Políticas

Kichwa Añangu Community Policies for the Development of its Touristic Projects
The Añangu Community
All touristic projects of the Añangu Community are focused in improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of the Kichwa Community of Añangu, with direct benefits to its people. Then, to proceed with the touristic projects, Community decided to build develop lodges and experiences which fully respect the local environment. The Kichwa Añangu community believe responsible ecotourism is a good alternative for local development, as it improves the quality of life, conserve the traditional activities of their communities and preserve the nature. Additionally, it generates employment, achieves the inclusion of local people and boost local cultural richness. On the same way, it facilitates the development of social infrastructure and access to education and health, among others. Finally, work in the same Community, prevents displacement of individuals and families to cities by offering better life opportunities.

Business Policy
We are the Kichwa Añangu Community, located within the Yasuní National Park, which facilitates the experience of knowing one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world and its ancestral culture, with world-class services and variables. We want to develop a model of Community governance and a leadership with a primary purpose of generating opportunities for the sustainable growth of the population, protection of the Amazon biodiversity and the local socio-economic development, using ancestral methods of collaboration, with permanent Community coordination, to achieve organizational objectives under ethical, professional and responsible principles.

Mission
Raise awareness of the importance of the Rainforest ecosystem and its social environment, achieving its continuous and sustainable development over time, exceeding the expectations of our guests and collaborators.

Vision
Being the leading community in tourism and sustainable development in the Latin American region, sharing and exchanging life experiences and practices of environmental balance.

Sustainability Responsibilities
Management is committed to tourism management, human and financial resources, and the implementation of whatever is required to improve the company, that’s why two employees have been assigned the responsibility of monitoring sustainability processes, with the following functions, in addition to their work:
- Share co-responsibility on sustainability processes, so they are effectively implemented and maintained.
- Communicate to Management about the results of the planning.
- Establish periodic meetings with the team work, during the implementation of programs, for timely solutions. The results of this process should be recorded.
- Compulsory participation in workshops and technical assistance during programs implementation.

Information and Communication
Business policy and sustainable actions can be shared in the institutional website, promotional material and in hotel rooms. In addition, they are posted on signs in the office and hotels where employees can easily find out about sustainable policies.
Information related to our hotel is reported, such as conservation issues, environmental care, social projects, etc.

Design of the Touristic Offer
The design of the touristic offer has as a priority the conservation of the Yasuní National Park and its wonders. On the same way, importance is given to the local development of the Añangu people, as the development of neighboring communities with the creation of direct and indirect jobs.
We want to emphasize the preservation of the Kichwa culture that is part of essential of the visitor’s experience. The design of our products and the offer of the Kichwa Añangu community have to take into account all these mentioned variables.

Providers
We have around 130 providers in different areas. It is taken into account that they are environment friendly. It is necessary to standardize the selection of suppliers, so their core policies match with ours.

River Transportation
Carriers through the Napo River and the different creeks, belong to the Añangu Community. Canoes are operated by three people, canoeist, lead and assistant. We have transportation from Quito to El Coca city, with the aim of transporting food and other implements for the operation of the hotel.

Customer Satisfaction
Satisfaction surveys are carried out on all passengers staying at the lodges, at the end of their program. The marketing area is responsible for monitoring and including received comments on different platforms.

CO2 emissions
Regarding CO2 emissions, the Community's priority is to carry out a sustainable management of natural resources, minimizing the emissions generated specifically for the touristic operation.

Waste and Garbage
The Añangu Community has a waste management program, to collaborate to a responsible functioning of the touristic projects, with protection of the environment and care for the Community cleaning. This program includes a Recycling Center, which comprises the collection and classification of garbage, through the usage of waste separation containers for cardboard, glass, plastic and medical waste in different sectors. All of this material is sent to the Community center, since where it is delivered to a certified recycling company. The Añangu Community has a commitment to give appropriate management to non-biodegradable waste and to maintain the good health of the population.

Conservation and sustainable relation with local biodiversity
The Community is located within the Ecuadorian Amazon, specifically on the Yasuní National Park of almost one million hectares, which is a recognized area of high biodiversity. The Yasuní is an important center of endemism, a hotspot, as it is part of one of the most extensive and diverse places of South America, known as the Napo-Ucayalí area, which is shared with the northern Peruvian Amazon. The flora and fauna diversity of the Yasuní, has moved to the Foundation for the World's Wild Life (WWF) to declare it as one of the 200 priority sites to conserve at the a global stage.
Therefore, the ecotouristic projects of the Añangu Community, allows them to be selfsustainable, working at all times for the conservation of this rich area. Park Rangers, have been put in place by the Community, to support in the monitoring of the land, as an essential action to guarantee conservation.

Labor Conditions
While working within the touristic projects, all current regulations must be accomplished, like minimum wages, social security provision, compensating overtime, encouraging equal personal development for both men and women and supporting internal recruitment in a matter of promotions. Community inclusion policies allow women to have jobs and childcare, with the opportunity to work in the Kury Muyu Interpretation Center, near their realatives and with them.

Justice and Inclusion
Being a Community Tourism Project, opportunities are generated for all people, regardless of ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

Human Rights and Minors Protection
The ESSNA code has been socialized with the staff, and Community ensures that there are no children or adolescents involved in labor activities or suffer sexual exploitation in tourism. Strict rules have been development to the attendance to the Vicente Mamallacta School, where children and youngsters carry out theirstudies, from the first year of basic school to high school.

Protection and Rescue of Cultural Heritage
The protection of cultural heritage is reflected in several aspects:
-Vernacular architectural materials and design.
- Revaluation of the Kichwa culture embodied in the Kuri Muyu cultural center.
- Elaboration of local crafts.
- Inclusion of local dishes in the gastronomic offer.
- Vicente Mamallacta School, being a bilingual school, strengthening Kichwa cultural roots.
- Visits to the Añangu village, in order to learn the everyday of it, when possible.

Respect for local communities
The Añangu Kichwa Community is organized in such a way that its decisions are collectively taken and adopted by their members through mechanisms of direct participation, that confer legitimacy on their representatives. All Community members are free and equal.
The highest body of the community is the General Assembly, which is in charge of dictating general guidelines, policies and rules, covering all relevant areas, like economic development and conservation.
Community meets during ordinary and extraordinary assemblies, in order to take democratic decisions. Each active member has the right to vote.
The Government Council, is elected by the General Assembly, and will be in charge of managing natural resources, developing of life plan, programs and projects of integral development and sustainability, with the objective of improving the quality of life of the Añangu. All decisions related to the touristic projects are exclusively under the control of the Community.
General Assembly, made the decision to completely ban hunting and fishing within the assigned land, in order to contribute to the conservation of the Yasuní National Park and to build the most attractive place for the visitor.
The Kichwa Añangu Community promotes regional development projects with the neighboring communities, with the aim of integrating them and to allow them to achieve sustainable development.