Global adventure travel company recognised for creating an inclusive and dynamic work environment
Intrepid Colombo, part of global travel brand Intrepid Travel, has been named on the prestigious 50 Best Places to Work list by independent analysts at Great Place to Work® in Sri Lanka.
This recognition is based on confidential survey data assessing employee experiences of trust, innovation by all, meaningful organization values, and leadership effectiveness. Organizations are also evaluated on how well they are creating a For AllTM workplace experience, where all employees are welcomed and engaged.
Intrepid Travel is a global tour operator, providing sustainable experience-rich travel on all seven continents. The business was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1989 and has experienced global growth over the past 34 years.
This accolade comes just over one year after Intrepid Colombo received its Great Place to Work certification in 2022 and recognises the company’s success in creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. The company has also been certified as Best Place to Work for Women, in recognition of its initiatives to support women in the workplace. The majority of Intrepid’s senior leadership team in Colombo comprises female managers.
“Being named as a top workplace in Sri Lanka is testament to our team’s work to create a welcoming, dynamic and supportive workplace. This would not be possible without the incredible people we have working with us in Colombo and the support of our global team,” says Poornaka Delpachitra, Country General Manager of Intrepid Colombo.
“I’m incredibly proud of every team member and we’re excited to continue to grow our office, as well as bring more customers to Sri Lanka to experience everything our country has to offer.”
Intrepid Colombo was started back in October 2012 to provide IT development services to Intrepid. Since then, it has grown fast into a leading centre of excellence, supporting the global business with IT development and support, as well as supporting a range of other functions including finance, HR and customer service. The company also runs a successful travel and tourism business in Colombo, welcoming customers from all over the world on its small-group travel adventures. Intrepid Colombo has grown fast from a handful of staff to now being the largest of Intrepid’s offices with over 260 staff and tour leaders.
Some of the benefits that Intrepid Colombo’s staff enjoy include one free tour per year, plus five additional days leave to use towards this, enabling employees to experience trips for themselves, meet tour leaders and customers and have the opportunity to explore the world; flexible work schedules, ensuring team members can balance their work with other commitments; and twenty hours of volunteer leave each year to use towards causes that are important to them
Earlier in 2023, Intrepid featured on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies List. This global endorsement recognised the adventure travel company’s innovation in responsible travel and sustainability.