Tuesday, April 13, 2010

1. Natural Habitat Adventures

Boulder, CO

From the Company

Outside editors excerpted this information from the Employer Questionnaire submitted to the Best Companies Group.

Watch a video about Natural Habitat Adventures on Outside Television.

ABOUT
NHA arranges the world's greatest nature expeditions with an aim towards preserving species and protecting fragile habitats. By bringing interested travelers into close contact with nature, and by carefully leaving tourist dollars in the hands of local people who are motivated to protect their local environments, NHA educates visitors and creates an industry designed to change the way humans think about our planet.

COMPANY CULTURE
NHA is, by design, based on fun and adventure. Our daily existence tends to be exciting since we are selling and providing a fun product. With that in mind, NHA gears our daily lives towards fun whenever possible: beer on tap, Friday afternoon clubs, Thanksgiving and Holiday parties, Winterfest (a company ski day by motor coach with families, music, BBQs, and friends), Summerfest (this year it was a three-day Green River rafting trip for staff and family), and more. Additionally, as a company based on meritocracy, management is focused on allowing employees to succeed without the common restraints and restrictions of a normal company. Employees strive to do well on their own, knowing they will be rewarded. By minimizing the daily need to manage tasks, the office and field staff are able to bond as a group of friends and co-adventurers rather than languish as a company of employees and managers.

FLEXIBLE HOURS
Consistent with our normal policy of simply requiring staff to complete their work rather than sit in our office for the sake of being there, we often allow employees the chance to switch their hours in order to take advantage of good ski conditions or the beautiful summer weather here in Colorado. We encourage parents to take at least some time to work from home in order to be closer to their children. Many staff members take advantage of this.

FITNESS BENEFITS
Natural Habitat has a full health club with locker rooms, cardio equipment, weights, showers, etc. We offer daily yoga, Pilates, and exercise classes as well as on-site chiropractic care and subsidized healthy meals at our cafeteria.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
NHA donates to Greenhouse Scholars (provides scholarships for college students), World Wildlife Fund, Maine Audubon Society, Watershed School, St. Benedict's Health, ByKids (encourage arts in youth), Camp Pendleton (supports families of injured or killed soldiers), Boulder Country Day School, Sustainable Travel International and American Red Cross.

GREEN INITIATIVES
One-hundred percent of Natural Habitat's printed materials are made from 100-percent post-consumer recycled paper and printed with soy inks. Over 90 percent of our Natural Habitat Gear is made from recycled plastics and nylons—backpacks, duffle bags, hats, etc. All cotton items are made of 100-percent organic cotton. Originally the building was not constructed to be renewable but we custom fit solar panels to create 75 percent of our energy from the sun. Furthermore, all furniture and fittings were purchased refurbished or created from previous materials. All counter tops are made from sunflower seed shells and fast-generating cork.

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
Natural Habitat Adventures is a meritocracy whereby employees are promoted and compensated based on merit rather than just tenure and the number of degrees they hold. As an adventure travel company the success of each trip is gauged by the travelers in their online trip evaluation forms, which are submitted and immediately distributed to all employees involved in the operation of that trip, resulting in immediate feedback.

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