Gender equality

At Intrepid, we know that our strength comes through our differences and the freedom for everyone to be themselves – locals, leaders and travellers alike.

We have a history of championing gender equality and inclusiveness – through our business, with our people, on our trips and via our not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation.

Empowering women across our business

Intrepid has been a signatory of the UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles since 2017. We report on our gender progress annually in our integrated report.

In 2022, we produced a global pay equity report, which indicated the gender pay gap levels in each location by position grade. We have also introduced flexible working, parental leave and breastfeeding policies.

In 2017, we set a goal to double the number of female leaders globally by 2020. While this may not be a difficult target in many countries, in traditional societies such as India and Morocco, recruiting women is a much greater challenge. We met our goal of doubling the number of female tour leaders six months early in 2019. As of 2023, we have 275 female tour leaders and crew, which equates to 30% of our tour leaders.

We’re not just looking inward. As we work towards our next B Corp certification, we are making sure we advance gender equality by working with women-owned businesses in our supply chain.

Intrepid women building a brighter future for travel

The way we travel is changing for the better. And more often than not, it’s women who are leading the charge.

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Meet one of Peru’s first female trekking guides

In the male-dominated world of trekking in Peru, female tour guides are still quite rare – but that didn't faze Ernestina.

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These women are changing the face of trekking in Nepal

An all-female team of trekking leaders and porters is a rare sight in Nepal. But these strong women are changing that.

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Empowering women on our trips

In 2018, we launched Women’s Expeditions – all-female tours led by female guides. These trips are all about breaking down barriers, fostering discussion and creating immersive local experiences for women that are ordinarily off limits on our regular adventures. They include Peru, India, Morocco, and Jordan.

All of our trips aim to provide women employment opportunities through locally-led experiences – from carpet weaving workshops in Pakistan and Turkey to an artisan jewellery business in Zambia – while also supporting female-owned and operated businesses in our supply chain.

Meet the tour leader forging new paths in Pakistan

Times are changing for female travellers in Pakistan, says local leader Aneeqa – and now is the perfect time to visit.

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What it’s like on a Women’s Expedition in India

"This women-only tour was like no other trip I’ve done. Authentic interaction with local women was just the beginning."

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How Siem Reap's hyacinth weavers are changing lives

We sat down with the founder of Cambodian non-profit, Rokhak, to find out how invasive weeds can be used for good.

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Amplifying women's voices

We know representation matters. That’s why we ensure we feature women’s voices and highlight the many achievements of our female community on our platforms. These actions are guided by our Ethical Marketing Policy – which includes a commitment to working with diverse content creators – and measured with regular reporting.

Meet Annette, the body positive traveller

Annette is the creator of Fat Girls Traveling and helped us to create Intrepid's very first Ethical Marketing Policy.

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What I learned as a queer traveller in Jordan

Visiting a conservative country like Jordan as a queer woman was a big decision for Intrepid traveller Lauren.

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Morag's disability won’t stop her from seeing the world

A hit and run left Morag dealing with disability during a pandemic. Here's how travel helped her rediscover herself.

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Empowering women via The Intrepid Foundation

Intrepid’s approach to gender equality is further deepened in the communities we support through The Intrepid Foundation. A common thread among many of our community partners is their approach to embedding women’s empowerment across their operations – from supporting girls' education in Morrocco to empowering marginalised women in Nepal.

We invest in organisations that put gender equality at the core of their operations and understand that the key to creating real, meaningful change requires women’s voices to be heard, as well as their participation and leadership.