Supplier Code of Conduct

1.1 This Supplier Code of Conduct establishes the minimum standards VMT expects from suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, guides, drivers, accommodation providers, activity operators, transport providers, agents and other third parties providing services to VMT or its travellers.

1.2 VMT refers to VISIT MOROCCO TOURS LTD as “VMT”, “we”, “us” or “our”.

1.3 “Supplier” means any person or organisation providing, arranging, subcontracting or supporting a travel service supplied through VMT.

1.4 This Code applies to suppliers whether engaged directly or through an intermediary, to the extent relevant to the services provided.

1.5 Suppliers must comply with applicable Moroccan law and other applicable laws governing their activities.

1.6 Where a supplier contract imposes a higher standard than this Code, the contractual standard also applies.

1.7 Where mandatory law imposes a higher standard, mandatory law prevails.

1.8 Acceptance of this Code might form part of VMT's supplier approval and contracting process.

2.1 Suppliers must conduct business honestly, professionally and lawfully.

2.2 Suppliers should provide services:

a. safely;

b. professionally;

c. accurately;

d. in accordance with the agreed specification;

e. with reasonable care and skill;

f. with respect for travellers and workers.

2.3 Suppliers must not knowingly provide false information to VMT.

2.4 Suppliers must notify VMT of material changes affecting their ability to provide contracted services.

3.1 Suppliers must comply with applicable laws and regulations relevant to their services.

3.2 Depending on the service, this might include requirements concerning:

a. tourism;

b. transport;

c. accommodation;

d. food safety;

e. occupational health and safety;

f. employment;

g. consumer protection;

h. safeguarding;

i. data protection;

j. environmental protection;

k. licensing;

l. taxation;

m. anti-bribery;

n. anti-trafficking;

o. immigration and border requirements where applicable.

3.3 VMT does not require a supplier to comply with a requirement which conflicts with mandatory law.

3.4 Suppliers must promptly notify VMT of any material regulatory action affecting their service.

4.1 Suppliers must hold all licences, permits, registrations and authorisations required by applicable law.

4.2 Where a service legally requires a qualified or licensed professional, the supplier must use appropriately qualified personnel.

4.3 Relevant examples include:

a. licensed tourist guides;

b. appropriately authorised transport operators;

c. qualified activity instructors;

d. accommodation providers meeting applicable requirements.

4.4 Suppliers must not represent themselves as licensed or authorised where they do not hold the relevant status.

4.5 Suppliers must notify VMT if a required licence, permit or authorisation:

a. expires;

b. is suspended;

c. is revoked;

d. becomes subject to material restriction;

e. is materially changed.

5.1 Suppliers should maintain insurance appropriate to the nature, scale and risk of their services.

5.2 Where insurance is required by law, contract, licence or regulatory requirement, the supplier must maintain the required cover.

5.3 Depending on the service, appropriate insurance might include:

a. motor insurance;

b. public liability insurance;

c. employer's liability or equivalent legally required cover;

d. professional liability cover;

e. activity-specific insurance.

5.4 VMT might request evidence of insurance.

5.5 Providing insurance information to VMT does not transfer responsibility for maintaining valid insurance to VMT.

5.6 Suppliers must notify VMT of material cancellation, expiry or restriction of required insurance.

6.1 Suppliers must take reasonable measures to provide services safely.

6.2 Suppliers must maintain safety procedures proportionate to the risks associated with their services.

6.3 Safety arrangements should consider:

a. equipment;

b. vehicles;

c. premises;

d. staff competence;

e. weather;

f. environmental conditions;

g. traveller characteristics;

h. emergency procedures;

i. foreseeable hazards.

6.4 Suppliers must not knowingly provide unsafe equipment or services.

6.5 Suppliers should maintain appropriate inspection and maintenance arrangements.

6.6 Safety instructions must be communicated clearly to travellers where relevant.

7.1 Transport suppliers must comply with applicable Moroccan transport requirements.

7.2 Vehicles used for VMT services should be:

a. legally authorised;

b. appropriately maintained;

c. suitable for the service;

d. reasonably clean;

e. equipped according to applicable legal and safety requirements.

7.3 Drivers must hold the licences and qualifications required for the vehicle and service.

7.4 Drivers must not operate vehicles while impaired by alcohol, drugs, fatigue or another condition prohibited by law.

7.5 Suppliers must notify VMT of serious vehicle defects affecting traveller safety.

7.6 Passenger capacity must not exceed applicable legal limits.

8.1 Accommodation providers should maintain standards appropriate to their classification and the service sold.

8.2 Accommodation suppliers should maintain reasonable arrangements for:

a. fire safety;

b. emergency procedures;

c. sanitation;

d. security;

e. maintenance;

f. guest safety.

8.3 Suppliers must inform VMT promptly about material changes affecting confirmed bookings.

8.4 Such changes might include:

a. closure;

b. overbooking;

c. significant facility loss;

d. change of property;

e. material reduction in contracted services.

9.1 Activity suppliers must operate activities according to applicable law and reasonable industry safety standards.

9.2 Suppliers must assess foreseeable risks appropriate to the activity.

9.3 Depending on the activity, suppliers should provide appropriate:

a. equipment;

b. instruction;

c. supervision;

d. safety briefings;

e. qualified personnel;

f. emergency procedures.

9.4 Higher-risk activities require appropriately qualified and competent personnel.

9.5 Suppliers must consider relevant age restrictions and participant requirements.

9.6 Suppliers must not knowingly allow a traveller to participate where the supplier reasonably believes participation presents an unacceptable safety risk.

10.1 Suppliers must treat workers with dignity and respect.

10.2 Suppliers must comply with applicable employment and labour laws.

10.3 Suppliers must not knowingly use:

a. forced labour;

b. trafficked labour;

c. unlawful child labour;

d. exploitative recruitment arrangements.

10.4 Workers should receive appropriate information concerning their employment or engagement.

10.5 Suppliers should provide working conditions consistent with applicable health and safety requirements.

11.1 Suppliers must not use or knowingly benefit from slavery, servitude, forced labour or human trafficking.

11.2 Suppliers should take reasonable steps to identify and prevent exploitation within their operations.

11.3 Suppliers should apply appropriate controls to higher-risk subcontracting and recruitment arrangements.

11.4 VMT might request information concerning labour practices where a material risk exists.

11.5 Serious concerns might result in suspension or termination of the supplier relationship.

12.1 Suppliers must comply with applicable child-protection laws.

12.2 Suppliers must not knowingly facilitate child exploitation.

12.3 Suppliers involved in services involving children should maintain appropriate safeguarding arrangements.

12.4 Suppliers must not engage children in unlawful or unsafe work.

12.5 Where VMT identifies a serious safeguarding concern, VMT might suspend a service pending investigation.

13.1 Suppliers must comply with applicable anti-bribery laws.

13.2 Suppliers must not offer, request or accept improper payments connected with VMT services.

13.3 Suppliers must not make unofficial payments to obtain preferential treatment for VMT or VMT travellers.

13.4 Suppliers must not use intermediaries to conceal improper payments.

13.5 Suppliers must not offer VMT personnel personal benefits in exchange for preferential treatment.

13.6 VMT's Ethical Business, Anti-Bribery and Modern Slavery Policy forms part of the broader standards expected from suppliers.

14.1 Suppliers must treat VMT travellers professionally and respectfully.

14.2 Suppliers must not:

a. harass travellers;

b. threaten travellers;

c. discriminate unlawfully;

d. exploit travellers financially;

e. intentionally mislead travellers;

f. request improper payments;

g. pressure travellers to purchase unrelated services;

h. expose travellers knowingly to unreasonable risks.

14.3 Suppliers should respect traveller privacy and dignity.

14.4 Suppliers must not intentionally misrepresent optional services as mandatory.

15.1 Customary gratuities are not automatically prohibited.

15.2 Suppliers and their personnel must not demand or pressure travellers to provide tips.

15.3 Suppliers must not represent a personal payment as a mandatory VMT charge unless VMT has expressly authorised such charge.

15.4 Any mandatory fees should be communicated accurately.

16.1 Suppliers should treat travellers and workers fairly.

16.2 Suppliers must comply with applicable anti-discrimination laws.

16.3 VMT expects suppliers to avoid discriminatory treatment based on legally protected characteristics.

16.4 Reasonable service adaptations should be considered where required by law or agreed with VMT.

17.1 Suppliers should provide reasonable information concerning accessibility.

17.2 Suppliers must not falsely describe a service as accessible.

17.3 Suppliers should identify relevant limitations before service delivery.

17.4 Where a traveller has disclosed an accessibility requirement to VMT and VMT has communicated the requirement to the supplier, the supplier should take reasonable steps to accommodate the agreed requirement.

17.5 Safety requirements remain applicable.

18.1 Suppliers might receive traveller information from VMT.

18.2 Suppliers must process personal data lawfully and only for legitimate purposes connected with the service.

18.3 Suppliers must not:

a. sell traveller information;

b. use traveller information for unrelated marketing without an appropriate legal basis;

c. disclose traveller information without authority;

d. retain information indefinitely without justification.

18.4 Suppliers must maintain appropriate security measures.

18.5 Suppliers must promptly notify VMT of suspected personal-data breaches involving VMT traveller information.

18.6 Where applicable, supplier contracts will define the supplier's role as processor, controller or independent third party.

19.1 Suppliers must protect confidential VMT and traveller information.

19.2 Confidential information must not be disclosed unless:

a. authorised;

b. legally required;

c. necessary to provide the contracted service.

19.3 Confidentiality obligations continue after termination where applicable.

20.1 Suppliers should comply with applicable environmental laws.

20.2 Suppliers should take reasonable steps to reduce unnecessary environmental impact.

20.3 Depending on the service, appropriate measures might include:

a. reducing unnecessary waste;

b. responsible water use;

c. avoiding unnecessary pollution;

d. responsible waste disposal;

e. protecting natural areas;

f. avoiding disturbance to wildlife;

g. reducing unnecessary vehicle use where practical.

20.4 VMT does not require suppliers to make claims concerning environmental performance which they cannot substantiate.

21.1 Suppliers should respect Moroccan communities, cultural heritage and local customs.

21.2 Suppliers should avoid activities which unlawfully damage or exploit cultural heritage.

21.3 Suppliers should support responsible interaction between travellers and local communities.

21.4 Suppliers must not exploit local communities for misleading tourism experiences.

22.1 Suppliers involved in animal-related tourism should comply with applicable animal-welfare requirements.

22.2 Suppliers should avoid unnecessary cruelty, abuse or neglect.

22.3 Where an activity creates material animal-welfare concerns, VMT might review or withdraw the service.

22.4 Suppliers must not misrepresent animal-welfare conditions to VMT or travellers.

23.1 Suppliers must promptly notify VMT of serious incidents affecting VMT travellers.

23.2 Reportable incidents include, where relevant:

a. serious injury;

b. death;

c. serious illness;

d. missing traveller;

e. serious vehicle accident;

f. fire;

g. serious criminal incident;

h. safeguarding concern;

i. suspected trafficking;

j. serious supplier failure;

k. significant data breach;

l. major security event.

23.3 Initial notification should occur as soon as reasonably possible.

23.4 The supplier should provide factual information and cooperate with reasonable follow-up.

24.1 Suppliers must cooperate reasonably with emergency procedures.

24.2 Suppliers should provide appropriate assistance within their competence during emergencies.

24.3 Suppliers must not obstruct reasonable emergency response.

24.4 Where immediate emergency action is required, protecting life and safety takes priority.

25.1 Suppliers must not subcontract material elements of VMT services without VMT's prior approval where the supplier contract requires approval.

25.2 Suppliers remain responsible for approved subcontractors to the extent provided by contract and applicable law.

25.3 Subcontractors should meet standards equivalent to those contained in this Code.

25.4 Suppliers must not use undisclosed subcontractors to circumvent VMT's supplier requirements.

26.1 Suppliers must provide accurate information when accepting VMT bookings.

26.2 Suppliers must honour confirmed services according to the agreed booking terms.

26.3 Suppliers should confirm material booking information accurately.

26.4 Suppliers must notify VMT promptly of:

a. inability to provide a confirmed service;

b. significant changes;

c. overbooking;

d. closure;

e. licensing problems;

f. safety concerns;

g. material price changes;

h. operational restrictions.

27.1 Suppliers must not materially alter confirmed services without notifying VMT.

27.2 Where a material change is unavoidable, the supplier should provide VMT with:

a. the reason;

b. proposed alternative;

c. timing;

d. material differences;

e. additional costs, if applicable.

27.3 VMT will determine appropriate customer communication and contractual action.

28.1 Suppliers must not use VMT customer information to solicit direct bookings outside the agreed VMT relationship where prohibited by contract.

28.2 Suppliers must not intentionally circumvent VMT to avoid agreed commissions or contractual arrangements.

28.3 This provision does not prevent a supplier from responding to a customer independently where no contractual restriction applies.

28.4 Any non-circumvention obligation must be interpreted consistently with applicable competition and contract law.

29.1 Suppliers must provide accurate invoices.

29.2 Suppliers must not:

a. create false charges;

b. duplicate charges;

c. conceal mandatory fees;

d. misrepresent commissions;

e. manipulate booking records;

f. submit fraudulent expenses.

29.3 VMT might dispute charges which do not correspond with the agreed service.

30.1 VMT might conduct proportionate supplier checks.

30.2 Checks might involve:

a. business registration;

b. licences;

c. insurance;

d. safety documentation;

e. qualifications;

f. references;

g. supplier policies;

h. incident records;

i. relevant certifications.

30.3 The level of verification will depend on the nature and risk of the service.

30.4 VMT does not guarantee that every supplier or subcontractor will be independently audited at every stage.

31.1 VMT might request reasonable evidence concerning compliance with this Code.

31.2 A supplier should respond within a reasonable period.

31.3 Excessive or irrelevant information requests should not be imposed merely for administrative purposes.

32.1 Where VMT identifies a breach, VMT might request corrective action.

32.2 Corrective action might include:

a. additional training;

b. replacement of personnel;

c. safety improvements;

d. documentation updates;

e. improved safeguarding;

f. additional monitoring;

g. suspension of a service.

33.1 Serious breaches might include:

a. bribery;

b. deliberate fraud;

c. serious customer abuse;

d. serious safety failures;

e. human trafficking;

f. forced labour;

g. child exploitation;

h. deliberate concealment of a serious incident;

i. falsification of licences or insurance;

j. serious data breaches;

k. deliberate circumvention of VMT's contractual arrangements.

34.1 A breach of this Code might result in:

a. corrective action;

b. additional verification;

c. suspension of bookings;

d. suspension of the supplier;

e. withholding of disputed payments where contractually and legally permitted;

f. removal from approved supplier status;

g. termination of the supplier agreement;

h. recovery of losses where legally and contractually permitted;

i. reporting to authorities where required.

35.1 VMT might immediately suspend a supplier or service where reasonably necessary to protect:

a. traveller safety;

b. children;

c. vulnerable persons;

d. workers;

e. personal data;

f. VMT's legal interests.

35.2 Immediate suspension does not automatically determine whether a contractual breach has occurred.

35.3 VMT will assess the situation and take appropriate contractual and legal action.

36.1 VMT might terminate a supplier relationship for material breach according to the supplier contract.

36.2 Termination might occur where a supplier:

a. loses a legally required licence;

b. commits serious fraud;

c. engages in bribery;

d. engages in exploitation;

e. creates serious and unmanaged safety risks;

f. repeatedly fails to meet agreed standards;

g. seriously breaches confidentiality or data-protection obligations.

36.3 Contractual termination rights remain subject to applicable law.

37.1 VMT expects suppliers to cooperate with investigations concerning customer complaints.

37.2 Suppliers should preserve relevant evidence.

37.3 Suppliers must not intimidate or retaliate against customers who raise genuine concerns.

37.4 VMT might request corrective action following a substantiated complaint.

38.1 Suppliers should maintain records necessary to demonstrate compliance with applicable requirements.

38.2 Depending on the service, records might include:

a. licences;

b. insurance;

c. vehicle maintenance;

d. staff qualifications;

e. safety checks;

f. incident reports;

g. booking records;

h. relevant training.

38.3 Records should be retained according to applicable law and contractual requirements.

Responsible Tourism, Environmental and