for both the office and for the development of the tours, priority will be given to those that are friendly to the environment and thus not lead to large environmental impacts.
  • Of the transport services contracted by the operator, they must have a program, standard or certification that identifies them for their sustainable practices.
  • Preferably, the providers of the Ruta PiCaSo operator should have a program or orientation towards sustainability.
  • In the event that the supplier does not have programs or policies that contribute to sustainability, they will be motivated to participate in this important work.

Environmental Policies.

  • Prefer biodegradable products that are easy to decompose, recyclable or friendly to the environment.
  • The groups with which the operator operates will be small (maximum 19 people), which allows the least impact on the environment.
  • During the visits, tourists will be guided to respect and care, as well as to avoid situations of environmental contamination.
  • Proper management of waste will be given, as a result of the different tours as well as the operation in the office.
  • Recycling and the correct separation of waste is essential to reduce the amounts of waste generated and contribute to the conservation of resources and raw materials.
  • Any paper that has a clean side can be used to print internal documents, notes and drafts.
  • Do not throw away paper that can be recycled in any way.
  • All paper that is not useful must be deposited in the RECYCLING PAPER box, to be collected periodically.
  • Turn off your computer monitor if you are away from your workstation for a long time.
  • Avoid the excessive consumption or acquisition of packaging that is not recyclable.
  • Communicate to our clients the importance of conservation and sustainability for tourism activity and the environment.
  • Actively participate and promote activities that favor the protection of the environment, such as recycling campaigns, garbage collection, talks.
  • There will be constant training on sustainability issues, so that in this sense all employees are well informed and oriented in the sustainable management of the operator.