Ethics & Sustainability

Helsinki Cyclo Tour is a small, eco‑friendly cycling tour operator in Helsinki, Finland. Our tours are built around human‑powered mobility, the Finnish forest, local sauna culture, and vegetarian or vegan food. We aim to minimise our impact on the environment and to run every ride with respect for nature, animals, and local communities.

No wildlife exploitation

We have a clear and strict policy on animals:

• We have zero tolerance for captive wild animal encounters, performances, or riding.

• We do not offer or promote activities that involve handling, feeding, petting, riding, or taking photos with wild animals in captivity.

• We do not work with circuses, animal shows, marine parks, or similar attractions that use animals for entertainment.

• On tour, guests are asked to observe wildlife quietly, stay on paths, never feed animals, and avoid disturbing nests or habitats.

• If we encounter domestic animals (for example, dogs at a sauna or on private property), guests should only interact with the owner’s consent and respect the animals’ space and wellbeing.

Our approach follows internationally recognised animal‑welfare standards for tourism, including no use of wild animals for entertainment and no close‑contact experiences where welfare cannot be guaranteed.

You can add this whole block under a heading like “Climate & Net‑Zero Pathway” on your ethics page; it’s written to fit your existing tone and what you actually do.

Climate & Net‑Zero Pathway

As a small, nature‑based tour operator, we know that the most responsible tours are the ones that keep their climate impact as low as possible while still creating meaningful experiences. Helsinki Cyclo Tour is designed from the ground up around low‑carbon choices: human‑powered movement, renewable energy, and easy access by public transport. We follow sector guidance for climate action in tourism and are gradually formalising our own net‑zero pathway as a micro‑business.

Electric mobility, not engines
All our experiences are built around bicycles and electric bicycles, not vans or motorbikes. E‑bikes allow guests of different ages and fitness levels to enjoy longer distances with minimal emissions, while our routes focus on parks, coastline and forest instead of long road transfers. This keeps the operational footprint of each tour very low compared with vehicle‑based sightseeing.

100% renewable electricity
Our meeting point and storage operate under a 100% green electricity contract, so the energy used to charge our e‑bikes, power our lights and run our base is sourced from renewable electricity. This is a simple but important way we avoid locking our operations into fossil‑fuel power.

Train‑first access for guests
The tour starts directly in front of a commuter train station, and we actively encourage guests to arrive by train or other public transport rather than taxis or private cars. Getting to and from an activity is often the largest share of a guest’s emissions; by making the meeting point train‑friendly and giving clear instructions, we make it easy to choose the lower‑carbon option.

Next steps: measuring and reducing further
Our next step is to use free climate‑action tools developed for tourism businesses to measure our remaining emissions (for example food, equipment purchases and staff travel), and to set a simple, time‑bound reduction pathway in line with recognised net‑zero guidance for travel and tourism. As a micro‑operator, our focus is on realistic actions we can control: keeping group sizes small, choosing vegetarian or vegan food, extending the life of our bikes and equipment, and favouring local, low‑impact suppliers wherever possible. We will update this page as our climate plan becomes more detailed and as we reach new milestones.

Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
Helsinki Cyclo Tour has applied to become a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. This global initiative brings together tourism organisations that commit to halving emissions by 2030 and reaching net‑zero as soon as possible before 2050.
By joining the Declaration, we commit to preparing and updating a climate action plan, aligning our work with the five pathways of the Declaration (Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate, Finance), and reporting publicly on our progress over time.

Continuous improvement

• We regularly review our routes and partners to make sure they align with these ethics.

• If we find that an activity or partner does not meet our standards on sustainability or animal welfare, we change route or end the cooperation.

• We welcome feedback from guests and partners to help us improve our practices over time.

Contact

Helsinki Cyclo Tour / CycloBikeRide – Luca P. Gentile, Founder
Email: info@helsinkicyclotour.com
Web: www.helsinkicyclotour.com