Change at the top (L-R): Richard Skinner, Justin Francis and Tim Williamson
In their first collective act, joint managing directors Richard Skinner and Tim Williamson said that despite Barclays’ support during the pandemic, Responsible Travel could not overlook the $16 billion the bank reportedly invested in fossil fuels during 2022. The operator has become Unity Trust Bank’s first travel client.
“We’re a values-led company,” said Williamson. “It’s more pressing than ever to ensure those values are baked into every area of our business – and this is one of them.”
It comes after operations director Skinner and customer director Williamson were named joint managing directors of Responsible Travel, with founder and chief executive Justin Francis stepping back into an executive chair role designed to allow him to dedicate more time to activism, speaking and advisory work.
He is also biodiversity lead from the UK’s Council for Sustainable Business and a board director of Responsible Travel partner Saruni Basecamp.