We’re building a business that stands true to the values we hold close.
Here’s how we’re playing our part in creating a fairer, cleaner world.

Credit: Alex Pflaum

Our Commitment to the Environment

The world needs to move fast to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change. We all leave an impact on the planet, and as a business, we can make a difference.

Business Operations: Comrade Kyiv is built around the principle of celebrating objects already in existence rather than creating something new. But, getting your artwork to its new home creates waste. We’ve sought out suppliers who share the same dedication as us to protecting the environment. All packaging is responsibly sourced, recycled & recyclable or compostable. Our website is hosted on Shopify and AWS which run on between 50-100% renewable energy. All purchasing trips and postage emissions are offset through our partners at Chooose. Read more about our suppliers and how we calculate our carbon footprint here.

Travel: There is no better way to understand other cultures than to visit them. But, ultimately all travel has an impact on the environment. Each of the tours we offer creates between 6.5 and 9.31 tonnes of CO₂e per person. Working with Joro Experiences, who founded the Conscious Travel Foundation, we’ve reduced the average footprint of each tour by 7-12% so far. All remaining unavoidable carbon emissions are offset through our partners at Chooose. Chooose uses that money to capture the equivalent carbon emissions from the atmosphere and store it in stable ways. You can read more about the steps we’ve taken to reduce the carbon footprint of each tour here.

100% recylable packaging100% recylable packaging
Credit: Perry Graham

Our Commitment to Freedom & Equality

We’re respectful of being guests in other countries with different cultures, but won’t stand silent when human rights are violated. In some of the countries I visit, the authorities regularly crack down on the media, harass peaceful protesters, engage in smear campaigns against political rivals, and ban independent foreign organisations.

Our commitment to freedom and equality is unwavering. We donate 1.5% of the price of each tour, and 3% of the price of each artwork to Human Rights Watch, an independent, non-profit NGO that exists to give voice to the oppressed and hold those responsible accountable. Read more about our commitment to freedom and equality for all here.

We work with the communities we take travellers to, to ensure that our tourss have a positive impact. We select local hotels where available, and pay local guides and fixers a fair living wage.

Architecture Across the Ages: Comrade Kyiv donates a further 1.5% of the price of each tour to Blue Shield in Georgia, a network that is committed to the protection of the world’s cultural property. Blue Shield works to restore, conserve and maintain late Soviet Modernism buildings in Georgia. Read more about their work here.

Roads at the Roof of the World: Comrade Kyiv donates a further 1.5% of the price of each tour to the Aga Khan Foundation, an agency dedicated to providing education, food security and providing economic opportunity to the people of Tajikistan. Tajikistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 30% of the population living below the national poverty line. Read more about their work here.

Stairway to the Stars: Comrade Kyiv donates a further 1.5% of the price of each tour to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), the only non-profit organisation in Russia that investigates, reveals and prevents corruption among high-ranking Russian government officials. Read more about their work here.

Footnote: We donate a percentage of revenue instead of profit, quite simply because there isn’t much profit at the moment. We’re a small business, our focus is on growth, but our ethical duty cannot wait. We’ll continue to increase that percentage by 1% every year until 10% of Comrade Kyiv’s revenue is put towards influencing change in 2029.

Human Rights Watch
Chooose
Blue Shield
Aga Khan Foundation
Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK)