The Mountain Bureau LLC is a Fair-Trade, Mountain-Guiding outfitter. We strive to create long standing working relationships by providing living-wages, supporting educational and practical standards in the guiding industry, advocating for the environment, and choosing equitable and sustainable business practices. What once was a feeling, steering our company’s principles, has now evolved into a firmly branded standard. When you choose the Mountain Bureau for your next adventure, you can feel good knowing that you are supporting positive change in the guiding industry.
What is Fair-Trade, Living-Wage?
Fair Trade is a standard designed to help businesses achieve sustainable equitable long term working relationships. Members of the fair trade movement assign realistic value to their trade rates in order to align with social and environmental standards.
The goal of a Living-Wage is to allow a worker to afford a basic, but decent, standard of living through employment without government subsidies.
The Mountain Bureau’s Fair Trade, Living Wage Logo was created in 2014 and represents the unity and strength of the guiding community. There are hundreds of historical uses of the “raised fist” symbol, most recently in the Black Lives Matter movement. We recognize and show support for all of those that are oppressed around the world.
Workplace Safety
This standard demands a safe-culture in place directing the elements towards a safe workplace. This starts with clear workplace communication to clients and guides on expectations. This is supported by internal systems and information that best prepares the guide and the client for an upcoming program. This starts with paid-time to prepare the program, standards on equipment checks, mentorship of proper guide planning, oversight of teams in the field, communication during the program, and drafted emergency procedures for the team. In addition the Mountain Bureau LLC hires career guides trained and credentialed by the AMGA and only work within our Scope of Practice.
Compensation
This standard provides all workers with timely and predictable payroll as required by each state. This also includes compensation matching guide’s education and professional training. More, this standard meets the responsibility to compensate the guide based on the risk-profile and the time investment of each assignment. This standard requires the company to checking-in with the staff to ensure the compensation is adequate, transparent, and equal in spite of race, sex, or age.
Expenses
The guiding industry has an equity deficit with regard to expenses while working. This standard mitigates this deficit by providing compensation for the time & expenses supporting the operation of the business. This means paying guides the time it takes to prep longer outings, worker travel, and covering the related expenses to run the program. This could include mileage, accommodations, program equipment and trip per diems, map work, navigation and conditions preparation.
Transparency
This is a standard that focuses on transparent and advanced written communication with respect to the compensation and assignment details. Transparency also includes positive mentorship around real workplace exposures and options for specific types of financial securities such as disability insurance. Employer must comply with state law and clearly post resources for employee rights and resources available to them.