Awards, Accreditations and Partnerships

RECOGNITION FOR POD VOLUNTEER

Pod Volunteer is an award winning non-profit organisation arranging ethical, inspiring and supported volunteering opportunities around the world

Volunteering Organisation of the Year UK - 2024/5

Pod Volunteer has won Volunteering Organisation of the Year (UK) at the Corporate LiveWire Global Awards.

Volunteering Organisation of the Year UK - 2024/5

Best International Volunteer Organisation UK - 2024

Pod Volunteer has been awarded Best International Volunteer Organisation 2024 UK at the Non-Profit Organisation Awards (Acquisition International Magazine).

Best International Volunteer Organisation UK - 2024

Volunteer Organisation of the Year - 2024/25

Pod Volunteer is the winner of Volunteer Organisation of the Year at the Central England Prestige Awards, judged by a panel of industry experts.

Volunteer Organisation of the Year - 2024/25

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

British Youth Travel Awards – Pod Volunteer has won Best Volunteering Organisation again! We have won Best Volunteering Organisation in 2019, 2017 and 2015.

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

Innovative New Program Award

Our Community Development project in Ghana was selected by GoAbroad as a finalist in the category of Innovative New Program – Volunteer Abroad in 2024. 

Innovative New Program Award

Community Volunteer Organisation of the Year - 2023/24

Pod Volunteer is the winner of Community Volunteer Organisation of the Year at the Central England Prestige Awards, judged by a panel of industry experts.

Community Volunteer Organisation of the Year - 2023/24

Travel & Hospitality Awards

Pod Volunteer is the winner of Learning Experience of the Year 2020 UK at the Travel & Hospitality awards - globally recognising the best tour operators.

Travel & Hospitality Awards

Volunteering Company of the Year

Pod Volunteer has been shortlisted for Volunteering Company of the Year in the iStudy Awards 2019/20. 

Volunteering Company of the Year

Innovative New Program Award

Our Community Development project in Ghana was selected by GoAbroad as a finalist in the category of Innovative New Program – Volunteer Abroad in 2020. 

Innovative New Program Award

Global Youth Travel Awards

Our Marine Conservation project in Thailand received an award in the Outstanding Volunteer Project category at the Global Youth Travel Awards.

Global Youth Travel Awards

Volunteering Company of the Year

Pod Volunteer has won Volunteering Company of the Year in the iStudy Awards 2018/19. 

Volunteering Company of the Year

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

British Youth Travel Awards – Pod Volunteer has won the award for Best Volunteering Organisation of 2017! We also won in 2015 and were a finalist in 2014.

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

Global Youth Travel Awards

Our community projects in Ghana received an award in the Outstanding Volunteer Project category at the Global Youth Travel Awards.

Global Youth Travel Awards

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

British Youth Travel Awards – Pod Volunteer has won the award for Best Volunteering Organisation of 2015!

Best Volunteering Organisation Award

Global Youth Travel Awards

Our Marine Conservation project in Thailand received an award in the Outstanding Volunteer Project category at the Global Youth Travel Awards.

Global Youth Travel Awards

Best Volunteering Organisation

British Youth Travel Awards – Pod Volunteer has won a finalist award in the Best Volunteering Organisation 2014 category.

Best Volunteering Organisation

Glasgow Declaration

As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, we commit to deliver plans aligned with the pathways to cut tourism emissions in half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.

Glasgow Declaration

Climate Hub

Pod Volunteer is a member of the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that empowers small to medium sized companies to take climate action.

Climate Hub

Right Tourism

We have pledged to work with Right Tourism, an organisation which helps people to stay animal-friendly whilst travelling.

Right Tourism

Tourism Concern

Tourism Concern works for ethical and fairly traded tourism and has created an Ethical Volunteering Group of which we are a member.

Tourism Concern

International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals

Claws Out Pledge - Pod Volunteer was one of the first organisations to work alongside IAPWA (International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals) on a campaign to help end the exploitation of captive lions.

International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals

Responsible Travel

We are a member of Responsible Travel, the leading platform fortour operators committed to responsible tourism. All members are vetted and need to provide evidence of responsible tourism.

Responsible Travel

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Pod Volunteer is an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which is the world’s leading achievement award for young people, delivered under special licence by partners.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Year Out Group

We are a member of Year Out Group, an association of leading gap year providers who are subjected to a rigorous membership process and must maintain the agreed standards.

Year Out Group

Pharos

Pod Volunteer is a member of Pharos, crisis management experts who are on-call to provide support in case of an emergency

Pharos

Goodnet

Goodnet has featured us in their "10 Incredible Volunteer Abroad Organizations You Should Know".

Goodnet

FCDO Travel Aware

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Travel Aware campaign is designed to help travellers stay safe and healthy abroad.

FCDO Travel Aware

ABTOT

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection for our customer prepayments, satisfying obligations under the Package Travel Regulations.

ABTOT

AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS