Human Rights & Anti-Slavery Policy

Policy Statement

Journey Morocco operates in regions and sectors where mobility, hospitality services, and informal labor structures can present heightened risk of modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, and related exploitation if not actively governed. We recognize our responsibility to prevent, identify, and respond to these risks within our operations and across our supply chain.

This policy establishes Journey Morocco’s mandatory framework for safeguarding human rights and preventing modern slavery, governing partner selection, employment standards, field conduct, and reporting obligations. Its purpose is to ensure that individuals engaged through Journey Morocco are employed voluntarily, treated with dignity, paid a verified living wage, and granted unrestricted freedom of movement, without coercion, intimidation, or document retention.

Human rights and anti-slavery protections are treated as operational requirements. Compliance with this policy is enforced through mandated reporting, supply-chain oversight, partner audits, and enforcement action. Corrective measures apply solely to administrative or procedural non-compliance and are not available for exploitative or criminal conduct. No commercial consideration, itinerary design, or guest request may override these standards.

---

1. Purpose and Scope

This policy establishes the mandatory standards by which Journey Morocco prevents, identifies, and responds to human trafficking, modern slavery, forced labor, child exploitation, and related human-rights abuses.

The policy applies without exception to:

• All Journey Morocco employees and officers

• All Destination Management Companies (DMCs)

• All subcontractors, vendors, operators, and suppliers

• All itineraries, regions, seasons, and service tiers

Compliance with this policy is a condition of engagement and continued partnership.

---

2. Zero-Tolerance Governance Model

Journey Morocco prohibits all forms of modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, and exploitation within its operations and supply chain.

Under this Zero-Tolerance Governance Model, all individuals engaged through Journey Morocco must:

• Be employed voluntarily

• Be paid a verified living wage

• Retain unrestricted freedom of movement

• Not be subjected to coercion, intimidation, or document retention

Any conduct inconsistent with these requirements constitutes a material breach of this policy.

---

3. Mandated Reporting and Field Vigilance

All Journey Morocco personnel, including chauffeurs, airport coordinators, operations staff, and field guides, are designated as Mandated Observers.

3.1 Identification Obligations

Personnel are trained to identify indicators of trafficking, forced labor, or coercive practices, including:

• Psychological intimidation, dependency, or control

• Restricted movement, supervision, or isolation

• Withholding of passports, identity cards, or travel documents

• Scripted, monitored, or fearful communication

• Signs of physical abuse, exhaustion, or confinement

3.2 Reporting Obligations

Where exploitation is suspected, personnel are contractually required to:

• Immediately notify the Independent Ethics, Welfare & Compliance Officer

• Cooperate with lawful reporting to competent local authorities and recognized human-rights organizations

Failure to report suspected exploitation constitutes a breach of employment or contractual duty and may result in disciplinary action or termination.

---

4. Ethical Sourcing and Supply-Chain Controls

Journey Morocco does not engage in or tolerate informal labor models that obscure accountability or increase vulnerability to exploitation.

4.1 Operator and Partner Eligibility

Journey Morocco engages only with operators and partners who demonstrably enforce ethical treatment of people, including compliance with labor, wage, and freedom-of-movement standards consistent with this policy.

4.2 Cooperative Engagement Standards

Approved cooperatives must:

• Be independently governed and woman-led where applicable

• Demonstrate direct-to-worker profit distribution

• Maintain transparent financial records

Demonstration-only or performative cooperatives are excluded.

4.3 Workshop and Atelier Audits

Unannounced audits may be conducted at workshops, tanneries, kilns, and similar environments to verify:

• Absolute prohibition of child labor

• Voluntary employment practices

• Working conditions aligned with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards

Failure to meet these requirements results in immediate suspension or termination of the partnership.

---

5. Living Wage and Employment Standards

Journey Morocco prioritizes partnerships that provide:

• A verified living wage exceeding the national SMIG

• Enrollment in applicable social-security systems

• Formal written employment contracts

These requirements are enforced to prevent wage withholding, debt bondage, and economic coercion.

---

6. Protection of Minors

Journey Morocco adheres to The Code: The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism.

The following are prohibited without exception:

• Orphanage tourism

• Visits to unregulated educational or child-centred facilities

• Any activity that facilitates access to minors outside a regulated safeguarding framework

Personnel are trained to prevent the use of Journey Morocco services, accommodations, or transport for purposes of child exploitation.

Any violation involving minors results in immediate termination of the relationship and referral to competent authorities.

---

7. Governance and Oversight

Journey Morocco appoints an Independent Ethics, Welfare & Compliance Officer with authority to:

• Conduct audits and investigations

• Review payroll, employment, and labor practices of Tier-1 suppliers

• Suspend or permanently terminate non-compliant partners

• Escalate violations directly to executive leadership

• Liaise with regulatory bodies and anti-trafficking organizations

This function operates independently of commercial, sales, and operational management.

---

8. Enforcement and Sanctions

Violations of this policy are enforced as follows:

Tier 1 — Administrative Non-Compliance

Applies only to procedural or documentation failures that do not involve exploitation, coercion, or abuse.

• Mandatory corrective action within 30 days

• Required retraining

Tier 2 — Exploitative or Material Violations

Applies to conduct involving wage withholding, document retention, coercive labor conditions, or other exploitative practices.

• Immediate contract termination

• Permanent exclusion from future partnerships

Criminal Violations

Applies to modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, child labor, or any criminal offense.

• Immediate termination

• Referral to competent judicial and regulatory authorities

There are no probationary periods for exploitative or criminal conduct.
Corrective action shall never be used in response to modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, or child exploitation.

---

9. Training and Certification

No employee or partner may operate on behalf of Journey Morocco without completing Annual Human Rights and Modern Slavery Awareness Certification, covering:

• Identification of labor trafficking within hospitality and transport sectors

• Ethical engagement with artisanal and informal-economy communities

• Cultural competency requirements to ensure operational standards do not undermine human dignity

Certification status is monitored and enforced.

---

10. Guest Conduct and Authority

Journey Morocco reserves the right to suspend or terminate services if a guest:

• Encourages or attempts to engage in exploitative labor practices

• Requests access to environments associated with unethical or unlawful practices

• Disregards guide instructions relating to ethical conduct or safeguarding

Guides and field staff are authorized to intervene, reroute, or terminate services immediately where necessary to ensure compliance with this policy.

---

11. Records and Policy Review

Records

Journey Morocco maintains formal records of compliance audits, partner assessments, incident reports, and enforcement actions in accordance with internal governance and retention requirements.

Policy Review

This policy is subject to formal review on an annual basis and may be amended as required to maintain compliance with applicable laws, regulatory obligations, and recognized international human-rights and labor frameworks.