sustainable business travel policy

Five ways to build a sustainable business travel policy

By Paljor Lama, Senior Consultant

A sustainability-focused business travel policy can be a powerful tool – not only to influence your organization’s carbon footprint but also to provide your employees with the support they need to be able to carry out their responsibilities safely and effectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the global economy have taken sustainable business travel practices from being an important consideration to an essential one. Building a sustainable business travel program encompasses everything from reducing overall emissions and working with sustainable suppliers and carbon offset partners, to ensuring the right communications strategy is in place to secure traveler buy-in.

Here are five ways to incorporate sustainability into your travel policy to make sure you’re ready as the landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and we enter into the new future of travel.

Provide guidance on how to access virtual collaboration tools and who to reach out to for support.

Employees want to do the right thing. Better equip them to replace travel with virtual alternatives. In your policy, detail the communications tools that are available and provide relevant links to access them as well as any training materials that may be available.

This is also an opportunity to provide guidelines on how to create an engaging virtual meeting experience and maximize participant engagement. Provide tips like learning everyone’s names and using them, waiting longer for input, and listening actively. Finally, provide clear guidelines on reimbursable communications expenses to empower employees to encourage them to utilize technology and teleconferencing in lieu of travel.

Strongly discourage one or two-day trips.

Short trips and internal travel are the most easily replaced by virtual tools. Limiting travel to essential trips that are several days long or combining several trips into one will minimize your traveler’s risk and fulfilling your duty of care requirements, while also helping to reduce emissions and increase productivity. Because travel is typically the biggest contributor to an organization’s environmental footprint, reducing the number of trips will contribute to achieving overall sustainability and corporate social responsibility goals.

Download our latest report!

Explore the cutting-edge strategies Advito’s using today to help clients build a sustainable business travel program.

Include a “stay or go” decision tree in the policy and ensure that the logic permeates all facets of the guidelines.

This provides travelers with guidance on sustainable options while keeping them engaged in the decision-making process. Include guidance on selecting meeting venues with considerations of optimum locations and routing. Consider reinforcing this tactic with some statistics throughout the year. Communicate with relatable numbers, like “If we reduce travel by X%, we could save $$$, X in carbon emissions and X time spent on the road.”

Put employee well-being front-and-center.

Elevate the traveler experience by making their best interests the priority. Actively educate that travel alternatives will not only generate savings but also improve employee work-life balance, along with their overall well-being. Consider targeting road warriors, educating them on the negative effects of frequent travel.

Influence travelers to make lower carbon emission choices.

Integrating sustainability messaging into your employee engagement strategy is the best way to give them the information they need at the right time in the decisions making process. Consider creating assets to communicate messaging like:

Consider trains before planes. Trains are more energy-efficient per passenger mile than planes or cars, making them one of the most eco-friendly transportation options (outside of walking or riding bikes).
If you do need to fly, choose a newer aircraft, and fly direct instead of connecting. Newer aircrafts burn significantly lower fuel (look for Boeing 787, Airbus 321 NEO or the Airbus 350) and so do direct flights. Choosing both will mitigate your carbon impact.
When possible, utilize public transport or rent electrical vehicles.
Look for green-certified accommodations.

Incorporating these sustainability elements into your travel policy will not only improve employee and public affinity to your organization, but also future fit your program to minimize disruptions and maximize employee safety and productivity. Make travel an integral part of achieving your organization’s sustainability goals.

How to create a sustainable travel policy for businesses

As 2024 unfolds, the urgency of sustainability has taken center stage, pushing many businesses to rethink their strategies and practices. One of the main areas feeling this shift? Corporate travel.

It’s no longer enough to make business travel decisions solely based on cost and convenience. With only a third of companies incorporating business travel into their sustainability programs, and the market expected to grow by 188% globally by 2028, the call to inject some environmental responsibility into these choices is louder than ever.

This Academy post will give you everything you need to develop an effective sustainable travel policy for your company.

Discover why these policies are important, how they can benefit your business, and follow our step-by-step guide to creating your own. Plus, we’ve even thrown in a handy sustainable travel policy template so you can get started today – no excuses!

Why do businesses need a sustainable travel policy in 2024?

While travel will always remain an important part of conducting business, we can't ignore its impact on the environment.

With transport accounting for around a quarter of the world's CO2 emissions , and aviation alone responsible for 2-3% , it's clear we need to make changes. For businesses, this means putting in place a sustainable travel policy to reduce their environmental footprint and help in the collective fight against climate change.

And it’s not just an environmental imperative – there’s also growing pressure from consumers, investors, and employees for businesses to operate responsibly.

IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV) study found that two out of three respondents say they’re more willing to apply for (67%) and accept (68%) jobs from environmentally sustainable companies.

Governments worldwide are also getting stricter about environmental rules, including mandates directed at corporate travel.

The EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) , for example, requires companies to report on their environmental impact. Since corporate travel can make up a large part of your carbon footprint, having a sustainable travel policy can help your business reduce emissions, comply with regulations, and avoid nasty penalties.

Besides environmental responsibility and responding to stakeholder expectations, adopting a sustainable travel policy offers many advantages for your business.

From cutting costs to enhancing your reputation and future-proofing your business, there are plenty of ways a sustainable travel policy is good for business. We'll dive into these benefits in more detail soon.

What exactly is a sustainable business travel policy?

A sustainable business travel policy is a set of guidelines that outlines how your employees can travel for work in a way that reduces environmental impact.

It should cover various topics, such as minimizing travel frequency, choosing eco-friendly transportation modes, and supporting accommodations and vendors that adhere to sustainability standards.

The goal is to balance business needs with environmental responsibility and employee well-being.

Sustainable travel policy template

Ready to make your company’s travel more sustainable? Coolset's sustainable travel policy template is what you’ve been looking for.

With our template, you can:

Figure out simple ways to cut down on travel emissions
Find and suggest greener travel choices to your employees
Create a travel policy that fits with your overall sustainability strategy

Download our free template below and start your journey toward more sustainable corporate travel practices today.

Benefits of adopting sustainable travel practices for businesses

Adopting sustainable travel practices can bring about a wide array of benefits for your business. Here’s a closer look at these advantages:

Cost savings

Implementing a sustainable travel policy isn’t just good for the environment, it’s also great for your bottom line. By optimizing travel plans and reducing the frequency of trips, you can conserve resources and cut down on expenses.

Positive brand perception

Today’s consumers, investors, and employees prefer to engage with environmentally responsible businesses. NIQ’s Green Divide report from 2023 revealed that 70% of consumers now place more importance on sustainability when choosing brands compared to two years ago.

By implementing a sustainable travel policy, you’re not just reducing your carbon footprint, but you’re also enhancing your brand’s appeal and credibility.

Regulatory compliance

As governments worldwide enforce stricter environmental regulations, implementing a sustainable travel policy can help you to comply and avoid any potential legal issues.

The EU’s CSRD requires companies to report on their environmental impact as early as this year. So, there’s no time like the present to begin planning your decarbonization journey – and corporate travel is a good place to start.

Future-proofing the business

Sustainability has shifted from a nice-to-have to a standard business practice. By adopting sustainable travel practices now, your business can stay ahead of the curve and be prepared for what’s ahead.

How to create a sustainable travel policy

Creating a sustainable travel policy involves a series of strategic steps, from rethinking how and where we travel to embracing technology and monitoring our progress. Let’s break it down:

1. Evaluate business travel methods and destinations

The first step to creating your sustainable travel policy is getting a good grasp of your current travel situation. Take time to evaluate the necessity and frequency of business trips and consider alternatives. Could you choose more sustainable destinations or meet virtually instead?

You may decide to limit international travel to essential trips only. You could prioritize travel to locations accessible by train rather than plane to reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Encourage virtual meetings

One of the simplest ways to slash travel emissions is to replace physical meetings with virtual meetings. Take advantage of video conferencing and digital communication tools to reduce the need for physical travel and to reduce travel frequency.

3. Plan and coordinate meeting locations

When face-to-face meetings are necessary, select a location that makes sense for as many participants as possible. This can minimize travel distances and save on emissions.

4. Opt for eco-friendly transportation

Encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport like public transport, biking, electric vehicles, carpooling, or even choosing airlines with carbon offset programs.

Providing incentives like discounted public transport cards or free electric vehicle charging at the office can get employees involved and foster a culture of environmental responsibility.

5. Provide easy-to-use digital tools

Use travel booking tools that prioritize the most environmentally friendly hotels and flights. That way, you can rest assured you’re making more sustainable choices without having to spend extra time on research.

6. Offset emissions

Invest in carbon offset programs to compensate for the emissions generated from necessary travel. Partnering with a company like One Tree Planted allows you to invest in reforestation projects equivalent to your travel carbon footprint.

7. Monitor and report

Regularly track and analyze the environmental impact of your business travel and report these findings for continuous improvement. Using a carbon accounting tool like Coolset can help you to accurately track the carbon emissions from corporate travel and automatically generate reports based on your needs.

How to communicate travel policy changes to your employees?

Communication is key when it comes to implementing your new travel policy. Not only will it increase the likelihood of compliance but it can also encourage a culture of sustainability.

Here are some tips on how to do it effectively:

Make an initial announcement : Make a clear and concise announcement about your new travel policy via email, newsletter, or a dedicated meeting.
Provide detailed documentation : Explain the new travel policy in a document or handbook outlining the reasons for the change, the benefits, and specific guidelines.
Offer training : Organize training sessions for employees to understand the new policy thoroughly. Make sure to address how to book travel, what’s expected, and who to contact for questions.
Provide Q&A opportunities : Provide employees with the opportunity to ask questions or express concerns.
Post regular updates and reminders : Post regular updates to keep the policy fresh in the minds of employees. This could be via company meetings, email, or your internal communication platforms.
Encourage feedback : Make it easy for employees to share feedback or suggestions regarding the new policy.
Lead by example: Last but not least, remember to lead by example. Senior management should always adhere to the new policy and doing so will encourage your employees to follow suit.

Download your free sustainable travel policy template

Ready to embrace a greener approach to corporate travel? Discover the perfect tool with Coolset's sustainable travel policy template.

This template empowers you to:

Identify effective strategies to reduce travel-related carbon emissions
Explore and recommend eco-friendly travel options for your team
Craft a travel policy that aligns with your broader sustainability goals

Download our free template below and set the course for a more sustainable, environmentally-conscious business journey.

Ready to make your company’s travel more sustainable?

Coolset's sustainable travel policy template is what you’ve been looking for.

Stay informed

Get the latest updates on events, guides, market trends and product advancements.

The leading sustainability platform for mid-market companies

Streamline sustainability measurements, improvements and compliance in one place.

Business Travel Sustainability: All About “Green” Corporate Travel

What is sustainable business travel?

Simply put, sustainable business travel is traveling in a less environmentally impactful manner. As consumer consciousness grows and government and industry regulations drive changes in the travel industry, corporate travel managers are increasingly responsible for sourcing sustainable vendors and incorporating sustainability into travel programs.

From selecting carbon-neutral travel options to purposeful business travel, sustainability requires the responsible consumption of resources.

5 Ways to implement sustainable business travel

If you’re wondering how to travel sustainably, there are various ways to implement sustainable business travel practices into your corporate travel program. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Implement Purposeful Travel Policies

Adopting a purposeful travel mindset encourages companies to look at travel as an investment rather than a cost. Identify the types of travel your company does and evaluate its importance. Can certain meetings or trips be combined to conserve resources and reduce carbon footprint? Could some business trips be shortened? Is there a way to identify objectives for each business trip to measure effectiveness? Asking these questions and others will help you keep conservation at the heart of your business travel program and make the most of your travelers’ time on the road.

2. Decrease Your Air Travel Carbon Footprint

Sustainability, as it applies to air travel, mostly focuses on decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas “Scope 3” emissions, as categorized by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. These are emissions released by airport operational and employee ground vehicles, airport utilities, and aircraft travel, with the latter accounting for about 50% of total airline Scope 3 emissions.

While a clear, single emissions reporting system is somewhere down the road, there are several simple ways to decrease your air travel carbon footprint in the meantime:

Select greener airline vendors. For travel in 2023, Delta, KLM Royal Dutch, Alaska, Xiamen, Cathay Pacific, and American Airlines received the highest marks .

Opt for greener aircraft. More fuel-efficient planes, planes that use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—a biofuel with a smaller carbon footprint—and planes with lower operating costs fall into the greener aircraft category.

Touted as the most fuel efficient, the Airbus a350-900’s range is 8,000 nautical miles and it can fly for up to 17 hours before refueling. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is about 20% more fuel efficient than comparable aircraft, and the Airbus a320neo is the most fuel efficient single-aisle aircraft.

Book nonstop flights. Direct flights require fewer resources as there are fewer takeoffs and landings and no route overlap between your point of departure and destination.

3. Stay at Hotels that Employ Sustainability Measures

Many pandemic protocols that hotels adapted prevail in the post-COVID-19 environment. Sustainability trends that “stuck” include asking travelers to modify their resource consumption behavior, such as reusing towels and sheets.

Sustainability importance increased significantly in the hotel industry; Marriott’s requests for carbon footprint information almost tripled during the pandemic, an upward trend Hilton Worldwide and IHG Hotels & Resorts also experienced.

As with airlines, there is no single agnostic hotel industry resource for measuring carbon footprints. However, there are sustainability tools hotels can use now, such the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative, the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative, and ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tracking tool.

If you’re investigating more environmentally friendly hotels as part of your travel sustainability requirements, look for your preferred vendor’s green certifications and participations in programs such as LEED, Green Globe, Green Key, Audubon Green Lodging, Green Seal, EarthCheck, and Travelife. Additional sustainability measures to look for include:

Property-wide recycling. This may include standard glass, paper, and cardboard recycling back of house as well as in-room recycling bins and use of recycled paper and donating unused toiletries to local charities.

Resource conservation. Low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads, as well as auditing water use, guest towel and bedsheet reuse, energy efficient light bulbs, and onsite alternative energy sources, such as solar panels, increase hotel stay sustainability.

Emphasis on organics. From coffee to flowers and food and beverage options, use of organics not only lessens chemical impacts on the planet but also supports fair-trade and local vendors.

4. Consider Sustainable Ground Transportation Options

Transportation is the largest contributor of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—about 27% according to the EPA . As industry-governing bodies take more significant measures to increase sustainability and government and private agencies promote the use of alternative energy vehicles, markets are responding accordingly.

The electric car market is projected to increase 12.9% by 2029 and car rental agencies are increasing investments in electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations.

However, EVs remain problematic for business travel except where charging stations are more available. If you’re opting to incorporate electric vehicles as part of your travel sustainability program, check hotels and lots for charging stations or consider EVs when trips require less than 40 miles of driving.

Hybrid vehicles, therefore, may be a more sensible option for increasing the sustainability of your travel program. Hybrids are also more widely available; major car rental companies Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, and SIXT offer hybrid vehicles.

With the Global Business Travel Association projecting a 6.8% increase in business travel car rental costs this year, these alternatives may stretch your ground transportation budget and boost sustainability:

Buddy up. Encourage your travelers to share rental cars when traveling to the same destination, thereby decreasing emissions and costs.

Consider location. Book hotel stays and meeting venues with sustainable travel options in mind. Look for hotels with shuttles, near trains, and within walking distance, as well as public transportation and ride sharing where your risk management program allows.

Negotiate discounts on hybrid vehicles. Revisit your rental car contracts annually to ensure you’re getting optimal rates on greener vehicles.

5. Educate Travelers on Sustainable Business Travel Practices

The number of travelers wanting sustainable options is high—90% according to a consumer study . Of utmost importance to travelers are decreasing environmental impacts and supporting local cultures, communities, and economies.

Inform your business travelers of newly-adopted practices and teach them how to travel sustainably themselves. Organizations can even implement reward programs to encourage adoption of sustainable business travel practices.

And although their itineraries may not include the Galapagos Islands, travelers can tread a little lighter on the planet. This checklist offers ways to increase sustainability on a personal level.

Why is sustainability travel important?

While business travel is often a key measurement of economic success, it’s important to remember that travel also has social and environmental impacts.

For the altruistic, sustainable business travel practices protect and preserve our natural resources for the future. For those more driven by bottom-lines, sustainability sells. Business Insider reports that today’s shoppers “want more than just quality, often looking for products and brands that align with their personal values. … Protecting the environment topped that list.”

While there are many additional reasons to adopt sustainable business travel practices, your team needs to understand why it’s something your company is advocating for. Getting your employees on board with what you are trying to accomplish is the best way to reach your goals of a more environmentally-friendly corporate travel program. Once educated, your business travelers will be more aware of and make greener choices that benefit your company, their travel destination locales, and the environment at large.

How can a travel management company help implement sustainable business travel policies?

Christopherson’s corporate travel experts can help you implement green corporate travel policies that encourage eco-friendly behaviors while traveling.

As your corporate travel management partner, we will collaborate, guide, and assist as you seek out vendor partners who meet your sustainable business travel goals.

Our experienced corporate travel agents and your integrated online booking tool can help travelers book sustainable hotels, flights, and ground transportation.

And our AirPortal technology digitally aligns your entire corporate travel program by integrating those policies and plans so you can succeed.

To learn more about Christopherson, contact us today.

Connect with our team of experienced travel experts to learn how Christopherson can help your business travel with ease.

There's more to learn.

We’ve curated some articles to keep you updated on all things Christopherson Business Travel.

Home » How To Make Business Travel More Sustainable

How To Make Business Travel More Sustainable

Business travel is having a resurgence as the COVID-19 pandemic slows down and in-person events have resumed. Professionals are enjoying face-to-face collaboration and networking after several years of working remotely. In fact, 32% of consumers are planning to travel for business in 2023.

As organizations resume regular business travel, it brings up questions of sustainability and ethics. How should we reduce our impact on the environment while traveling for business? How can we be mindful of the communities we’re visiting and have a positive impact?

Now is the perfect time to rethink the way we travel for work. The public is more aware of sustainability issues than ever. According to a recent report from the Global Business Travel Association , 89% of business travel industry professionals cite sustainability as a priority for their company. This cultural shift means that there are plenty of resources and tools to help your organization implement more sustainable business travel.

What is sustainable travel?

At its core, sustainable travel focuses on minimizing the negative or harmful impacts of travel while simultaneously emphasizing its positive aspects. For business travel, changes typically need to be made on both an individual and organizational level.

Reducing our impact on the environment is one of the most talked-about aspects of sustainable travel. According to the GBTA, the top three sustainability priorities for business travel professionals are emissions reduction, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. Environmentally-friendly behaviors are a key component of any sustainable travel strategy.

Social and cultural considerations are an equally important component of sustainable travel. Mass travel dramatically changes a destination’s economy and culture in both positive and negative ways. Sustainable business travel uplifts the community you’re visiting, rather than creating further challenges for the people who live there.

Ways to make business travel more sustainable

There are many ways to make your business trips more sustainable without compromising on important in-person cooperation. Even small changes to your business travel routine can make a big impact in the long run. Here are 12 of our best sustainable travel practices for business.

1. Book business travel selectively

Before planning a business trip, consider whether there are remote work alternatives. Video conferencing and digital project management tools have made it easier than ever to conduct meetings from anywhere in the world without traveling.

Of course, there will always be important meetings, conferences, and events that need to happen in person. Consider scheduling multiple meetings or events in the same trip when possible. Eliminating unnecessary business trips will give your team more time and energy to focus on essential travel and reduce your corporate carbon footprint.

When deciding whether a trip is essential or not, keep your destination in mind. Some destinations are adversely affected by high volumes of tourism, while others are encouraging travel because of its economic benefits. For example, Barcelona has long struggled with high volumes of visitors, but there are many other cities and towns nearby that work well as alternatives for conferences.

2. Book lower emissions flights

The aviation industry is a significant source of CO2 emissions globally. As of 2018, flying was responsible for 2.5% of global carbon emissions . Booking direct flights will help you reduce your business travel carbon footprint overall.

Not only do direct flights cover shorter distances, but they also reduce the number of takeoffs and landings completed during your trip. Carbon emissions are highest during takeoff and landing. Along with reducing emissions, many business professionals prefer to fly direct. You’ll spend less time in the air and have more time once you arrive at your destination.

Additionally, flying in economy class accounts for fewer emissions overall than business class. Although you’ll have a little less legroom, your individual carbon footprint will be smaller because there are more people on the flight.

When choosing an airline, opt for carriers that have a sustainability strategy in place. For example, some airlines have opted to invest in fuel-efficient planes and sustainable fuel options.

3. Consider eco-friendly transportation alternatives

When planning your trip, consider a variety of different transportation options to find the most eco-friendly choice. If your final destination isn’t too far away, consider taking a train or intercity bus instead of flying. For group trips, carpooling is also an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint, especially if you have access to an electric or hybrid vehicle.

While these alternative modes of transportation may take longer than flying, many people find them more comfortable and less stressful. For example, trains, buses, and cars offer more legroom than plane seats. In some cases, ground transportation is cheaper than flying as well.

4. Walk, bike, or use public transit at your destination

Once you arrive at your destination, skip the rental car or taxi to reduce your emissions. Look for hotels that are within walking distance to the office or event venue where you will be meeting.

Additionally, look for hotels in areas that have public transportation or bike share options and encourage your team to use them. Rideshare apps are a good alternative if public transportation isn’t available.

Look at all of the public transit options in your destination. Many travelers focus entirely on local subway systems, but buses can also be a very effective and affordable way to get from place to place. Many cities also have commuter rail systems, which are very effective if you need to travel to a nearby suburb or town.

5. Invest in carbon offsets

Virtually every form of travel will result in some carbon emissions, even if you use eco-friendly modes of transit. Investing in corporate carbon offsetting will help you balance out the CO2 you create with projects that reduce greenhouse gasses elsewhere.

Our carbon neutral corporate travel program gives businesses a straightforward way to neutralize emissions. First, we’ll calculate your total travel carbon footprint based on all of your transportation and hotel stays. Then, you’ll purchase an appropriate amount of offsets or sign up for an ongoing subscription plan. If you’d prefer to automate the process, our carbon api can be integrated with your corporate travel management software to power carbon measurement and offsetting for each booking.

If your employer doesn’t have an offset program in place, you can still balance out your own business travel emissions. Our online carbon calculator can be used to calculate and offset emissions from one or multiple trips in just a few clicks.

Regardless of how you purchase carbon offsets, the money you spend goes to our mixed portfolio of climate projects . This includes projects like maintaining forests, generating clean renewable energy, or restoring degraded wetlands. These projects fight climate change by removing CO2 from the atmosphere or preventing new emissions from happening.

Along with reducing emissions, these projects also create added benefits for communities and wildlife which can advance your broader ESG goals. Carbon offsets should be utilized alongside decarbonization tactics to minimize your negative impact on the environment and accelerate the global transition to net zero.

6. Choose hotels with environmentally friendly practices

According to the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, hotels need to reduce per-room carbon emissions by 66% by 2030 . Many major hotel chains have already implemented environmentally friendly practices to conserve energy and water and minimize waste.

Single-use plastic is one of the largest sources of waste, so many hotels have switched to bulk toiletries as well as reusable silverware and recycling whenever possible. Additionally, many hotels are using composting to reduce food waste and have altered their on-site menus to be more environmentally friendly.

When selecting hotels for your trip, look into their sustainability practices and use of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal power. For example, many hotels will now only provide new towels and sheets upon request to reduce the amount of laundry they do each day. Many modern hotels also use smart technology that automatically shuts off the lights or turns down the thermostat to cut back on electricity usage.

Environmentally friendly hotels will usually have a detailed sustainability plan on their website. Certifications from LEED and other sustainability organizations are also a positive sign to watch for.

7. Go paperless with your travel documents

Switching from paper to digital travel documents is a simple and convenient sustainability practice. Not only does this reduce paper waste, but it makes travel planning and organizing more efficient.

Most airlines have their own apps where customers can download digital boarding passes and view details for upcoming flights. Some hotel chains also have mobile apps where you can book upcoming stays and view booking confirmations.

For group travel, use cloud-based tools to share itineraries, schedules, and other key pieces of travel information with your entire team. Paper documents often end up lost in the shuffle, while digital documents are easily accessible as long as you have a device with internet access.

8. Support local restaurants and vendors

Eating at local restaurants is one of the best ways to make sure that the community benefits from the dollars you’re spending in their city. Additionally, it’s one of the best ways to get to know the city and give your team an experience that they wouldn’t get at home.

When planning business dinners for your trip, choose restaurants that are owned and operated locally, rather than large chains. Additionally, look for restaurants that offer fair pay and good working conditions for their staff.

If possible, look for restaurants that use locally sourced ingredients, as this lowers the carbon footprint of your meal. Opting for vegetarian or vegan dishes when available is another way to minimize your impact on the planet. In general, eating a vegetarian diet results in about half the carbon emissions of a meat-heavy diet. Even if you’re not fully vegetarian or vegan, cutting meat out of your diet occasionally or eating less beef still makes a difference.

9. Offer reusable water bottles for your team

When you’re on the go, it’s easy to pick up single-use plastic water bottles to stay hydrated. However, even a few plastic water bottles per day on a trip can quickly lead to a large amount of waste.

A fun and easy way to encourage sustainability among your team members while traveling is to provide branded reusable water bottles for travel. Many airports, hotels, and conference centers have water refill stations to encourage sustainability.

Company water bottles are not only sustainable, but they’re a great way to increase your organization’s brand awareness. You can take things even further by offering other reusable branded items, such as lunchboxes or shopping bags.

10. Be respectful of the local community

When you’re traveling for business, it’s important to remember that you’re a guest in someone else’s community, so treat it with the same kindness that you would treat your own community. Avoid littering and leave any space you visit the way you found it.

Additionally, be respectful of the local culture and customs. Research the culture before you visit and make sure that your entire team is aware of the proper etiquette for both business and social situations. This way, you’ll present your organization in a positive light and avoid offending those around you.

In addition to researching etiquette and cultural norms, it’s also important to read up on the history of your destination as well as any relevant current events. Not only will this help you be a more respectful guest, but it will also help you navigate your destination more effectively.

For example, Hawaii is now limiting access to certain parks and attractions that are sacred parts of local culture. Doing some advance research will help your team understand which places are appropriate to visit and which are best left to locals.

11. Get your entire team on board

In order for your sustainability initiative to be successful, you’ll need everyone in your organization to buy in. When everyone on your team cares about sustainability and participates in your initiatives, you’ll be able to make progress more quickly.

To ensure that everyone is on the same page, implement a company-wide policy for sustainable travel. Be as specific as possible in your policy to set appropriate expectations for your team members. Your sustainability policy will serve as a helpful guide for your team members as they book travel tickets and accommodations.

Many of the world’s largest organizations are already implementing their own policies and incentives for sustainable business travel. For example, Microsoft is already buying sustainable aviation fuel credits for their team, which covers the cost of cleaner fuel for future flights. Salesforce has also implemented a strict sustainability policy which partially ties executive pay to ESG performance, including their carbon footprint. To enable their employees to make climate-friendly choices, Salesforce has a booking tool that recommends the lowest-emission modes of travel.

Once you’ve defined your travel policy, the next step is to offer sustainable travel training for your team. This will give your employees more context for why sustainability is so important and how to be more conscientious when traveling for work. We offer educational programs on responsible travel and climate action to help organizations empower and engage their staff. Get in touch if you’d like us to host a training session for your team.

12. Continuously measure your impact

As your organization works towards more eco-friendly and responsible travel, it’s important to track your progress. Actively monitor your carbon footprint to determine if your strategy is working, and look for places where you can improve even further.

You may need to adjust your sustainability strategy as your organization evolves. As your company grows, you’ll likely have access to more resources, but you’ll also have more employees and more trips to account for. Standardizing your travel policies early on and communicating clearly about any changes will help keep everyone on the same page.

In addition to calculating your organization’s carbon footprint as a whole, calculate the carbon footprint for each of your employees as they travel. This will incentivize your employees to travel more sustainably on their own. Your organization can even offer rewards for team members who reduce their carbon footprint the most.

As we move into a new era of business travel, now is the perfect time to rethink your organization’s strategy and implement new sustainability practices. Sustainable business travel is unique in that it is mutually beneficial for both your organization and the community around you.

If you’re looking to get started with your sustainability journey, be sure to check out our carbon offset program and use our carbon footprint calculator to estimate your current output.

May 9, 2023
Blog , Climate Change , Conscious Business , People & Culture , Sustainable Travel , Waste & Pollution

How to create a sustainable corporate travel policy

Learn how to implement a corporate travel policy that cuts costs, reduces carbon emissions, and boosts employee awareness.

When introducing sustainability across your business, make sure to prioritize the activities that contribute the most to your overall footprint - like corporate business travel. Creating a sustainable corporate travel policy not only helps reduce your environmental impact but also showcases a commitment to sustainability, both internally and externally. In this article we'll take you through some of the differences between corporate travel policies, how to write one, and what it takes to successfully implement a sustainable corporate travel policy across your organization.

5 reasons your company needs a sustainable travel policy

Discover how a sustainable travel policy can help you cut costs, reduce emissions and boost employee awareness around climate change.

What are the different types of corporate travel policies?

Corporate travel policy .

A corporate travel policy is a set of guidelines and rules that companies put in place to help regulate and manage employee business travel. A corporate travel policy would typically lay out some expectations and requirements for how employees book their travel, claim for their travel-related expenses, and suggest some overall guidance for how employees can ensure their own personal safety and wellbeing when they’re traveling for work. The main purpose of a corporate travel policy is to control costs and maintain consistency in travel-related decisions across the organization.

Corporate travel and expense policy

There aren't huge differences between a corporate travel policy and a corporate travel and expense policy, but by adding expenses into your policy, you can kill two birds with one stone, because you can set the guidelines for how employees book their travel, but also how they manage their daily expense allowances and articulate the protocol for how they submit those expenses when they return home. Adding an expense module into your corporate travel policy makes a lot of sense because expense management is such a big part of what makes or breaks a good travel policy.

Corporate, expense and sustainable travel policy

So now we're rolling corporate travel management, expenses AND sustainability into one, but there's a good reason why that is. Businesses of all sizes are experiencing levels of travel that are exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Added to that, they're also trying to reduce their carbon footprint in line with climate targets and Net Zero goals. Adding sustainability into your corporate travel policy will help you provide employees with the structure and education so that they can make more sustainable choices when they're traveling for work. It also has the benefit of helping Travel Managers stay in control of their travel budgets, and gives ESG and Sustainability Managers the overview they need to stay on track with Net Zero targets.

Do I need a corporate travel policy?

Deciding whether you need to implement a travel policy and which one is most appropriate for your business will depend on a few key factors, such as how many employees need to travel, how often they travel and what sustainability goals you have in place. However, as a rule of thumb, if you have more than 10 employees traveling at least once a month, you’ll benefit from any kind of travel policy. This is because it helps you control costs for things like flights and accommodation, but it also sets the guardrails for what can and can’t be expensed, and helps prevent any unexpected costs. If you're not already convinced, here are a few other benefits to introducing a travel policy to your organization:

Improves expense control: Get better control of travel-related expenses and ensure that employees adhere to specific guidelines for booking, accommodation, meals, and other costs.
Helps drive consistent decision-making: Ensure consistency in decision-making across the organization regarding travel arrangements, expense reimbursement, and other travel-related matters.
Keeps employees safe when they’re traveling: As an employer, you have a responsibility to keep your employees safe when they’re traveling for work. A travel policy sets out expectations for safety measures and communication when employees are traveling.
Helps keep you compliant: If your business operates in regions with specific legal or compliance requirements related to travel, having a policy in place can help ensure that your employees are aware of and adhere to these regulations.
Clears up any expense reimbursement issues: If you've encountered challenges with managing and reimbursing travel expenses, a clear travel policy can streamline the reimbursement process and reduce potential misunderstandings.
Helps you leverage negotiated corporate rates: If your company has the opportunity to negotiate corporate rates with hotels, airlines, or other travel service providers, a travel policy can help outline and leverage these negotiated rates.
Sets clear expectations for business travel: If you want to establish clear communication channels between traveling employees and the office and set expectations for when they should check in and what constitutes business as opposed to " bleisure " travel.
Helps anticipate travel costs: If you want to have a structured approach to financial planning for business travel, including budgeting, cost control, and forecasting, a policy can help you with that.
Helps create structure as you grow If your company is growing and the number of employees traveling for business is increasing, a travel policy becomes increasingly important to manage the associated complexities.

Goodwings travel policy features

Who should be involved in developing my corporate travel policy?

It’s a good idea to set up a core team of people who will be part of the design and / or implementation of the travel policy. A few chosen people will be needed for this, including:

Responsible for crafting the overall structure of the policy and making sure that the language is clear but still in keeping with the company’s values and tone of voice. They will also help ensure that the policy addresses employees needs, meets the relevant employment laws and that there is the appropriate training in place to get it off the ground.

Responsible for designing the expense part of the policy, which includes how expenses should be reimbursed, what classifies as an expense, and all budgetary considerations for when employees are booking their travel. The finance team will aim to strike the balance between controlling costs, and making sure that employees have what they need to be able to travel effectively.

If your company has set carbon reduction or Net Zero targets, the sustainability team will be involved in assessing how those targets can be achieved with travel, for example limiting travel or putting in place strict guidelines for when travel is deemed necessary. If you’ve gone one step further and set up internal carbon fees , the sustainability team, together with the finance team, will work out when and where those are applicable.

The travel management team will be the ones responsible for managing the travel policy, and if you plan to use a travel management tool, they’ll have the task of setting up things like approval processes. You’ll want to get their input on what would make the day-to-day running of the travel policy smoother for them.

Finally, you may also want to involve your legal team, to make sure that you’re following all the appropriate employment laws and regulations, as well as your tech team, if the travel policy or approval flows need to be implemented in an internal intranet system, or input into your travel management system.

What should I do before I start writing my corporate travel policy?

Writing the policy is easy - we've even done it for you here , but before you start, you'll want to work out what the purpose of the travel policy is, how it will be used and shared and how you will structure the information in it. Here are a few things to consider before you get started:

Get input from your team Speak to the team members who are traveling the most to determine what they struggling with the most when they travel. Is it that they're not sure what classifies as an expense, or that when they travel to certain countries, they don't know what the protocol is should anything happen. These insights will be helpful when you come to writing the policy.

The one thing you can't get from a travel policy template is who, specifically in your company, should set the travel approvals. Before you set anything in stone, you'll want to identify who has the authority to sign off trips and expenses so that everyone knows who to go to for what. If you have a travel management tool this may be a feature they offer automatically, but you still need to assign that person.

If you haven't got a travel management system or booking tool in place, you'll want to set something up before you finalise your travel policy. Most good travel management systems include pre-approval features to make approving travel much simpler, so that employees don't have to ask their manager every time they need to book a trip.

Assign responsibility for the policy You should look at the travel policy as a living, breathing document that will require changes and amendments in line with new travel patterns, sustainability targets and changes to the company's financials. Assigning one person to oversee and own the policy will make sure that there is consistency and one person that everyone can go to with feedback.
Check what's included in your travel insurance So that you can provide your employees with all the right information in one central place, gather your policy details from your travel insurance provider (or if you haven't set up travel insurance yet, now is the time to get it sorted). Employees should have easy access to travel insurance details, in the case of an emergency.

How should I write my corporate travel policy?

When you come to writing your corporate travel policy, a clear structure will make it easier to read and hopefully follow too! Here are a few things you should consider:

Define the purpose of the travel policy

The first section of the travel policy should focus on who the travel policy is for, and why it’s important for the company to have one in place. For example, is the policy for specific employees who travel the most, or is it for everyone in the organization? A short paragraph should go something like this, emphasizing not only that it’s useful for the company, but that it will also help make their lives easier:

“The purpose of our travel policy is to establish clear guidelines and expectations for employees that need to travel on behalf of the company. The aim of this policy is to ensure consistency, cost control, and the safety and well-being of our employees when they’re traveling. By defining approval processes, outlining booking procedures, and setting reimbursement policies, we hope to streamline travel-related activities and expenses while maintaining transparency and fairness. The travel policy should also be used to promote compliance with relevant laws and ethical standards, which are very important to us as a business. Ultimately, this document should serve as a valuable resource for employees, giving you the tools and knowledge to navigate the complexities of business travel efficiently and in accordance with our organizational standards and values.”

Set clear guidelines

Be clear on who within the company will be responsible for approving travel requests and provide contact details of that person so that employees can get in touch directly with any questions or concerns that are not specifically covered in the travel policy. You’ll also want to set clear guidelines for how employees should book their flights, accommodation and other travel related bookings. Sustainability targets should also be incorporated into these guidelines, with clear guidance on how employees can minimize their carbon footprint by choosing more sustainable options for flight carriers, hotels etc..

Expense Policies

You should have a specific section that outlines the company’s policy on expense reimbursement. This should include details of what constitutes a “per diem” or “PD” allowance, as well as all other eligible expenses, and submission requirements. This can often be where the confusion lies if the guidance is not clear, so it’s worth spending a little bit more time to make sure everything is covered and that you’ve outlined a clear process with the help of finance.

Accommodation and Transportation

Clearly define what is considered to be an acceptable standard of accommodation, as well as suggesting modes of transport that employees should use (with specific guidance for countries or cities that may be considered to be less safe than others). For a more sustainable approach, include guidance on modes of transport that are more sustainable than others (for example, choosing newer aircraft for flights, or staying in hotels that are LEED registered).

International Travel Considerations

Employees should be given clear instruction about what visa requirements are needed to enter specific countries, as this could potentially derail an important business trip. Be sure to also include information such as currency exchange, cultural considerations, and any necessary vaccinations that are needed. If you have any third parties that can help organise these requirements, include their information as well.

Safety and Security

One of the most important parts of the travel policy is safety and security, also known as “duty of care”, because you have a responsibility as an employer to keep your employees safe when they’re traveling on behalf of the company. To that end, you’ll want to include guidance on emergency procedures, contact information, and any travel insurance coverage.

Don't settle for "good enough" with your business travel.

How can I incorporate sustainability into my corporate travel policy?

The most important thing to emphasize in your corporate travel policy is that employees should first of all consider whether travel is necessary in the first place. You can do this by providing them with some set criteria, for example, travel may be essential for team building and leadership development but less important for something like basic skills training. Laying this groundwork will make it much easier for employees to know when they should be traveling and when they should be using online video conferencing tools. Once you've set those guidelines, you can use the travel policy as a part educational tool, part policy to help employees understand how to plan and travel more sustainably. Here are a few additional tips that can help you make sure that sustainability is incorporated into your policy:

"Fewer but longer trips" is a very effective way of reducing emissions, which requires planning and coordination with other team members. For example if there's a team project that will require a number of trips to the same location, perhaps that number can be reduced with forward planning.

Enforcing sustainable behaviour is harder than it may seem and changing hard-worn habits won't happen overnight. But to increase your chances of success, you'll want to introduce a sustainable booking tool to help them track their emissions and provide them with informative tips so that they're encouraged to make better decisions when they travel. This could be, for example, showing the difference in emissions between two flights or encouraging them to limit stopovers and travel directly. A good sustainable booking tool can help automate this with low-carbon flight paths, sustainable hotel options, and AI-generated information on the vegan or vegetarian food options to try when you're at your destination

Implementing " internal carbon fees " (a financial cost attached to business travel emissions) is a good way of making travel emissions more real for employees, and helping them better understand the environmental cost of their decisions. These can be applied at a team level, to give teams flexibility to manage their own traevl, while still taking responsibility for it.

Take sustainable business travel to the next level with Goodwings

How should i implement a sustainable travel policy.

Now that you've learned how to incorporate sustainability into your corporate travel policy, it's time to get everyone on board. Here's a few tips to make sure you're setting yourself up for success.

Communicate the message from the top

If the CEO doesn’t firmly endorse the sustainable travel policy, it’s going to be hard to get it off the ground, because it's then left to the office or travel manager to enforce, which is a hard position for them with no support. A simple way of doing this is to get the CEO to send out an all-personnel email or arrange a company meeting. Here are the key things that they should cover in their communication:

Why traveling more sustainably is important for the business, but also for the planet This is a huge opportunity for the CEO to inspire and really show the company’s commitment to reducing the climate impact of business travel.
What the goal is (for example, we want / need to reduce our carbon emissions by 20% by 2025) Whether your business has official reduction targets or not, it’s important to have a tangible goal (just like you would for any business initiative), that can help you measure success.
What employees’ role is in making it a success Increasingly, employees want to know that there is a role for them beyond their nine to five. Involving them in a target-based initiative like travel is a great way of giving them ownership of something that can really make a difference.
Why their feedback is important Getting it right will take time and lots of rounds of feedback, so providing space for employees to share their experience (for example if they are using a new platform or software) will highlight that it’s a process and one that they’re all part of.
When and how the initial results will be shared Having regular check-ins to share the results and feedback is the best way of boosting morale and gives you the best chance of making it a long-term success.

According to a recent study, 42% of businesses in the US and 45% in Europe are assigning “carbon-emissions budgets” to incentivize employees to curb their business travel.

Even with the best intentions, people naturally gravitate towards tried and tested behaviours. This is why creating the conditions for success is so important. Having “default” settings on your employees browsers with your preferred travel supplier is a great way of preventing this from happening because you're eliminating the comfortable options that they would naturally gravitate towards.

Start with a pilot project!

The easiest way to fail is to give people tools that are complicated or that go against an established way of doing things in the company. To check whether the sustainable travel policy or new travel management system is intuitive and easy to use, select a core group of people of different seniority levels and run a pilot project. That way you can get feedback before it’s rolled out to the whole group. Be sure to give your pilot group specific criteria for the type of feedback you want so that you don’t get buried in highly detailed (but irrelevant) feedback.

"A pilot project is a great way to get instant feedback on whether something is working or not, and make adjustments to your approach"

Sille krukow, nudge and behavioral design expert, build your own sustainable travel policy with our free guide.

Enforce the sustainable travel policy at a team level

The success or failure of your sustainable travel policy should not sit on one person’s shoulders. To make sure that there is an equal split of responsibility, give team leaders ownership for their own team’s business travel and make sure it's in line with the sustainable travel policy. This will give teams the autonomy to manage themselves, but also create more accountability when you're assessing CO2 emissions totals.

Make it competitive

A little bit of competition never hurt anyone (!), particularly when a positive result is ultimately good for the planet. Consider whether to set goals for individual teams to reduce their carbon emissions and announce a “winner” every quarter to make it a bit more fun.

Celebrate the results!

Who doesn’t love a good news story? Sharing milestones with your employees will boost morale and reinforce the message that it's “progress not perfection” that the company is looking for and that everyone has an important part to play in the outcome. Sharing the results externally, provided you have quality data to back it up, is also a great way of showing that you're doing your part in the fight against climate change.

Turn your employees into climate heroes

Discover how Goodwings is helping PNO employees track and reduce their carbon emissions

Never stop monitoring your progress

Having quarterly or bi-annual check-ins will make sure that the initiative you've introduced stays on track. Maybe your reduction goals weren’t ambitious enough or there’s a new, better solution on the market that will make your life easier. Taking action on these learnings regularly will make sure that any new initiative you introduce keeps evolving over time.

Encourage knowledge sharing

Maybe the sales team travels regularly for work and has useful travel hacks or local transportation tips to share. This sort of sharing should be widely encouraged and documented to not only create a positive and inclusive internal travel culture, but also help keep sustainability top of mind when people are on the road.

Conclusion:

A well-crafted corporate travel policy will serve as a guiding framework that not only streamlines business travel but also aligns with broader corporate objectives. With the right approach, a corporate travel policy can be an invaluable tool for enhancing operational efficiency, minimizing risks, and ensuring responsible and well-managed business travel within the organization.

Ready to create your own sustainable travel policy?

Download our free guide and start traveling smarter today!

Skagerak: Establishing new industry standards with Goodwings’ smart CO2 reporting

Learn how Skagerak, an international design business, is working towards becoming Net Zero by 2030 with the help of Goodwings' smart CO2 reporting.

How can carbon offsets make a difference to the climate impact of travel?

Explore the impact of carbon offsets on travel emissions and the importance of funding climate action. Discover how businesses can make a dent in...

How the top 5 travel management systems rate on sustainability

Discover the top 5 travel management systems and how they rate on sustainability. Learn about their features, including carbon accounting and...

Travel management Toggle submenu Egencia Overview Travel management solutions Amex GBT Neo1 Amex GBT Select Amex GBT Ovation Amex GBT Lawyers Travel Manage your corporate travel program Corporate travel policy Travel risk management Travel expense management Reporting Travel management consulting Industry Solutions Transportation & Logistics

Egencia reviews

See how Egencia works

Customer center Toggle submenu Travelers Help center Business traveler center Download the app Travel arrangers Help center Travel arranger center Training resources Travel managers Connect community Product updates Customer training
Watch a demo
Request a demo
About Egencia

Sustainable Travel: Business and Corporate Sustainability Program

What is sustainable travel.

Many businesses are conscious of their impact on the environment and are looking at ways to address sustainability issues within the workplace.

While improving sustainability within a business is often seen as a worthy objective, it doesn't come without a range of issues and problems that need to be addressed. Typical situations that businesses face relate to efficiency, profitability and industry competitiveness. A business may want to improve its presence when it comes to sustainable development, but the financials need to be viable too.

There is often a perception that reducing a business’s carbon emissions, fossil fuel usage and improving its overall environmental impact can be costly, bad for profitability and take a lot of time to implement. This isn't always the case, as there are environmental drives that can be made that are quick to implement and can even be profitable.

It's true that examining all the processes of the business in order to assess sustainability levels can take a lot of time and effort—not only to assess areas where sustainability may be a problem, but also where and how sustainability improvements can be made.

Ultimately, a business needs to work towards an overarching sustainability program that runs throughout the organization. A business will also need the ability to set a target to aim for and in turn, be actively able to track their sustainability savings.

Most corporate sustainability program will need to encompass many different teams, business units and processes. It can be a daunting task to make improvements, from reducing single-use plastic in the staff canteen to implementing a more sustainable business travel program.

So, where do you start?

One area of a business that can often have a big impact on the environment is business travel. Staff members may need to travel regularly for business meetings, which can be local, elsewhere in the country or further afield, as many corporations are now global.

There can be a number of different reasons why staff members need to travel—to attend inter-office meetings, go to seminars or trade shows, or simply to visit clients. While business travel is often planned well in advance, there's also a need for last-minute and dynamic travel, as plans can and do change.

The good news is that a sustainable travel program can be quick to implement and can also have a positive impact, without impeding how a business operates or its bottom line. In many instances, implementing a sustainable travel programme can actually save a business money, making it more profitable.

Understanding travel sustainability

Firstly, what is sustainable travel? The aim of sustainable travel is to reduce or negate the harming of natural environments and cultural heritage.

Challenges in the area of sustainable travel are often directly related to sustainable tourism, with issues such as over-tourism and how the travel industry can negatively impact local culture and host communities.

Such challenges have prompted some travel companies to look for more positive incentives such as sustainable destinations, and a whole industry has grown that supports this form of ecotourism. New tour operators that specialize in this area are now promoting both trips to ecolodges and activities that support local businesses.

These aren't necessarily direct concerns for a business, unless they operate in the tourism industry themselves, but that's not to say that sustainable business travel isn't an issue that can and should be addressed.

When it comes to business travel, the issues often relate to the frequency of such travel and the fact that it often involves picking the most convenient and fastest method of getting from A to B, negating public transport options that are considered ‘slow travel’.

How can business travel become more sustainable?

How can a business travel policy be sustainable? A company may think that much of the talk around sustainable travel is greenwashing, but in reality, although many travel options do have a negative impact on ecosystems, there are important improvements that can be made that will make a significant difference.

On a global scale, a lot of business travel involves traveling by air, and this travel method can contribute a large amount of carbon to the environment.

For a business looking for a quick win, examining how air travel is used in the organization can be an important starting point. There are a number of procedures that can be implemented in an organization to help significantly reduce the carbon costs of air travel.

Reducing the total number of flights needed is a good starting point, but not always practical. However, evaluating each trip to see if it's really necessary can help. For example, if you have a team of people traveling to a business meeting, is it critical that they're all there? Reducing the size of each travel party can have a big impact on the carbon use of a business. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that there are other options available to businesses that can, in some situations, reduce the need to travel.

Choosing direct flights instead of multi-leg options can help to reduce the use of natural resources, as non-stop flights tend to take a more direct route and take-offs/landings can use up more fuel than flying at cruising altitude. Reducing stopovers also reduces the need to book hotel rooms, which saves both time and expense while further helping to improve sustainability.

Reducing or even stopping flights that travel a short distance and replacing them with more cost-effective travel methods, such as rail travel, can actually save a business time and expense. It can be quicker to take the train over a short distance, as they run more frequently and there's less need for an individual to arrive at a station hours in advance. It's also possible to work just as effectively on a train as it is on a plane, meaning that employee productivity can be maintained and downtime reduced.

Changing perspectives

One of the key ways to make sure that business travel becomes more sustainable is to change employees’ attitude towards it—a changed attitude can help them to avoid the negative impacts of non-sustainable travel. Some of the changes that employees can make are to check that the travel they're booking is necessary and as sustainably efficient as it can be. Choosing an eco-friendly hire car (e.g. a hybrid or electric vehicle) can make a big difference to an organization’s carbon footprint, as it burns less fossil fuel. Even looking for more sustainable hotels, or picking eco-hotels that reuse various materials and have a good track record with their environmental policies, will add incremental improvements to your overall performance as a business.

However, you need to strike a balance between picking sustainable travel options and business performance. As happy employees are more effective employees, taking their travel experience into consideration is also important. There's no point in forcing employees to choose sustainable options if it impacts negatively on their lives . So it’s important to make sustainable options attractive to travelers throughout the booking process and journey.

Benefits of a sustainable business travel program

Save time: If employees spend hours on the road and are unable to work, it results in lost productivity and work time. Making sure travel is necessary and efficient while also being sustainable helps your employees to become more efficient in the workplace.

Save money: Choosing cheaper, more sustainable travel options such as public transport can save you money on travel.

Reduce your company's carbon footprint: It's great for the environment and good for public relations! Especially in a world where climate change and the environment are headline news.

Empower your employees to feel like they're making a difference: Many individuals are passionate about the environment and have made changes to the way that they live their lives—from recycling to using reusable water bottles. Many people are keen to shop in local businesses as a way of supporting and investing in their own communities. Working for an employer that has adopted a sustainability program across their entire business can bolster employees' well-being in the workplace and reinforce the idea that it is a place where they want to work.

How Egencia supports sustainable travel incentives

Egencia Analytics Studio can be used to evaluate your current travel procedures and to make improvements, such as identifying short flight routes that can be switched to trains or other forms of public transport. These other methods are often just as quick as flights. Switching to more eco-friendly travel options will not only reduce the overall environmental impact of your business, but it can also save you money.

One benefit of using Egencia's tools is that they can help to take the guesswork out of planning eco-friendly routes. You'll be able to create multiple travel plans side by side in order to compare important factors such as travel time, cost and the overall carbon impact of the journey itself.

Travel managers can group sustainable hotels together so that employees can easily identify and select hotels that have been have proven to have their own sustainability program.

When it comes to transport types, it's possible to select public transport booking options and also to prioritize hybrid or electric vehicles when hire cars are needed.

You can also set up travel restrictions within your travel policy so that it isn't possible to book short-haul flights that can easily be replaced with public transport.

Your carbon footprint is completely visible in your booking path, so you can make better, more informed choices at the booking stage. Egencia offers full reporting on the carbon emissions that you're generating for air, rail and accommodation, which allows you to plan more effectively and to make more responsible travel choices that help to combat climate change.

Beyond tracking and having more flexibility in the selection of eco-travel companies, we can also provide other services to help improve your overall sustainability program—from consulting work to helping to identify gaps and opportunities that will reduce your environmental impact. Egencia can also provide you with carbon offset initiatives and opportunities via our Advantage partners service. In addition to working on sustainable travel improvements, we can also support your business by helping it to move towards becoming carbon neutral via methods such as carbon offsetting.

When it comes to analytics, reporting and policy changes, Egencia offers your business a vast array of tools to make travel more sustainable in your business. For example, we can provide travel tips and help with educating the workforce so that they make improved, eco-friendly choices when traveling. This can be at an individual travel policy level or even at departmental level.

Egencia can help you to track how individual areas of your business are utilising travel and how they're performing against the targets you've set. Travel managers can view carbon emission data in Egencia Analytics Studio on the carbon emissions dashboard.

You can monitor the effectiveness of policy changes so your travel program remains profitable and traveler well-being and efficiency are maintained. There's no point in creating a sustainable travel program if it doesn't work well for your business and it's a chore for your employees. When you strike the right balance, you'll find that profit and efficiency can actually improve.

Discover how you can promote sustainable travel in your business, with ‘ 5 steps to build a sustainable business travel program ’.

Egencia has been carbon neutral since 2017 and we’re very proud of it. Learn more about sustainability in business travel

Looking for better business travel solutions? Get in touch with us.

Recommended for you.

Serviced Accommodation Guide 2023
TMC Guide 2023
The Knowledge
Speaking Out
Talking Travel
Diary of a CTO
Accommodation
Sustainability Specialists
Business Travel People Awards 2023
Events calendar
Business Travel People Awards
People Awards: Meet the winners
Destinations

Latest issues

Ask the Expert: Sustainable travel policies

Dana Moore, Agiito Proposition Manager Air, Ancillary and Sustainability, shares her expertise on making sustainability a key part of your travel policy

What are the benefits of having a sustainable travel policy?

A sustainable business travel policy not only influences an organisation’s carbon footprint reduction but also provides employees with the right support and information to carry out their duties safely and effectively, and taking into consideration supply chain due diligence, duty of care, carbon budgeting, environmental impacts and wellbeing.

Why is stakeholder engagement so important?

In today’s environmentally-conscious society, stakeholders – customers, investors and employees – expect organisations to be transparent about their environmental practices. Reporting emissions from business travel is a crucial step towards meeting these expectations. It demonstrates a company’s commitment to sustainability and can enhance its reputation among stakeholders.

ESG regulations are evolving all the time. What does this mean for business travel?

Today, many organisations operating in the EU or UK are already reporting on their scope 1-3 emissions, which includes precise emissions across their full supply chain and detailed plans of how they are going to reduce them this decade. The UK has already made significant progress in this area with the introduction of various reporting frameworks, which provide guidelines and standards for companies to report on their ESG performance, ensuring transparency, consistency, governance, and cross industry comparability.

By embracing corporate disclosure reporting, organisations enhance their reputation and can also attract responsible investors and consumers. It enables investors to make informed decisions, directing their investments towards organisations that align with their values and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.

What can I do to encourage more sustainable behaviours?

Having the right communication strategy in place is key to educating travellers on the negative impact frequent travel has on both the environment and wellbeing, empowering them to choose more sustainable carbon alternatives. This not only generates cost and carbon savings, but also improves employee work-life balance and overall wellbeing.

How can TMCs support customers?

Traditional business travel often comes with a significant carbon footprint due to air travel, hotel stays and transportation. TMCs can actively promote and offer sustainable travel options to their customers, track and report sustainability metrics and collaborate with sustainable suppliers, supporting their customers to monitor their progress towards sustainability goals and identify areas for improvement.

By incorporating these strategies, TMCs can become valuable partners in helping customers achieve their sustainability objectives. TMCs, their customers and suppliers should come together to help transform the travel industry into a more sustainable and responsible sector.

What are your top tips for more sustainable travel?

Maximise the efficiency of each journey by combining multiple meetings or events into one trip to reduce the overall carbon emissions and support traveller wellbeing. Consider trains before planes. Trains are more energy-efficient per passenger mile than planes or cars, making them one of the most eco-friendly transportation options (outside of walking or riding bikes).

Look for hotels or accommodations that prioritise sustainability, such as those with energy-efficient practices, waste reduction initiatives, and eco-friendly amenities and green credentials.

Whenever possible, explore virtual meeting options like video conferences or webinars. This reduces the need for travel altogether and saves time and resources. Consider offsetting the residual carbon emissions from your business travel by investing in verified nature-based, green technology and SAF carbon offset projects. This helps neutralise the environmental impact of your travel.

Dana Moore is Proposition Manager Air, Ancillary and Sustainability for travel management company Agiito

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Know your saf, sustainability movers & shakers, coming clean, ground work, more than a magazine.

For everyone involved in booking, buying, managing or arranging business travel and meetings.

OTHER TITLES

The Business Travel Magazine is published by BMI Publishing Ltd: 501 The Residence, No. 1 Alexandra Terrace, Guildford, GU1 3DA. Tel: 020 8649 7233

Browser not supported

This probably isn't the experience you were expecting. Internet Explorer isn't supported on Uber.com. Try switching to a different browser to view our site.

← Back to learning hub

How to make business travel more sustainable

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s standard practice for companies to send employees great distances for business growth opportunities. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) predicts that global corporate travel costs will rise to more than $1.4 trillion this year —with no signs of slowing down.

At the same time, businesses are more aware of—and invested in—travel sustainability. According to Statista, 20% of companies rate climate and sustainability as the number one concern facing business travel as of January 2024.

It seems like a catch-22: businesses must travel more to grow—and reduce traveling to remain environmentally responsible.

But with the right business travel partners and tools and a commitment to reducing emissions (like how Uber has committed to becoming a zero-emission platform by 2040), it’s possible to travel smarter, cleaner, and greener.

What is sustainable business travel?

Sustainable business travel is the practice of managing corporate trips to minimize environmental impact while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Sustainability goals in business travel are vital, as they support environmental conservation and reduce corporations’ ecological footprints. These goals also align with growing consumer and stakeholder expectations for businesses to reduce emissions over time.

Benefits of traveling green

Deloitte reports that just over 40% of American and European companies say they are refining their corporate travel policies to lessen their impact on the environment. And many companies around the world have adopted carbon emissions reduction plans that include modifying business travel practices to be more sustainable.

Below are some of the advantages of commiting to green business travel.

Environmental benefits

There’s a reason why , 66% of organizations are working to increase their energy efficiency. When companies commit to sustainability, they significantly reduce their carbon footprint and consume fewer resources.

Business travel often contributes heavily to carbon emissions, so adopting sustainable travel practices has a positive impact on the environment.

Positive perception of company values

Green business travel policies (and enforcement of them) show a company’s dedication to sustainability, which enhances its public image, boosts customer loyalty, and improves employee perception.

Forbes reported that 92% of consumers are likely to trust a company that supports social or environmental issues. And 88% are more loyal to these companies.

Cost savings

Traveling green is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. Efficient use of resources, such as opting for less-resource-intensive travel options, can lead to significant financial savings for companies.

McKinsey’s research identifies a significant relationship between a company’s resource efficiency and its financial success. By minimizing resource expenses, a business can enhance its operating profits by up to 60%.

Employee satisfaction

Deloitte reports that 69% of employed adults want their companies to invest in sustainability —including reducing carbon. And over 70% of employees at large US companies are more likely to opt to work somewhere with a strong environmental program.

A company's commitment to sustainability attracts talent and contributes to employee morale. When people know that their employer values environmental responsibility, it increases their job satisfaction.

Ideas to make business travel more sustainable

Every year, more travelers, employees, and businesses are dedicated to sustainable travel. But what steps can companies take to accomplish this goal? Below are 4 key ideas.

1. Book trips selectively

Aviation currently accounts for 3% of all global emissions , according to Reuters. Aviation companies are actively investing in pollution-lowering projects and working toward finding more sustainable fuel. But it will take a more collaborative approach to reduce emissions. Corporations can reduce their carbon footprints through more active planning and smart travel analysis. In other words, corporate travel managers can conduct cost-benefit analyses to identify which trips are critical to the business and which they can eliminate from their travel agendas. In terms of ground transportation, corporations can invest in the Uber for Business platform. The platform allows companies to set limits and allowances for ridesharing to reduce any unnecessary travel.

2. Choose sustainable accommodations

Companies can further their commitment to sustainability by selecting eco-friendly hotels that prioritize green practices.

Choose hotels, for example, that commit to actively reducing energy and water consumption. This can include advocating for reusing towels and linens or allowing guests to opt for room cleaning as needed.

Many hotels also incorporate energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources, such as using LED lighting, solar panels, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. These measures reduce the hotel’s environmental footprint, creating an ideal partnership for business travel.

3. Explore eco-friendly transportation options

The airline industry isn’t the only travel industry investing in environmentally friendly solutions. The automotive industry is creating more lower-emission and electric vehicles. Municipalities are making cities increasingly bikeable. And Uber for Business offers sustainable travel options as well, like Uber Green and Uber Comfort Electric .

These industries, governments, and businesses are on the right track, and corporate travel managers and bleisure travelers can take action individually to further the cause. Opt to do the following:

Use eco-friendly ground transportation alternatives. Commit to carpooling, pick low-emission rideshare options, or book zero-emission vehicles (electric vehicles) with a service like Uber Comfort Electric .

Take nonstop flights. Takeoffs and landings involve high fuel consumption and emissions. Nonstop flights minimize the environmental impact. They also have shorter durations, decreasing the amount of fuel needed per trip.

Get some exercise. Is the destination within walking or biking distance? Dust off those walking shoes, unlock your bike, and pick a more environmentally friendly way to travel. If it’s a bit farther, consider an e-bike or an e-scooter.

4. Eat and shop local

Encouraging business travelers to eat and shop at local establishments promotes sustainable travel. By choosing restaurants and vendors that prioritize sustainability and source their products locally, companies can reduce the environmental impacts of food transportation and support local economies to boot.

Opting for local dining options also allows employees to walk or bike to their destinations—further reducing their carbon footprint.

Learn from available data

Moving toward more sustainable business travel practices hinges on the ability to track data and monitor progress. Below are some ways to reduce CO2 emissions through data tracking and reporting:

Carbon emissions tracking

Through the Uber for Business dashboard, you can access sustainability insights. This allows companies to track carbon emissions data related to corporate travel.

To monitor CO₂ emissions from business flights, consider investing in software that integrates with travel booking systems to calculate the carbon footprint of each flight.

Transparency and reporting

As environmental regulations increase, it’s essential for businesses to remain transparent about their climate impact each year.

To maintain their commitment to sustainability, it’s important for companies to track emissions caused by corporate travel and create an annual environmental, social, and governance (ESG) report.

Among other data, ESG reports include the company’s annual carbon footprint and energy usage metrics. Companies can then demonstrate how these elements align with their long-term sustainability goals and progress toward becoming a net-zero company.

Drive progress with Uber for Business

Reducing (or eliminating) carbon emissions from business travel doesn’t happen overnight, but setting goals, tracking data points, and investing in partnerships with organizations that care about the environment take you one step closer.

Uber for Business is dedicated to becoming more sustainable and helping your business reduce its carbon footprint. Be part of the movement toward net-zero emissions with Uber for Business .

The platform

Get the best of Uber, for business—including improved cost controls and compliance.

Expense integrations

Save time with automatic expense reconciliation

Sustainability

Get clear climate metrics such as total low-emission trips and average CO₂ per mile.

We make your health and safety top priorities.

Employee benefits

All the advantages of Uber your employees already love, for business.

The dashboard

It all starts here - manage travel and meal programs with easy to set cost controls and more.

Business profiles

Help your employees connect with your company’s Uber for Business account.

Request rides and deliveries on behalf of customers.

Purchase Uber gift cards in bulk for simplified giving.

Uber Health

Reimagine the way patients access care.

Offer business-class perks with an Uber One company membership.

Cover the cost of rides and meals, and pay only when used.

By use case

Holiday gifting

Celebrate the holidays with vouchers and gift cards

Business travel

Oversee your travel program with the flexibility and reporting you need.

Employee commute

Set up a stress-free commute program for your employees.

Event transport

Get attendees to and from your next event.

Employee shuttles

Offer group transportation for daily commutes, cross-campus dashes, and more.

Courtesy rides

Request rides for customers and guests with ease, even if they don't have the Uber app.

Meal programs

One platform gives you the control to provide meals in multiple ways.

Recruit, retain, and reward your employees with Uber perks they want.

Corporate gifting

Exec management

Request rides and meals for leaders.

By industry

Elevate customer service with on-demand rides.

Improve health outcomes and the patient experience by enabling better access to care.

Hospitality

Delight your guests with rides and meals.

Financial services

Keep your employees moving and your clients happy.

Offer rides and meals to employees and constituents.

Customer support

Customer service

Get in touch with us or quickly find answers to top concerns.

Help Center

For admins and coordinators to browse tips and topics.

Product updates

Check out recent updates we’ve made across our platform.

Learning hub

Explore product education, case studies, and industry insights.

Customer stories

See how innovative companies work with us.

Get the latest news from Uber for Business.

Contact sales

Corporate Travel

Sustainable Business Travel Policy and Best Practices

Sustainability is the trending topic when it comes to travel. Tourists are looking for eco-friendly options, and corporations are looking at ways to lessen the impact of their business travel footprint. Many clients and potential employees are prioritizing working with a company that has demonstrable sustainability goals and corporations are taking notice. Maybe they want to attract top tier recruits, or they want to present an environmentally responsible corporate image, or perhaps they have real concerns about the environment. Sustainability has become a frequent topic in sales and customer conversations. It’s a part of a business’s social and environmental role in their community.

Corporate travel programs face unique challenges when developing a sustainability policy. KesselRun is here to help develop a policy that is both economically viable and easily adaptable.

What Is Sustainable Business Travel Policy?

In short, it’s a policy that helps guide and optimize corporate travel planning towards the goal of reducing the carbon footprint of the company.

Sustainable business travel policies often start with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reporting. Does the company disclose theirs, whether in annual reports or with industry updates?

The new expectation is for vendors to provide total CO2lbs and miles, but traditional data is actually estimates—which often don’t take into account other factors like actual load, wind speed, and seasonality. Airline data is almost always an estimate, but we can expect continued reporting improvement in the coming years. Companies want to provide the information, but finding accurate, science based data is a challenge.

Accurate hotel emissions data is even more elusive. Preferred hotel chains may be able to provide some insight for an organization’s preferred stays but are unlikely to offer further detail. Any direct bookings—a particular concern for programs with high or unknown leakage—may not be on that preferred code and thereby excluded. For non-preferred, non-brand stays at individual hotels in a global program, chasing emission specifics is currently a Sisyphean task.

Car rentals provide the clearest picture, as actual mileage driven can be provided by rental partners. That said, organizations should still be aware that even partner-provided information may be incomplete. Business rentals made outside the corporate agreement would not be included; leisure rentals made on the corporate agreement would also skew that data. The ambiguity of the information available presents a challenge when deciding the way forward.

A sustainable business travel policy is where companies’ intentions and reality should meet. Organizations are now looking to add sustainability guidelines and strengthen the language surrounding their goals, recognizing that it may require more development across the industry to be able to fully implement these policies.

How to Create a Sustainable Business Travel Policy

The first step is to make sure your organization has clearly defined, scientific-based goals. Are you focused on Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions? Are these goals published within your organization? Do travelers understand how their travel relates to these goals?

Education about travel sustainability is key to achieving these policy goals. People want to do the right thing, but in order to reach that stage, companies need to address a wide range of questions first, such as:

Do you have “sustainability travel budgets” in place per traveler? Per department?
Do you have offset programs in place?
Do you have vendor requirements relative to their sustainability initiatives on a procurement level? For example, are you asking hotels in your preferred program about their processes, if single-use plastics are being replaced by glass or compostable material?
How is emission data being served up to travelers in the booking process?
Does your TMC have the ability to capture “sustainability” as a reason code for a more expensive booking?
Have you set a dollar value per kg emitted to help set company policy, tolerance levels and to help make the numbers more meaningful to travelers?
What tolerance for cost does your organization have relative to vendor pricing? i.e. what percentage of cost increase are you willing to accept for a more sustainable travel option?
Does your travel policy encourage consolidation of trips/trip purposes to limit flights?
Are offsets reimbursable expenses?

Establishing a sustainable business travel policy involves all aspects of the business, not merely the travel department.

How KesselRun Can Help

From KesselRun’s experience developing our clients’ sustainable business travel programs , here are our top 10 broad-spectrum tips:

Get un-siloed. This is a conversation that should span many departments – travel, finance, risk, CSR teams, and more.
Review historical data. While 2022 or 2023 is outdated, it may make sense to look at month over month or quarter over quarter for the last several years
Frame the discussion around projections for the remainder of 2024 travel volumes
Set realistic, scientific-based goals for your organization & publish them broadly
Update your policy with clear and specific information relative to sustainability
Update your OBT and other points of booking for travelers to reflect your goals and relevant data
Ensure travelers have meaningful, relevant and timely information relative to their travel and the organization’s sustainability goals
Monitor & Adapt – sustainability remains in its infancy for many, if not most, companies. Know that goals may change; data accuracy and sources will change; and technology will improve
Report on progress in aggregate: it is still too early to track micro-trends

Should you need assistance in building a sustainable business travel policy or program, contact KesselRun today . They can analyze historical data; help develop teams and realistic sustainability goals; write a travel policy drawing on best practices but specific to your business culture and needs; optimize booking processes and in-line information; and help set up future reporting and metrics, to prepare for changes yet to come.

*This blog was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2024

corporate travel risk management in 2024

English (CA)
Deutsch (DE)
Deutsch (CH)

Why sustainability should be part of your business travel policy

The time to act on sustainability is now

Traveling responsibly can equal savings.

Pexels Frans Van Heerden 830828 1024x684

Failure to act will affect talent acquisition

Sustainability is fast becoming government policy, so what can companies do to implement a change towards traveling sustainably, 1. streamline carbon emissions reporting.

Screenshot 2021 05 31 At 11 36 54 1024x569

2. Switch to greener transport options

3. opt for socially responsible carbon offsetting.

Screenshot 2021 05 31 At 11 41 10 1024x541

4. Craft a company culture with sustainability at its core

Choosing e-tickets.
Changing towels less frequently in hotel rooms.
Avoid using miniature hotel toiletries and opt for filling reusable plastic bottles with your favorite products instead.
Swapping single-use plastics, like plastic bags and water bottles for reusable products.
Continue to recycle and reuse while on the road.
Including allowances for electric vehicles in travel policies (feel free to use our sample company travel policy for employees to improve your own policy).
Supporting local communities and local economies by buying 0 km produce.
Opt for eco-hotels where possible but be wary of greenwashing.

The key to sustainability is traveling smarter

Start offsetting your business travel carbon emission today!

Did you find this article useful.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

Corporate Sustainability Report Noah Buscher X8zstuks2pm Unsplash

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive

The 6 best carbon footprint tracker apps

Customer spotlight: Mambu on running a responsible business

Business Travel Management
Offset Carbon Footprint
Flexible travel
Travelperk Sustainability Policy
Corporate Travel Resources
Corporate Travel Glossary
For Travel Managers
For Finance Teams
For Travelers
Thoughts from TravelPerk
Careers Hiring
User Reviews
Integrations
Privacy Center
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy
Modern Slavery Act | Statement
Supplier Code of Conduct

Module 2: Defining Sustainable Travel Management

Sidebar Module

GBTA Sustainability Toolkit

Part A: A Starter’s Guide – Sustainability in Business Travel

Module 3: Getting Started

Part B: Getting the data right – Tracking, Offsetting, Reporting

Module 4: Introduction to Sustainability Data
Module 5: Tracking Emissions
Module 6: Offsetting Emissions
Module 7: Sustainability Reporting

Part C: Reducing emissions – How to travel smarter and better

Module 8: Influencing traveler behavior and managing demand
Module 9: Greening Procurement
Module 10: Sustainable Transportation
Module 11: Sustainable Accommodation
Module 12: Sustainable Meetings & Events

Learning Objectives

This module provides an overview of the opportunities and non-financial costs of business travel for companies.
Readers will learn what sustainable business travel means and why it is important.
This module gives insights into the company departments that are involved in the different company sustainability processes.

Business travel is valuable.

What is sustainable business travel.

Broadly, sustainable business travel means enabling people to connect and conduct business while doing what is right for society and the planet. It means capitalizing on the clear value of business travel while also mitigating the costs to the environment and society.

Encouraging environmentally-friendly modes of transportation
Optimizing efficiency and purpose of trips
Using virtual alternatives when possible
Working with sustainable suppliers and vendors
Identifying opportunities to support and give back to local communities
Championing equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI)
Educating and incentivizing travelers to make sustainable decisions
reduce uncertainty and limit risk (e.g., by preparing for future regulations or for shortage of capacity)
reduce costs and use resources more efficiently
enhance the brand and reputation of a company among customers, shareholders, and employees
improve the work-life balance of employees
support the company’s own offerings of new products and services in the growth market of sustainability (sustainability can help organizations boost overall sales revenues up to 20% )

How can travel managers advance climate action?

This means making rapid emissions cuts now, halving emissions by 2030.
Most companies are required to have long-term targets with emission reductions of at least 90-95% by 2050.

On a journey of such importance, it’s best to travel together.

Key takeaways.

Business travel fuels company growth and helps retain talent, but it also carries costs both financially, socially, and environmentally.
E nvironmental concerns, adhering to regulations, and improving company reputation have led companies to increasingly look into integrating sustainable practices into their business models.
Broadly, sustainable business travel means enabling people to connect and conduct business while doing what is right for society and the planet.
To make the transition to sustainable business travel models, it is recommended to establish partnerships with the company's sustainability and human resources department, investors, your TMC, technology providers, and other suppliers.
Travel managers have the spending power to develop the right partnerships with sustainable suppliers in order to drive sustainable business travel.

Custom Block

Business travel won’t be more sustainable post-COVID unless companies take action

A board at the airport showing the schedule of flights

Most companies aren’t taking any real action to make their travel programmes any greener. Image: Unsplash/Jeshoots.com

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Eric Friedrichsen

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Travel and Tourism is affecting economies, industries and global issues

A hand holding a looking glass by a lake

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

Listen to the article

Employee travel is one of the greatest contributors to corporate carbon emissions, yet research shows most firms aren’t taking real action to make such programs any greener.
For many companies, sustainability programmes just feel too hard to do, yet while sustainability is a commitment, it’s not as time or cost prohibitive as it used to be.
To truly begin mitigating our carbon footprint in transport, sustainable behaviour needs to be widely adopted in organizations and deeply integrated into how we work and travel.

When we talk about why the transportation sector generates such a prominent share of greenhouse gas emissions , we tend to point to its most conspicuous villains: private jets, Big Oil, gridlock. To combat climate change, we encourage consumers to carpool and urge our legislators to invest in clean energy. These are commendable efforts, to be clear. But the discussion often leaves one of the biggest climate actors on the table.

Employee travel is one of the business world’s greatest contributors to carbon emissions. That’s due to a few factors. One, because of the prevalence of business travel by air and car, especially in countries where rail travel isn’t an option. Two, because of the CO2 footprint of first-class seats (about four times as much as economy). Three, because of the sheer number of flights taken by employees compared to your average vacationer. For example, in 2019 one global software company racked up 146,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions – akin to the amount produced by 17,500 US homes over the course of a year.

Have you read?

Business travellers are ready to take off again - if certain conditions are met - says survey, decarbonising aviation requires a transition to sustainable fuel. here’s how governments can help., covid-19 gives us a chance to design an aviation industry fit for the future, how covid-19 and omicron are affecting travel this holiday season .

When the pandemic postponed commuting and travel, total global carbon emissions dropped 7% . Of course, it’s easy to reduce your footprint when there’s no reason to leave the home office. Now, with all the buzz around the reopening of travel corridors and return to the office, the question becomes: what sustainability lessons from the global shutdown will companies take with them?

A report conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that companies say that they want to make their travel programmes more sustainable post-pandemic. Over the last year and a half, they’ve been under increasing pressure from investors to report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics, and from consumers wanting to use more environmentally-friendly modes of transportation.

However, the report also shows that most companies aren’t taking any real action to make their travel programmes any greener.

Business travel 2.0 misses an opportunity

According to GBTA research on travel managers in the US and Canada, about half of companies expect to focus more on the social and environmental impact of their business travel programmes post-pandemic.

An infographic showing how business travel could change post-pandemic

Even so, only one in four organizations consider their “carbon footprint” to be a top priority. It pales in comparison to other return-to-travel concerns, such as cost control and duty of care.

An infographic showing what companies consider to be most crucial to business travel

On top of – and perhaps because of – these competing priorities, companies struggle to implement meaningful sustainability initiatives. While six out of 10 companies have a sustainability policy, only three out of 10 have a policy that includes business travel.

A pie chart showing how many companies have travel sustainability programmes.

The rare programmes that do exist really only go as far as to measure the carbon footprint of travel (the most popular effort, included in 58% of policies). Less than a quarter of companies have rolled out any other initiative, including behaviour-based change. For example, 19% mandate or encourage sustainable transportation or accommodation options, and a mere 7% incentivise employees to choose these options.

An infographic showing whether companies are taking sustainability measures.

Few companies (22%) take a vendor’s sustainability posture into consideration when making purchase decisions. Even if they did, it would be unlikely to influence them. The vast majority of organizations – 85% – are unwilling to pay more to work with a sustainable vendor, and just 2% are willing to pay more than a 10% price premium for more sustainable travel options.

Corporate programmes at a crossroads

One of the most striking takeaways from this research is the balance of antithetical priorities. Today’s organizations want to reduce their environmental impact. Yet they’re unwilling to invest in partnerships with greener travel providers. They have sustainability policies, but they don’t focus on the kind of company-wide behavioural changes that would have a real impact. They’re worried about cost control, yet seem to overlook the rising price of carbon, both in terms of oil prices and carbon offsets .

This contradiction arises because companies have viewed environmental factors as a separate box they can tick once they’ve hit other corporate targets. The more sustainability is compartmentalised, the easier it is to push these efforts until next quarter… or indefinitely.

Perhaps the simplest conclusion I can draw is that for many companies, sustainability programmes just feel too hard to implement. Too expensive. Too involving. With too many competing factors.

Sustainability is a commitment, to be sure, but it’s not as time or cost prohibitive as it used to be. Every organization, large and small, can introduce behavioural measures that make climate action a part of their culture. For instance, you can give your employees individual or team “carbon” budgets, pointing them to carbon-neutral transportation options once they’ve used up their allowance. You might set a rule that no one jumps on a plane for a single meeting – that kind of initiative costs zero dollars to implement, and will likely end up saving a lot of travel time and money. If you do have room in your budget, consider shifting a portion of your travel spend to green businesses and incentivising employees to patronise sustainable vendors.

As other sectors proceed to decarbonize, the aviation sector could account for a much higher share of global greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century than its 2%-3% share today.

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can reduce the life-cycle carbon footprint of aviation fuel by up to 80%, but they currently make up less than 0.1% of total aviation fuel consumption. Enabling a shift from fossil fuels to SAFs will require a significant increase in production, which is a costly investment.

The Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) Coalition is a global initiative driving the transition to sustainable aviation fuels as part of the aviation industry’s ambitious efforts to achieve carbon-neutral flying.

The coalition brings together government leaders, climate experts and CEOs from aviation, energy, finance and other sectors who agree on the urgent need to help the aviation industry reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The coalition aims to advance the commercial scale of viable production of sustainable low-carbon aviation fuels (bio and synthetic) for broad adoption in the industry by 2030. Initiatives include a mechanism for aggregating demand for carbon-neutral flying, a co-investment vehicle and geographically specific value-chain industry blueprints.

Learn more about the Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition's impact and contact us to find out how you can get involved.

Once you’ve successfully transformed sustainable behaviour into habit, then you can begin to evolve your programme into a formal policy with more advanced initiatives — such as using carbon analysis to make more strategic travel decisions.

As business trips return, we have the opportunity to be more intentional about how and why we travel. Now is the perfect moment to reassess our travel programmes for environmental impact. When the economy reopens fully, many companies will want to underline their commitment to customers with face-to-face time, and employees will be hungry to see their favourite co-workers. There’s no question that in-person meetings remain critical to company culture and the nature of good business. The question is whether we will decide to re-enter the world in a more responsible way.

On the road again

A single company deciding to launch a sustainable business travel programme won’t solve climate change. Neither will the occasional executive who switches to flying economy. But both of these examples would mark progress.

For the corporate world, “doing our part” to combat climate change will require a culture shift. To truly begin mitigating our carbon footprint on the transportation sector, sustainable behaviour needs to be widely adopted among organizations and deeply integrated into the way we work and travel. At this moment in history, with business travel at a global reset point, we have a tremendous opportunity to pave the road ahead.

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Travel and Tourism .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

How Japan is attracting digital nomads to shape local economies and innovation

Naoko Tochibayashi and Naoko Kutty

March 28, 2024

Turning tourism into development: Mitigating risks and leveraging heritage assets

Abeer Al Akel and Maimunah Mohd Sharif

February 15, 2024

Buses are key to fuelling Indian women's economic success. Here's why

Priya Singh

February 8, 2024

These are the world’s most powerful passports to have in 2024

Thea de Gallier

January 31, 2024

These are the world’s 9 most powerful passports in 2024

South Korea is launching a special visa for K-pop lovers

Business Concierge
Buy Gift Card

Award Winning

Terms and Conditions

Amendments, refund & cancellation-policy

Sustainable Business Travel Policy

Dec 6, 2022 | Travel

Table of Contents

Sustainability is a trending topic worldwide. It’s no wonder, then, that it’s also increasingly important to businesses to make a sustainable business travel policy . As a result, most firms today have at least a basic sustainability strategy. But why exactly is sustainability important in business?

Businesses discovered the importance of face-to-face encounters in fostering the growth of client connections during the COVID-19 pandemic. and It’s obvious that travel is a crucial business function since business travel has incalculable value for corporations. However, when things get back to normal in terms of travel and business, businesses are reexamining their corporate travel policy to take sustainable business travel policy into account.

What Does Sustainable Business Travel Mean?

Sustainable business travel is the deliberate attempt to travel in a manner that has a low impact on the environment. Sustainability necessitates resource management and choosing carbon-neutral travel options for purposeful corporate travel .

For instance, according to the Air Transport Action Group , air travel is responsible for 12% of all CO2 emissions globally, and 80% of those emissions are emitted by flights over 1500 kilometers.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) can cut the carbon footprint of aviation fuel by up to 80% to actively reduce aviation-related CO2 emissions. Sustainable business travel can be promoted by selecting airline partners who are dedicated to lowering their carbon footprints.

Why Is Sustainable Business Travel Important?

Even though business travel is frequently used as a gauge of economic success, it’s crucial to keep in mind that travel also has social and environmental implications.

Although there are many more advantages to using sustainable business travel strategies, your staff needs to be aware of the reason why your organization supports them. The greatest method to achieve your objectives of a more ecologically responsible business travel program is by gaining your employees . Once informed, your business travelers will be more environmentally conscious and make decisions that are better for your organization, the places they plan to visit, and the environment as a whole.

When You Run A Business Sustainably, There Are Several Positive Impacts, Including:

Human impact: Sustainable firms treat their workers and suppliers fairly, especially those who come from underdeveloped regions or underrepresented groups.

Environmental impact: Sustainable business practices whenever possible safeguard the environment and preserve natural resources.

Social impact: Companies that are socially responsible understand their value to individuals and society as a whole and strive to enhance their local communities.

Business Impact: Consumer support for sustainable firms is anticipated to increase. By consuming less energy and producing less waste, sustainability also lowers costs for businesses.

How To Make Business Travel Greener In 2023

Sustainable travel was a prominent topic in the industry even before the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Getting people moving is crucial for attaining the SDGs, especially those that deal with climate change and environmental impact. Now is an excellent moment to consider all the ways we may contribute to their realization.

Here are some practical travel tips for integrating sustainability into business travel:

Don’t Print Your Travel Documents
Reduce Plastic Waste
Do Company Offsites In Sustainable Destinations
Create A Green Sustainable Business Travel Policy

1. Don’t Print Your Travel Documents

All airports and hotels accept digital travel documents, including tickets, boarding passes, and reservation confirmations. Put in place a “no-print” travel policy in your business to motivate staff who are on the go to use technology. Additionally, avoiding common-touch areas and maintaining social distance are two other benefits of employing contactless technology.

2. Reduce Plastic Waste

Stay away from single-use plastics and always have a reusable water bottle with you! Refilling your water bottle is a terrific method to cut down on plastic waste, whether you’re at the office or on a business trip.

Empty the bottle before passing it through airport security, then fill it up at the water fountains. Additionally, you can bring your plastic cutlery off the plane and dispose of it in a recycle bin.

3. Do Company Offsite In Sustainable Destinations

Think about holding important business events—like team-building exercises or offsite—in “sustainable destinations.” Consider visiting nations with cities that are carbon-neutral or that have Eco-friendly urban planning if you want to travel for these reasons.

4. Create A Green Travel Policy

Include environmentally friendly, sustainable methods in your company’s travel policy. Establish specific goals for your “green business travel policy” and invite staff participation. Consider developing an incentive program to recognize and honor the most environmentally conscientious passengers.

How To Establish A Successful Sustainable Business Travel Policy

A sustainable business travel policy can be set up in a matter of minutes. But it pays to do a little research if you want to reduce your carbon footprint. You can assign policies that are more pertinent to your business activities by determining your present carbon footprint and examining your major contributions. You can also use metrics to set more specific goals after completing these stages to track your success and inspire your teams.

Step 1. Calculate your current carbon emissions

Step 2. Evaluate your findings

Step 3: Set straightforward strategies

Step 4. Offset your remaining carbon emissions

1. Calculate your current carbon emissions

Calculating your existing carbon emissions is the first step in defining meaningful sustainability goals, as we hinted at above. If your company employs a sustainability manager, they may have thoroughly audited your carbon impact.

2. Evaluate your findings

You may forecast the number of your future emissions and develop more practical solutions for your sustainable travel policy by analyzing your present carbon footprint. Start by emphasizing the routes that cause your CO2 emissions to be the highest.

Look into if these locations could be switched out for more environmentally friendly alternatives and use them as a reference to create more achievable emission reduction goals. To ensure that any suggested sustainability approach remains cost-effective, be careful to incorporate cost criteria into your study.

3. Set straightforward strategies

Establish some easy-to-implement techniques for your staff to use after assessing your primary CO2 emissions. They’ll make up your sustainable travel policy, so they must be simple to implement. Some examples of sustainability practices you could include are:

requiring travelers with short itinerary durations to choose train travel over air travel.
If business travelers must fly, make sure they book direct flights whenever possible.
Ask passengers to name the airlines that fly longer distances on newer aircraft.
Determine which airlines are acquiring cutting-edge equipment, such as biofuels, or making investments in their carbon offset plans.
Depending on how much an airline participates in sustainable business practices like these, compile a list of recommended carriers. Make sure it is understood that staff should use these airlines as much as possible to comply with your sustainability program.
Encourage staff to use the bus or choose an electric or hybrid car when renting a car or hailing a cab.

4. Offset your remaining carbon emissions

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, not all carbon emissions can be eliminated by reducing, recycling, and reusing. This is where choosing a carbon offsetting program can help reduce any detrimental effects on the sustainability of the environment.

Companies may engage with organizations that invest in renewable energy, safeguard sensitive ecosystems, and have a good social impact thanks to the abundance of wonderful possibilities available. To avoid charges of “greenwashing,” however, it is essential to pick a carbon offsetting program that makes a genuine contribution to combating climate change.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to their effects on the environment, the social sector, and the economy, all industries have moral and legal obligations. The influence of your business on the environment and sustainability, as well as how you treat your staff, will be continuously evaluated by all stakeholders, including investors, clients, and employees, as well as local and international communities. With the help of effective travel management, you can make sure that the travel components of your sustainability strategy are reliable and can bear scrutiny from all stakeholders.

Note : Please note that the information on this page is generic & subject to change due to fluctuations in airport services. Kindly confirm service availability with our team, as offerings may vary daily.

Send Inquiry

01. welcome.

airssist offers a stress-free airport experience through personalized Airport VIP Services.

02. SEARCH BY CITY

03. latest entries.

How to Plan a Romantic Honeymoon in Paris April 14, 2024
9 Best Places to Visit in San Juan April 14, 2024
8 Top places in Nadi, Fiji April 8, 2024
Top 12 Things to do in Cancun April 8, 2024

Need help? Call +971 4 456 1940

[email protected]

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Meet & Greet

VIP Terminal

List With Us

Amendments, Refund & Cancellation Policy

Typically replies within minutes

Any questions related to Sustainable Business Travel Policy?

WhatsApp Us

🟢 Online | Privacy policy

WhatsApp us

Mobile Menu Overlay

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

FACT SHEET: Biden- ⁠ Harris Administration Takes Action to Accelerate America’s Clean Transportation Future

Leading U.S. Companies Join the Federal Government in Drive to Make Business Travel Cleaner, Save Taxpayer Dollars, Tackle the Climate Crisis, and Boost American Manufacturing

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to build a clean transportation future, today the Administration is announcing new public and private commitments to boost access to electric vehicles (EVs), save taxpayer dollars, and tackle the climate crisis. This includes leading by example on climate with the release of new Federal employee travel guidelines that direct the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally. These new commitments will save taxpayers money by increasing the use of EVs and taking other cost-effective actions on clean transportation associated with business travel for the Federal workforce. In addition, the State of California, companies, and nonprofits are announcing new commitments through the Biden-Harris Administration’s EV Acceleration Challenge to expand EV fleets, increase consumer education, and grow the availability of EV charging and other clean transportation infrastructure. These commitments further advance President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to spur domestic manufacturing, strengthen supply chains, boost U.S. competitiveness, and create good-paying jobs and healthier communities. Under President Biden’s leadership, EV sales have tripled and the number of publicly available charging ports has grown by nearly 70 percent since he took office. Private companies have announced more than $150 billion in investments in the EV and battery supply chain in the same time period. There are now more than 166,000 public EV chargers across the country, and the U.S. has already set a new record by selling more than 1 million EVs so far this year. Federal Commitments to Catalyze a Clean Transportation Future As the Nation’s largest employer and with an annual business travel purchasing power of $2.8 billion, the Federal Government is leading by example by shifting to cleaner transportation options, including American-made electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. In 2022 alone, Federal employees took more than 2.8 million flights, 2.3 million vehicle rentals, and 33,000 rail trips. These operational changes will accelerate the clean transportation transformation, increase good-paying union jobs and create healthier communities. President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan aims to reach net-zero emissions from overall Federal operations by 2050, including a 65 percent emissions reduction by 2030. Through new Federal employee travel guidelines issued today, the Biden-Harris Administration is advancing this goal by directing Federal agencies to prioritize the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally, including by:

Prioritizing electric vehicle use when traveling: Federal employees will rent an EV on official travel when the cost of the EV is less than or equal to the most affordable comparable vehicle available. Employees will also opt for cost-competitive EV options, where available, when using taxis and ride share platforms. This will save taxpayer money and reduce pollution that jeopardizes people’s health and fuels the climate crisis.
Expanding rail travel: Federal employees will use rail for trips less than 250 miles when cost-effective and available, instead of taking an airplane or vehicle.
Increasing public transit use: Federal employees will use public transit (e.g., subway, bus, light rail) when conducting local travel or upon arrival at the official travel location.

To support swift and successful whole-of-government implementation, Federal agencies are being directed through an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum and U.S. General Services Administration Travel Bulletin to take a comprehensive series of steps to ensure sustainable travel options are easily accessible to employees when booking travel arrangements. Agencies will have 120 days from today’s announcement to report to OMB and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on the plans and actions they have taken to carry out the policy and goals of the OMB Memorandum. The State of California will join the Federal government by issuing guidance by June 2024 to state employees, encouraging the use of Zero Emission Vehicle commercial rentals on official travel where available and operationally feasible. Private Sector Commitments to Catalyze a Clean Transportation Future In order to grow sustainable travel options nationwide, the Federal government, the travel industry, major corporations, and state, local, and Tribal governments must collaborate. As part of President Biden’s goal of having at least 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030, the Biden-Harris Administration has issued an ongoing call to action through the EV Acceleration Challenge to all stakeholders in the private and public sectors, including advocacy and community groups, to dedicate resources and make independent commitments to boost EVs in America. In conjunction with today’s announcements from the Biden-Harris Administration, leading U.S. organizations across sectors are announcing new commitments to build America’s clean transportation future as the latest additions to President Biden’s EV Acceleration Challenge : Travel & Hospitality Sector American Express Global Business Travel is today launching a new software solution that helps companies increase the adoption of EVs by prioritizing EVs over gasoline cars when travelers are booking trips and refining searches so hotels with EV charging points can be easily found. Amtrak commits to transitioning its fleet of highway vehicles to zero emissions by 2035, which will eliminate over 3 million gallons of fuel a year. Delta Air Lines commits to build on its achievement of over 30% Ground Service Equipment (GSE) electrification systemwide, with its BOS, LGA, and SLC hubs all over 75% electric in the core GSE fleets, by electrifying up to 50% of its GSE in 2025, including baggage tractors, belt loaders, aircraft tow tractors and other critical fleets necessary to turn an aircraft.

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and GBTA Foundation are committing to releasing new global and industry-wide sustainable procurement criteria for accommodation, as well as air travel, ground transport and rail by the end of 2024 to send a strong, consistent and meaningful market signal for sustainable business travel.

IHG Hotels & Resorts , a global hotel company, is committing to developing a new supplier partnership and providing an EV charging best practices Guidebook by the end of 2023 to help accelerate EV charging installation across its portfolio of nearly 4,000 U.S hotels.

Marriott International is committing to more than double the number of hotels and available chargers for guests by the end of 2027, building on the over 4,100 EV chargers in over 1,100 properties across the U.S. so far. Rental Car and Rideshare Companies Enterprise Mobility , a provider of mobility solutions, is making EVs available to reserve at select locations throughout the US, including at more than 50 neighborhood rental locations and all major airports throughout the state of California, and is committed to growing that availability in 2024 as well as working to evaluate power and charging needs at strategic locations that will be key to its operations. Hertz is committing to substantially increase its EV rentals to corporate travelers in North America in 2024, forecasting an eightfold increase in those rentals compared to 2022, which is expected to result in nearly 80 million electric miles driven and the avoidance of an estimated 17,800 metric tons of carbon emissions compared to gas-powered vehicles.

Lyft is committing to expand access to ‘Green Mode’ – through which riders can directly request a green vehicle on the Lyft app – for at least 20 of the largest airports in the U.S. by January 2024, and to pass along airport EV discounts directly to riders, through reduced fares, later in the year.

Uber is committing to expand its “Green Curb at Airports” initiative to 10 airports across the country by 2025, partnering with airports to provide riders with perks to go green and drivers with increased access to convenient, discounted or free EV charging and building on sustainable options, including Uber Green and Uber Comfort Electric, currently available to riders at 70+ U.S. airports.

Zipcar launched EVs in select cities in 2023 and is committing to increase its EV fleet in the U.S. up to double its current size in 2024. Private Sector bp’s EV charging arm, bp pulse , is committing to deploy more than 3,000 fast and reliable charging points by 2025 at high-demand locations in the US, such as airports, major metropolitan areas, and bp branded properties along Alternative Fueling Corridors. Deloitte US is committing to reduce its business travel emissions including hotel stays, air, rail, ridesharing, and rental car travel by 50% per full time equivalent by 2030 compared to 2019. EVgo is committed to having at least 1,800 EV fast charging stalls in operation or under construction in areas serving environmental justice communities as part of EVgo’s “Electric for All” initiative by the end of 2024. Siemens is enhancing its green mobility options and hotel program procurement process to prioritize hotels with EV charging facilities and car rental companies with EV options, which support the company’s commitment to expand its suite of sustainable travel options for employees and its goal of net zero operations by 2030. Non-profit Sector Environmental Defense Fund is committing today to update its travel policy to prioritize electric vehicles and further encourage train use effective immediately. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is committing today to prioritize modes of travel with the lowest carbon footprint, requiring the use of EV car rentals, mass transit, and trains during business trips, whenever possible. Sierra Club , a grassroots environmental organization is committing to update its policy to encourage sustainable business travel by prioritizing utilization of regional rail service and rental of EVs for ground transportation in 2024. The EV Acceleration Challenge is accepting submissions on a rolling basis. The White House will be highlighting additional commitments in the future. Organizations can submit a commitment to the EV Acceleration Challenge here .

Stay Connected

We'll be in touch with the latest information on how President Biden and his administration are working for the American people, as well as ways you can get involved and help our country build back better.

Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Please enable JavaScript in order to view this site properly.

About Shoosmiths
Impact report FY23
Innovation & AI
Recognition
Senior leadership team
The Shoosmiths client experience
Business services careers
Emerging talent
Legal professionals
Our responsibility
Corporate responsibility
Diversity & inclusion
Social mobility at Shoosmiths
The Shoosmiths Foundation
Media contacts
Client login
Pay my bill

Shoosmiths sustainable travel policy

Back to corporate responsibility

Shoosmiths is committed to a net zero future with Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) validated targets to reach net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by FY2040.

Emissions related to business travel and commute to work form part of our carbon footprint and our strategy to minimise business and commute to work emissions and reduce associated environmental impacts is based on:

implementing, maintaining, monitoring and communicating this policy across the firm and making it available to all interested parties;
undertaking agile working practices, underpinned by our working principles, giving colleagues even more choice to make their own decisions on where and when they work;
ensuring appropriate systems, technology and support are in place that make it easy for employees to manage their working day by minimising the need for business travel;
operation of a centralised online booking platform for all domestic and overseas travel, facilitating the capture of management information to track progress against this policy;
provision of guidelines on how to travel in a safe, cost effective and sustainable way including challenging the need for travel, encouraging a one day a week no travel approach and adopting a travel hierarchy approach. An internal carbon levy is applied for all business flight bookings, colleagues have the option to upgrade to first class rail travel for rail journeys of two hours or more and the use of public transport is encouraged for city centre locations;
offering the UK ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme to employees which we have supported since 2007;
offering an electric and low emission car salary sacrifice scheme for employees;
exploring further options to incentivise employees to reduce travel related emissions;
supporting our people to drive more safely and efficiently through e-learning;
measuring and reporting business travel and commute to work emissions as part of our annual carbon footprint and target progress reporting;
determining additional data for reporting, and
sharing best practice internally and externally.

Date : 3 July 2023 Signed : David Jackson, Chief Executive

Download icon Download a copy

Download a copy of our sustainable travel policy below.

Share this page

Keep travel within budget: the complete travel policy guide

Apr 8, 2024

A business traveller booking a car in line with the corporate business travel policy.

A travel policy is a set of guidelines that govern how employees can travel for work, including everything from booking travel arrangements to reimbursing expenses.

The main goal of a travel policy is to ensure that employees travel safely and efficiently while keeping costs under control — for both international and domestic travel.

In this article, you’ll find out the importance of implementing a travel policy and get practical tips for implementing a travel policy that works for your business.

What is a travel policy?

A travel policy is a set of rules that outlines how your business travellers can book and expense work-related travel.

For the organisation, having a single company-wide travel policy helps to regulate and standardise employee travel expenses and arrangements. Meanwhile, employees have a clear understanding of the expense claims they can make following a business trip.

A good business travel policy will outline the necessary steps employees should take when arranging business travel, including:

The approved modes of transport.
The types of expenses that are reimbursable.
How to submit expenses.
The maximum allowable amounts for all possible expenses incurred.

Colleagues discussing the corporate travel policy in their workplace.

Why you need a business travel policy

Giving your employees a clear understanding of how they can arrange business travel brings benefits to each of your employees and the company as a whole.

Benefits for employees

Outlines which costs incurred to the employees they can expense.
Let employees know which tools they can use to make travel bookings.
Looks out for each employee’s personal safety.
Allows employees to make travel arrangements that are in line with your company’s travel policy.

Benefits for the company

Ensures that all business travel is for business purposes.
Ensures that all travel is in line with your company’s aims and goals.
Makes sure that every trip is cost-effective, with employees only claiming actual expenses.
Ensures fair and equitable travel for all employees.

Colleagues in the workplace discussing the company's corporate travel policy.

Everything you need to include in your business travel policy

Your travel policy needs to be comprehensive. So don’t forget to include the essentials:

Stress the importance of the trip bringing value to your organisation. It must be clear that you’ll only cover travel-related expenses for essential business trips.
Suggest that employees book travel in advance, especially when booking an airline ticket, as this can keep travel costs to a minimum. Your employees can book a car up to 3 days in advance in the Bolt app. And charge the order straight to the company, removing the need for expense reporting.
Include a process for getting visas and work permits
Highlight whether employees can fly business class or bo
Highlight the importance of travel insurance and include contact details for your company’s preferred service — AVIVA , for example.
Recommend that your employees make reimbursement requests within a set timeframe from the first day of their business trip (within 60 days, for example).
Whether you’ll provide employees with a daily travel allowance (per diem) to spend on meals, drinks, and essential daily supplies.
The inclusion of your stance on entertainment expenses is also essential — such as purchasing refreshments for a client.

Including all of the above will ensure that your travel policy isn’t failing your employees .

Business traveller ordering a car in the Bolt app.

How to implement a corporate travel policy

Assess your business needs.

Before drafting your travel policy, it’s important to understand your company’s travel needs. To do this, you need to:

Consider the frequency of travel.
List common destinations.
Find out the travel preferences of your business travellers.

This assessment will help tailor a policy that meets your organisation’s specific needs.

Define the business goals

Before you start drafting and implementing a travel policy, you must come up with clear goals and objectives that you aim to achieve. You may need to:

Reduce costs
Increase employee safety
Make booking more seamless

Only when you clearly understand your goals will you be able to implement a business travel policy that works for everyone.

Involve stakeholders

All relevant individuals and teams should be involved in the process of creating and implementing your company’s travel policy. This means gathering feedback from business travellers (who will need to follow the guidelines) and the teams who need to handle the admin side of travel, such as Finance, Human Resources, and Payroll.

Make it easy to understand and follow

A simple and clear travel policy is easier for your business travellers to follow. The word ‘policy’ gives the impression that the final document needs to be overly complicated, but the simpler it is, the fewer misunderstandings there will be.

Incorporate duty of care

Employee safety needs to be your biggest priority. To ensure safety, your travel policy must include guidelines for supporting travellers in case of emergency, such as how they can get assistance and protocols for checking on welfare during business-related travel.

💡 The Bolt app includes a range of safety features , including 24/7 support, an Emergency Assist button, and the option to share trip details with colleagues, family, or friends.

Employee sharing their trip details with colleagues in the Bolt app.

6. Make the most of technology

Travel management software will help you to streamline booking processes, track expenses, and ensure policy compliance. These tools can also offer insights into spending patterns and help identify opportunities for savings.

7. Implement a sustainable travel policy

Any travel policy guidelines that you follow will stress the importance of sustainability.

Sustainability in business is more important than ever. Any business travel policies you implement must reflect your organisation’s sustainability efforts.

Find out how to build a sustainable travel policy .

8. Share the travel policy with your employees

Making your company’s travel policy known to your employees comes down to clear communication. Make sure the travel policy stands alone as it’s own document — not hidden away within a larger policy.

You should make your company’s corporate travel policy document accessible to all employees via your company’s internal intranet or employee portal. You should share it with all new hires when they join the company.

It’s also helpful to run training sessions with your employees and inform new hires about the travel policy.

Employees discussing the company's travel policy.

Common challenges with travel policies

Implementing a travel policy in a corporate setting isn’t without its challenges. From ensuring compliance to accommodating the diverse needs of employees, these are some hurdles that you’ll need to overcome:

Ensuring compliance.
Balancing cost with comfort.
Communicating your policy
Managing exceptions.
An ever-changing travel landscape.
Global considerations (for international business travel).

Find out why you need to give each of these areas lengthy consideration below.

1. Ensuring compliance

When you implement a travel policy, the main outcome you want is for your employees to comply. But it’s not always that simple.

Unless your travel policy is clear, your employees may book travel options that are more convenient or luxurious than those outlined in the policy — leading to increased costs and administrative headaches.

2. Balancing cost with comfort

Finding the right balance between costs, comfort, and employee safety is challenging

Travel policies that are too restrictive may lead to employee dissatisfaction and non-compliance. Meanwhile, policies that are too lenient can result in unnecessary expenses.

Remember that while cost savings are important, you don’t want to put an employee in a situation where they’re unable to travel.

3. Communicating your policy

Your business travellers can’t follow the rules outlined in the travel policy unless they’ve read it.

You need to ensure that everyone understands the travel policy and has an opportunity to raise questions or concerns before they travel for work.

4. Managing exceptions

Some business trips will likely fall outside the scope of your standard travel policy, especially as your business grows.

Deciding when to make exceptions and how to manage these cases without setting precedents that could undermine the policy is a delicate balancing act.

5. An ever-changing travel landscape

Your company must constantly reassess travel policies to address potential security and health risks your business travellers may face.

6. Global considerations

Creating a travel policy that accommodates various legal, cultural, and logistical considerations across different countries can be complex for multinational companies.

Consider employees who prefer to self-book travel

There’s a growing trend, especially amongst millennials and Gen Z, to self-book travel and accommodation for business-related travel.

You can put this preference down to a combination of factors:

Familiarity with technology.
A desire for flexibility.
Work-life balance.
Speed and efficiency.

It’s especially important to consider this approach for ground transportation. With Bolt Business , your employees can use a company payment method in the Bolt app to order a car when needed (as long as the order meets the company’s usage guidelines).

Bolt Business gives your team the convenience, flexibility, and reliability they need when travelling for work—all without the need to manually submit travel expense reports.

Now let’s find out why your team will appreciate the ability to self-book their travel.

1. Familiarity with technology

Your younger employees are accustomed to using apps and websites for personal travel.

Their comfort with technology makes self-booking a natural choice for them — as they can easily navigate travel platforms, compare options, and book what they need without intermediaries.

You can make this familiarity with technology a benefit to your business. By creating a Bolt Business account, your employees can use Bolt Business for work-related travel. And if they use Bolt for personal travel, they’ll already know how to use it.

2. Desire for flexibility

Self-booking allows your employees to tailor business travel to their preferences and schedules.

Having this freedom is valuable allowing them to travel when it best suits their schedule. And when you support the use of familiar technology (apps or websites) for business related travel, it enhances their comfort and satisfaction. And can also lead to more productive business trips.

3. Work-life balance

There’s a growing trend to merge business trips with some personal vacation time. Having the flexibility to self-book gives your employees the option to extend their trips for leisure purposes

Taking this into consideration will help to build a strong work culture and increase job satisfaction.

4. Speed and efficiency

The ability to quickly book travel without waiting for approval or going through a third party is a significant advantage for employees.

They value efficiency and can make swift decisions when there are time-sensitive business opportunities or adjust plans without lengthy approval processes causing a delay.

Automate the booking process for ordering cars

Submitting expenses is a time-consuming process that follows business trips. But with Bolt Business, you can create a travel and expense policy that removes the need for manual expense reports.

Your employees can order a car in the Bolt app and use a company payment method, allowing them to do so without having to submit expense reports.

If your organisation’s business travellers go abroad for work, they can use the same Bolt app to order a car in 45+ countries and 500+ cities.

Managing travel with Bolt Business allows you to implement unique corporate travel policies for different teams in your organisation. And there’s no need for a lengthy approval process — your employees will only be able to make an order if it complies with your travel policy.

Airport transfers.
Last-mile commutes to a meeting, hotel, or event.
Safe travel during the night.

And because your employees can only make orders that are in line with your company travel policy, you don’t need a real-time travel approval process.

Rental car reservations

Bolt Drive * gives your company all the benefits of a fleet without having to buy or sign a long-term lease.

Company cars are parked 95% of the time , yet they’re still your responsibility during this time — draining your financial resources. With Bolt Drive , your employees can hire a rental vehicle day or night for as long as they need it — minutes, hours, or days.

Fuel, parking, and insurance are all included in the rental fee, which is based on the distance travelled and rental time. There’s no down payment.

With Bolt Business, you can let your employees use a company payment method to pay for the car, allowing them to charge their expenses related to car rentals straight to the employer.

Find a Bolt Drive vehicle in the Bolt app;
Reserve it;
Unlock the car;
Drive to your destination.

At the end of your journey, park the car in an approved area, leave the keys inside, and end the ride in the Bolt app.

*Currently available in certain markets.

Two employees using Bolt Drive to travel for work.

Include meals as part of your travel policy

Meal allowances for business travel are an essential part of a comprehensive travel policy. They ensure that employees have a clear understanding of what is covered during their business trips, promoting fairness and transparency.

A daily meal allowance, or a per diem, allows employees to budget their meals without the need to save receipts or submit expense reports for every meal.

Benefits of providing a meal allowance

By setting clear, fair, and flexible guidelines, companies can support their employees during travel, maintain control over expenses, and ensure that the policy aligns with the overall business goals and employee needs.

1. Simplifies Expense Reporting

Employees and the finance department benefit from the simplified process, which reduces the administrative burden of tracking and approving individual meal expenses.

2. Empowers employees

Providing a meal allowance gives employees the flexibility to choose where and what they eat, catering to their dietary preferences and needs.

3. Cost Control

With predetermined limits, companies can better predict and control travel expenses, ensuring that meal spending does not exceed budgetary constraints.

Bolt Food for Business — without requesting reimbursement. You know exactly how much each person will spend — keeping travel within budget.

A courier delivering a meal to an employee on a business trip.

How to implement a travel policy with Bolt Business

After signing up for a Bolt Business account, you’ll get access to a Company Dashboard .

From this dashboard, you can:

Add employees who need to travel for work.
Set spending limits for individuals or groups of people.
View details of every order.

When your employees travel, they can charge Bolt orders to your company in the Bolt app (but only if the order aligns with your travel policy).

A Bolt Business travel policy example

One company reduced their travel expenses by 25% with Bolt Business , and you can use their strategy as a travel policy template for your own.

To give their employees convenient travel, they set up their travel policy in the following way:

When booking a ride, employees must provide an expense code in the Bolt app.
There’s a single spending limit for the group of employees (rather than individual limits).
All employees have the option to use electric scooters and e-bikes.

Here’s how the travel policy looks in their dashboard. 👇

With Bolt Business, you can implement as many travel policies as needed and assign them to relevant team members. You can also restrict travel to specific days, times, and locations.

Sign up with Bolt Business to create an employee travel policy

Bolt Business makes managing car travel easier for Travel Managers, business travellers, and your organisation as a whole.

You get complete control and visibility from a single dashboard while your employees get the convenience, reliability, and flexibility they need when travelling for work.

Create an account for your company online today.

An open letter to the entire food delivery industry

Dear competitors,  You must be wondering why we’ve gathered you here today.   Before we answer, we’d like to draw your attention to this GIF of a chicken holding its head still […]

Bolt Business records a 70% year-on-year rise in new signups

Mar 7, 2024

The number of new companies that created a Bolt Business account in 2023 grew by 70% year-on-year! This growth puts Bolt Business on course to becoming a B2B unicorn within […]

Benefits of micromobility in suburban areas — findings from TH Wildau study

Feb 22, 2024

Shared micromobility has become increasingly popular in many European countries. While its usage in bigger cities and inner-city areas is well-examined, there’s still a lack of research on micromobility ridership […]

Get a ride in 500+ cities across the world

Download app

Earn extra money driving your car

Share full article

An illustration of a person working in a glass cubicle in Banff National Park.

Planning to Combine Business and Leisure Travel? You’re Not Alone.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are trying to figure out where their duty of care obligations begin and end.

Credit... Aart-Jan Venema

Supported by

By Amy Zipkin

April 7, 2024

On a Sunday in late January, Melinda Buchmann, who lives in Florida and supervises client relations for RevShoppe, a 30-person remote company advising organizations on sales techniques and strategies, arrived in Banff, Alberta, to help set up a four-day company meeting.

The last day of the event, her husband, Josh, a director of strategic partnerships for the delivery company DoorDash , who also works remotely, joined her. They spent two leisurely days hiking in Banff National Park and visiting Lake Louise.

“I take advantage, because I don’t know when I’m going to return,” Ms. Buchmann said of the decision to combine downtime with a business trip.

As postpandemic work life has changed, and arrangements now include full-time office attendance as well as hybrid and remote work, so, too, has business travel. The phenomenon known as bleisure, or blended business and leisure travel, was initially embraced largely by digital nomads . But such combined travel is now also popular with people outside that group . Allied Market Research, a subsidiary of Allied Analytics, based in Portland, Ore., estimated that the bleisure travel market was $315.3 billion in 2022 and would reach $731.4 billion by 2032.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are struggling to determine where their legal obligation to protect employees from harm — their so-called duty of care — begins and ends. And workers may think that because their trip started with business, they will get all the help they need if something goes wrong on the leisure end. Instead, they should generally consider the leisure part of a trip as a regular vacation where they cover all expenses and contingencies.

Companies are responsible for knowing where their employees are during a business trip, covering expenses if an accident or emergency occurs, securing new lodging if a hotel is damaged, even swapping out a broken down rental car. Still, it’s not entirely clear if that coverage ends completely after the conference or the last client meeting.

Companies recognize that threats are increasing, said Robert Cole, senior research analyst focusing on lodging and leisure travel at Phocuswright, a market research company. They are trying to figure out how to take care of a valuable company resource, the employee, without leaving themselves open to financial risk or potential litigation.

“Crafting a comprehensive policy that balances business objectives, employee well-being and legal considerations can be challenging,” Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, head of tourism at ICF, a consulting and technology services company in Reston, Va., wrote in an email.

Employees may be on their own without realizing it and may be surprised by out-of-pocket expenses if they require hospital care abroad or evacuation, said Suzanne Morrow, chief executive of InsureMyTrip , an online insurance travel comparison site in Warwick, R.I.

Ms. Morrow said medical coverage provided by a company “is generally only for the dates of the actual business trip abroad.” If travelers are extending the trip for personal travel, she added, “they would want to secure emergency medical coverage for that additional time abroad.”

Employers and employees are left to figure out when the business portion of the trip ends and the leisure segment begins, a significant detail if an employee has a medical emergency. “Where does the corporation liability end?” said Kathy Bedell, senior vice president at BCD Travel, a travel management company.

Companies have varying policies to deal with the new travel amalgam. The chief executive of RevShoppe, Patricia McLaren, based in Austin, Texas, said the company provided flexible travel options and allowed employees to work anywhere they choose.

Even so, there are constraints. The company requires all employees, including executives, to sign liability and insurance waivers when they are on a voluntary company-sponsored trip, such as an off-site meeting. Such waivers typically place responsibility on employees for their own well-being. And if they bring someone, they are responsible for that person’s expenses.

Employees are responsible for requesting the paid time off and notifying their managers of their whereabouts, although that part is not a requirement. Managers have to ensure adequate staffing, Ms. McLaren said.

Elsewhere, employees may not bother to mention the leisure portion of their trip. Eliot Lees, a vice president and managing director at ICF, said he had been on trips as a child with his parents when they combined business and leisure. His parents were academics, who would piggyback vacations onto conferences.

Now he does the same. “I don’t think I ever asked for approval,” he said. (ICF has no formal business-leisure travel policy. It’s allowed as part of personal time off.) After a conference in the Netherlands last year, he spent four days hiking in the northern part of the country.

“I go anywhere, and take more risks than I should,” he said. He said he didn’t carry personal travel or accident insurance.

Any nonchalance may quickly evaporate if a threat emerges. Security experts say even low-risk locations can become high-risk for a few days or weeks of the year.

“Companies are concerned about losing visibility into a traveler’s whereabouts if they booked flights and hotels outside their corporate travel management company,” Benjamin Thorne, senior intelligence manager in London for Crisis24, a subsidiary of GardaWorld, wrote in an email. “The company may think the traveler is in one city when, in reality, they could have booked a holiday package to another nearby city. This lack of visibility by the company makes it difficult to support travelers when a disaster occurs.”

He also raised the possibility that “a traveler with bleisure travel reservations and expectations may find their work trip canceled due to changes in the risk environment or company policy, disrupting their leisure plans.”

Will a company step in off hours if there’s a problem? “That depends on how you are booked,” Mr. Cole, the senior research analyst at Phocuswright, said. A rule of thumb is the further you get from corporate control, the greater the gray area gets.

Half of GoldSpring Consulting’s clients take the responsibility for the entire trip, said Will Tate, a partner at the consultancy based in Cross Roads, Texas, and a certified public accountant. They don’t want the reputational risk. The other half say: “The business trip ended Friday. That’s when we end our duty of care.”

Some companies are trying to define and narrow the gray area. “If you are clearly on personal time, there is no legal requirement for your employer to provide for you,” said Nicole Page, a lawyer whose practice includes employment law at Reavis Page Jump in New York.

Uber provides employees with advisories before a trip, travel assessments, safety tips while traveling and emergency travel assistance, including medical aid, airport travel support, urgent and emergency assistance, and lost or stolen personal property insurance whether they are on business or pleasure travel or a combination.

And at DoorDash, Chris Cherry, head of global safety and security, wrote in an email that “while personal travel is not something we track, we have received requests to extend our travel support capabilities to personal travel.” Mr. Cherry said in those cases, the company has manually added employee leisure itineraries to its travel risk management system and “provided the same level of overwatch that we do for regular business travel.”

The Buchmanns plan to travel this month to Barcelona, Spain, for the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention. DoorDash will have a booth, and Mr. Buchmann will work on the exhibit floor and also entertain clients.

Ms. Buchmann will accompany him. She plans to go sightseeing in the morning, and work in the afternoons and evenings Barcelona time. She will also take three days of paid time off and has shared her plans with Ms. McLaren, the RevShoppe chief executive.

They will stay a day after the conference and plan to visit the Dalí Theater and Museum in Figueres. “I’m sure there will be no shortage of tapas and window shopping along way,” Mr. Buchmann said. He expects to be back at work the next Monday.

Explore Our Business Coverage

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping the world of business..

Stopping a Huge Cyberattack: A Microsoft engineer noticed something was off on a piece of software he worked on. He soon discovered someone was probably trying to gain access to computers all over the world .

Hoping for an A.I. Productivity Boost: Economists doubt that A.I. is already visible in productivity data . Big companies, however, talk often about adopting it to improve efficiency.

Cashing In on Graffiti: Brands, developers and even officials are embracing the global appeal of street art , but the boom comes with questions about preserving a neighborhood’s cultural cachet.

‘Twitter Menace’ or True Believer?: The deep-pocketed tech investor Garry Tan says he wants to save San Francisco. But his pugnacious online habits are making him enemies .

A C.E.O.’s Bold Claims: Amira Yahyaoui, a human rights activist, promoted the success of her student aid start-up, Mos. Some of her statements do not add up .

Passing Thru Travel

12 Best Practices for Sustainable Travel in 2024 – How to Travel with Minimal Environmental Impact

Posted: February 14, 2024 | Last updated: February 14, 2024

<p><strong>In an era where climate change and environmental conservation are paramount, sustainable travel has become more than a buzzword—it’s a necessary shift in how we explore the world. Sustainable travel means being mindful of our environmental impact while experiencing new cultures and destinations. This guide delves into the best practices for eco-friendly travel, ensuring your adventures contribute positively to the planet and local communities.</strong></p>

In an era where climate change and environmental conservation are paramount, sustainable travel has become more than a buzzword—it’s a necessary shift in how we explore the world. Sustainable travel means being mindful of our environmental impact while experiencing new cultures and destinations. This guide delves into the best practices for eco-friendly travel, ensuring your adventures contribute positively to the planet and local communities.

<p><span>When planning your travels, opting for transportation methods that minimize carbon emissions is crucial in sustainable travel. For shorter distances, trains and buses are significantly more eco-friendly than airplanes, emitting far less carbon per passenger. This choice reduces your environmental impact and often provides a more scenic and immersive travel experience.</span></p> <p><span>If air travel is unavoidable, particularly for longer distances, look for airlines that offer carbon offset programs. These programs allow you to compensate for the emissions from your flight by funding environmental projects such as reforestation or renewable energy initiatives. By making these conscious choices in your mode of transportation, you play a direct role in reducing the carbon footprint of your travels, contributing to the broader effort of environmental conservation.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Rent electric or hybrid vehicles for road trips to reduce your carbon footprint.</span></p>

Choose Eco-Friendly Transportation

When planning your travels, opting for transportation methods that minimize carbon emissions is crucial in sustainable travel. For shorter distances, trains and buses are significantly more eco-friendly than airplanes, emitting far less carbon per passenger. This choice reduces your environmental impact and often provides a more scenic and immersive travel experience.

If air travel is unavoidable, particularly for longer distances, look for airlines that offer carbon offset programs. These programs allow you to compensate for the emissions from your flight by funding environmental projects such as reforestation or renewable energy initiatives. By making these conscious choices in your mode of transportation, you play a direct role in reducing the carbon footprint of your travels, contributing to the broader effort of environmental conservation.

Insider’s Tip: Rent electric or hybrid vehicles for road trips to reduce your carbon footprint.

<p><span>Engaging with local economies is a key aspect of sustainable travel and a practice that directly benefits the communities you visit. By choosing locally-owned accommodations, dining at local restaurants, and selecting local tour operators, you’re not only immersing yourself in the authentic culture of the destination but also ensuring that your spending contributes directly to the local economy. This approach supports small businesses and helps to distribute tourism dollars more evenly, fostering community development.</span></p> <p><span>Moreover, local establishments often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger international chains. They’re more likely to use local resources, employ residents, and preserve traditional practices. By making these choices, you help sustain the local culture and environment while reducing the overall emissions associated with your travel. This way, your journey becomes more meaningful, both for you and for the people whose home you’re visiting.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Seek out accommodations that are known for their sustainable practices and community involvement.</span></p>

Support Local Businesses

Engaging with local economies is a key aspect of sustainable travel and a practice that directly benefits the communities you visit. By choosing locally-owned accommodations, dining at local restaurants, and selecting local tour operators, you’re not only immersing yourself in the authentic culture of the destination but also ensuring that your spending contributes directly to the local economy. This approach supports small businesses and helps to distribute tourism dollars more evenly, fostering community development.

Moreover, local establishments often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger international chains. They’re more likely to use local resources, employ residents, and preserve traditional practices. By making these choices, you help sustain the local culture and environment while reducing the overall emissions associated with your travel. This way, your journey becomes more meaningful, both for you and for the people whose home you’re visiting.

Insider’s Tip: Seek out accommodations that are known for their sustainable practices and community involvement.

<p><span>Packing light is an effective way to contribute to more sustainable travel. By reducing the weight of your luggage, you indirectly help lower the fuel consumption of flights, decreasing the carbon emissions associated with air travel. Lighter planes mean less fuel burned, making a small but meaningful environmental impact. Additionally, consider incorporating eco-friendly travel products into your packing list. Choose biodegradable toiletries that minimize your plastic waste and reduce the environmental impact of your personal care products. Carrying a reusable water bottle cuts down on single-use plastics and keeps you hydrated without adding to plastic pollution.</span></p> <p><span>Furthermore, solar-powered chargers are a green alternative to traditional charging methods, harnessing renewable energy to keep your devices powered up. By making thoughtful choices in what and how you pack, you protect the environment while still enjoying the conveniences and necessities of modern travel.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Choose a backpack or suitcase made from recycled materials for an extra sustainable choice.</span></p>

Pack Light and Eco-Friendly

Packing light is an effective way to contribute to more sustainable travel. By reducing the weight of your luggage, you indirectly help lower the fuel consumption of flights, decreasing the carbon emissions associated with air travel. Lighter planes mean less fuel burned, making a small but meaningful environmental impact. Additionally, consider incorporating eco-friendly travel products into your packing list. Choose biodegradable toiletries that minimize your plastic waste and reduce the environmental impact of your personal care products. Carrying a reusable water bottle cuts down on single-use plastics and keeps you hydrated without adding to plastic pollution.

Furthermore, solar-powered chargers are a green alternative to traditional charging methods, harnessing renewable energy to keep your devices powered up. By making thoughtful choices in what and how you pack, you protect the environment while still enjoying the conveniences and necessities of modern travel.

Insider’s Tip: Choose a backpack or suitcase made from recycled materials for an extra sustainable choice.

<p><span>In natural settings where wildlife is present, it’s crucial to maintain a respectful distance. This ensures not only your safety but also the well-being of the animals. Interfering with wildlife can disrupt their natural behaviors and habitats. Avoid attractions or activities that exploit animals for entertainment, as these often contribute to animal stress and harm. Instead, opt for wildlife viewing experiences that promote conservation and ethical practices.</span></p> <p><span>Additionally, when exploring natural areas, stay on marked trails. Straying off the path can destroy habitat and negatively impact the local flora and fauna. By sticking to designated trails, you help preserve the natural environment and ensure it remains a wildlife sanctuary. Your mindful actions contribute to the conservation of these ecosystems, allowing future generations to enjoy and appreciate the natural world just as you do.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Choose wildlife tours led by reputable guides who prioritize animal welfare and conservation. Do not ride elephants!</span></p>

Respect Wildlife and Natural Habitats

In natural settings where wildlife is present, it’s crucial to maintain a respectful distance. This ensures not only your safety but also the well-being of the animals. Interfering with wildlife can disrupt their natural behaviors and habitats. Avoid attractions or activities that exploit animals for entertainment, as these often contribute to animal stress and harm. Instead, opt for wildlife viewing experiences that promote conservation and ethical practices.

Additionally, when exploring natural areas, stay on marked trails. Straying off the path can destroy habitat and negatively impact the local flora and fauna. By sticking to designated trails, you help preserve the natural environment and ensure it remains a wildlife sanctuary. Your mindful actions contribute to the conservation of these ecosystems, allowing future generations to enjoy and appreciate the natural world just as you do.

Insider’s Tip: Choose wildlife tours led by reputable guides who prioritize animal welfare and conservation. Do not ride elephants!

<p><span>Adhering to the three Rs of sustainability – reduce, reuse, and recycle – is fundamental in minimizing your environmental impact during travel. Reducing waste starts with making conscious decisions about what you consume and how. Opt for products with minimal packaging, and whenever possible, choose alternatives to single-use plastics, like carrying a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bags. Reusing items not only cuts down on waste but also saves resources. For instance, refill your water bottle, use the same shopping bag, and choose accommodations that offer bulk toiletry dispensers rather than single-use containers.</span></p> <p><span>Recycling is the last step, but it’s equally important. Ensure you’re disposing of waste properly by separating recyclables from trash. Consider carrying recyclables in areas where recycling facilities might not be readily available until you find a proper disposal point. By following these practices, you help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or, worse, natural habitats and oceans, thereby playing a part in preserving the environment while traveling.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Carry a ‘zero-waste kit’ with reusable cutlery, a shopping bag, and a coffee cup.</span></p>

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Adhering to the three Rs of sustainability – reduce, reuse, and recycle – is fundamental in minimizing your environmental impact during travel. Reducing waste starts with making conscious decisions about what you consume and how. Opt for products with minimal packaging, and whenever possible, choose alternatives to single-use plastics, like carrying a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bags. Reusing items not only cuts down on waste but also saves resources. For instance, refill your water bottle, use the same shopping bag, and choose accommodations that offer bulk toiletry dispensers rather than single-use containers.

Recycling is the last step, but it’s equally important. Ensure you’re disposing of waste properly by separating recyclables from trash. Consider carrying recyclables in areas where recycling facilities might not be readily available until you find a proper disposal point. By following these practices, you help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or, worse, natural habitats and oceans, thereby playing a part in preserving the environment while traveling.

Insider’s Tip: Carry a ‘zero-waste kit’ with reusable cutlery, a shopping bag, and a coffee cup.

<p><span>Being conscious of water and energy usage is a crucial aspect of sustainable travel. Simple, everyday actions can collectively make a significant impact on conserving resources. Remember to turn off lights, air conditioning, and electronic devices when not in use or leaving your accommodation. This not only saves energy but also reduces unnecessary electricity consumption. Consider taking shorter showers, a practical way to reduce water usage, and reuse towels instead of requesting new ones daily.</span></p> <p><span>Many hotels and accommodations now encourage this practice as part of their environmental policies. By being mindful of your water and energy consumption, you reduce your travels’ environmental footprint. These small but meaningful actions are steps towards more responsible and sustainable tourism, ensuring that the natural and cultural environments you visit can be preserved and enjoyed for years to come.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Stay in accommodations that utilize renewable energy sources or have water-saving systems in place.</span></p>

Conserve Water and Energy

Being conscious of water and energy usage is a crucial aspect of sustainable travel. Simple, everyday actions can collectively make a significant impact on conserving resources. Remember to turn off lights, air conditioning, and electronic devices when not in use or leaving your accommodation. This not only saves energy but also reduces unnecessary electricity consumption. Consider taking shorter showers, a practical way to reduce water usage, and reuse towels instead of requesting new ones daily.

Many hotels and accommodations now encourage this practice as part of their environmental policies. By being mindful of your water and energy consumption, you reduce your travels’ environmental footprint. These small but meaningful actions are steps towards more responsible and sustainable tourism, ensuring that the natural and cultural environments you visit can be preserved and enjoyed for years to come.

Insider’s Tip: Stay in accommodations that utilize renewable energy sources or have water-saving systems in place.

<p><span>As a responsible traveler, it’s important to educate yourself about the environmental challenges faced by the destinations you visit. This knowledge enhances your understanding of the local context. It enables you to make more informed decisions about how to travel responsibly. Awareness of these issues allows you to adjust your behavior accordingly, such as using water sparingly in drought-prone areas or avoiding products contributing to habitat loss, whether it’s water scarcity, pollution, or habitat destruction.</span></p> <p><span>Furthermore, sharing your sustainable travel practices with fellow travelers is a powerful way to spread awareness and encourage others to adopt similar habits. Engaging in conversations about sustainability, sharing tips on eco-friendly practices, or even leading by example can inspire those around you to be more environmentally conscious. This collective effort can create a significant positive impact, helping to preserve the beauty and integrity of the places you visit.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Participate in local environmental initiatives or workshops if available.</span></p>

Educate Yourself and Others

As a responsible traveler, it’s important to educate yourself about the environmental challenges faced by the destinations you visit. This knowledge enhances your understanding of the local context. It enables you to make more informed decisions about how to travel responsibly. Awareness of these issues allows you to adjust your behavior accordingly, such as using water sparingly in drought-prone areas or avoiding products contributing to habitat loss, whether it’s water scarcity, pollution, or habitat destruction.

Furthermore, sharing your sustainable travel practices with fellow travelers is a powerful way to spread awareness and encourage others to adopt similar habits. Engaging in conversations about sustainability, sharing tips on eco-friendly practices, or even leading by example can inspire those around you to be more environmentally conscious. This collective effort can create a significant positive impact, helping to preserve the beauty and integrity of the places you visit.

Insider’s Tip: Participate in local environmental initiatives or workshops if available.

<p><span>Considering the carbon emissions from your travel is an essential part of sustainable tourism. While traveling without leaving a carbon footprint is challenging, you can mitigate this impact by investing in carbon offsetting initiatives. These programs typically involve contributing to projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere, like renewable energy projects which replace fossil fuels, or reforestation efforts that naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.</span></p> <p><span>When you choose to offset your emissions, you’re taking responsibility for the environmental impact of your travel. Many airlines offer carbon offset programs at the point of purchase. However, you can also independently invest in verified projects around the world. By offsetting your carbon emissions, you’re contributing to global efforts against climate change, ensuring that your travel positively impacts the environment.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Use online carbon calculators to estimate travel emissions and find suitable offsetting projects.</span></p>

Offset Your Carbon Footprint

Considering the carbon emissions from your travel is an essential part of sustainable tourism. While traveling without leaving a carbon footprint is challenging, you can mitigate this impact by investing in carbon offsetting initiatives. These programs typically involve contributing to projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere, like renewable energy projects which replace fossil fuels, or reforestation efforts that naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

When you choose to offset your emissions, you’re taking responsibility for the environmental impact of your travel. Many airlines offer carbon offset programs at the point of purchase. However, you can also independently invest in verified projects around the world. By offsetting your carbon emissions, you’re contributing to global efforts against climate change, ensuring that your travel positively impacts the environment.

Insider’s Tip: Use online carbon calculators to estimate travel emissions and find suitable offsetting projects.

<p><span>Embracing slow travel is about prioritizing quality over quantity in your journeys. Rather than rushing to tick off a long list of destinations, this approach encourages you to spend more time in fewer places. Doing so allows you to delve deeper into the local culture, gaining a richer and more authentic understanding of the places you visit. This immersive experience often leads to more meaningful connections with local people, traditions, and customs.</span></p> <p><span>Additionally, slow travel significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with frequent travel, such as lower carbon emissions from less frequent flights or drives. This more relaxed pace of travel benefits the environment. It enhances your overall experience, allowing for a more thoughtful and fulfilling exploration of each destination.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Choose a single destination or region and explore it thoroughly, using local transportation and enjoying off-the-beaten-path experiences.</span></p>

Embrace Slow Travel

Embracing slow travel is about prioritizing quality over quantity in your journeys. Rather than rushing to tick off a long list of destinations, this approach encourages you to spend more time in fewer places. Doing so allows you to delve deeper into the local culture, gaining a richer and more authentic understanding of the places you visit. This immersive experience often leads to more meaningful connections with local people, traditions, and customs.

Additionally, slow travel significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with frequent travel, such as lower carbon emissions from less frequent flights or drives. This more relaxed pace of travel benefits the environment. It enhances your overall experience, allowing for a more thoughtful and fulfilling exploration of each destination.

Insider’s Tip: Choose a single destination or region and explore it thoroughly, using local transportation and enjoying off-the-beaten-path experiences.

<p><span>Engaging in low-impact activities is a key aspect of sustainable travel. Opting for experiences like hiking, biking, or kayaking allows you to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty of your destination without contributing to pollution or resource depletion. These activities minimize your environmental footprint and provide a more intimate connection with nature. When selecting these experiences, consider those that offer educational insights into the local ecosystem or culture.</span></p> <p><span>For example, guided nature walks can teach you about native wildlife and plant species, while cultural tours led by local experts can deepen your understanding of the area’s history and traditions. By choosing environmentally friendly and informative activities, you enrich your travel experience and support sustainable tourism practices that prioritize the health of our planet and its diverse ecosystems.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Join guided eco-tours that focus on environmental education and conservation efforts. These tours provide insights into local sustainability practices and often contribute directly to conservation efforts.</span></p>

Participate in Sustainable Activities

Engaging in low-impact activities is a key aspect of sustainable travel. Opting for experiences like hiking, biking, or kayaking allows you to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty of your destination without contributing to pollution or resource depletion. These activities minimize your environmental footprint and provide a more intimate connection with nature. When selecting these experiences, consider those that offer educational insights into the local ecosystem or culture.

For example, guided nature walks can teach you about native wildlife and plant species, while cultural tours led by local experts can deepen your understanding of the area’s history and traditions. By choosing environmentally friendly and informative activities, you enrich your travel experience and support sustainable tourism practices that prioritize the health of our planet and its diverse ecosystems.

Insider’s Tip: Join guided eco-tours that focus on environmental education and conservation efforts. These tours provide insights into local sustainability practices and often contribute directly to conservation efforts.

<p><span>Eating locally sourced food while traveling is an opportunity to enjoy authentic flavors and dishes and an effective way to reduce your environmental impact. Food that is locally sourced hasn’t undergone long-distance transportation, which is a major contributor to carbon emissions. By opting for meals made with local ingredients, you reduce the demand for transported goods and your carbon footprint.</span></p> <p><span>Furthermore, eating locally supports farmers and producers, contributing to the local economy and community. </span><span>This approach allows you to experience the region’s culinary culture more intimately while supporting sustainable practices that benefit the environment and local livelihoods. It’s a simple yet impactful way to make your travel more environmentally friendly and culturally enriching.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Visit local markets or farm-to-table restaurants to enjoy fresh, regional produce. This helps reduce transportation emissions associated with food and offers the chance to experience the region’s culinary culture more authentically.</span></p>

Eat Locally Sourced Food

Eating locally sourced food while traveling is an opportunity to enjoy authentic flavors and dishes and an effective way to reduce your environmental impact. Food that is locally sourced hasn’t undergone long-distance transportation, which is a major contributor to carbon emissions. By opting for meals made with local ingredients, you reduce the demand for transported goods and your carbon footprint.

Furthermore, eating locally supports farmers and producers, contributing to the local economy and community. This approach allows you to experience the region’s culinary culture more intimately while supporting sustainable practices that benefit the environment and local livelihoods. It’s a simple yet impactful way to make your travel more environmentally friendly and culturally enriching.

Insider’s Tip: Visit local markets or farm-to-table restaurants to enjoy fresh, regional produce. This helps reduce transportation emissions associated with food and offers the chance to experience the region’s culinary culture more authentically.

<p><span>Choosing accommodations committed to sustainability is a significant step in responsible travel. Nowadays, many hotels and hostels are adopting eco-friendly practices, and by selecting these establishments, you’re actively supporting and encouraging the growth of green tourism. Look for places that utilize solar energy, which reduces reliance on fossil fuels, or those with effective water conservation measures, essential in areas facing water scarcity.</span></p> <p><span>Recycling programs, use of eco-friendly materials, and efforts to reduce food waste are other green initiatives to consider. By opting to stay in such accommodations, you not only lessen your environmental impact but also help to drive demand for sustainable practices on the broader tourism industry. This consumer choice sends a strong message to the market about the importance of environmental responsibility, influencing more establishments to adopt similar practices.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Look for eco-certifications or awards when booking accommodations, which often indicate a genuine commitment to environmental responsibility.</span></p>

Stay in Sustainable Accommodation

Choosing accommodations committed to sustainability is a significant step in responsible travel. Nowadays, many hotels and hostels are adopting eco-friendly practices, and by selecting these establishments, you’re actively supporting and encouraging the growth of green tourism. Look for places that utilize solar energy, which reduces reliance on fossil fuels, or those with effective water conservation measures, essential in areas facing water scarcity.

Recycling programs, use of eco-friendly materials, and efforts to reduce food waste are other green initiatives to consider. By opting to stay in such accommodations, you not only lessen your environmental impact but also help to drive demand for sustainable practices on the broader tourism industry. This consumer choice sends a strong message to the market about the importance of environmental responsibility, influencing more establishments to adopt similar practices.

Insider’s Tip: Look for eco-certifications or awards when booking accommodations, which often indicate a genuine commitment to environmental responsibility.

<p><span>Sustainable travel is more than just being a responsible tourist; it’s about being a conscious global citizen and making choices that reduce our environmental impact while enhancing the well-being of local communities. By adopting these best practices, you become part of a growing movement that values environmental preservation, cultural respect, and the vitality of the communities and environments you visit.</span></p> <p><span>This thoughtful approach to travel ensures that your experiences are enriching for you and beneficial for the planet. Choosing eco-friendly transportation, supporting local businesses, respecting natural habitats, and making mindful food and accommodation choices contribute to a healthier planet. Sustainable travel isn’t just about reducing harm; it’s about actively contributing to positive change, creating a ripple effect beyond your individual journey. </span></p> <p><span>As you explore the world, remember that every small action counts towards preserving the world’s beauty and diversity for future generations to explore and enjoy. Your choices can lead to meaningful experiences that align with sustainability principles, ensuring that the wonders remain for future generations to appreciate.</span></p> <p><span>More Articles Like This…</span></p> <p><span>Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs</span></p> <p><span>2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities</span></p> <p><span>Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand</span></p> <p><span>The post 12 Best Practices for Sustainable Travel in 2024 – How to Travel with Minimal Environmental Impact republished on</span> <span>Passing Thru</span><span> with permission from</span> <span>The Green Voyage</span><span>.</span></p> <p>Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Day2505.</p> <p><span>For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.</span></p>

The Bottom Line

Sustainable travel is more than just being a responsible tourist; it’s about being a conscious global citizen and making choices that reduce our environmental impact while enhancing the well-being of local communities. By adopting these best practices, you become part of a growing movement that values environmental preservation, cultural respect, and the vitality of the communities and environments you visit.

This thoughtful approach to travel ensures that your experiences are enriching for you and beneficial for the planet. Choosing eco-friendly transportation, supporting local businesses, respecting natural habitats, and making mindful food and accommodation choices contribute to a healthier planet. Sustainable travel isn’t just about reducing harm; it’s about actively contributing to positive change, creating a ripple effect beyond your individual journey.

As you explore the world, remember that every small action counts towards preserving the world’s beauty and diversity for future generations to explore and enjoy. Your choices can lead to meaningful experiences that align with sustainability principles, ensuring that the wonders remain for future generations to appreciate.

More for You

China's He Jie won Asian Games gold last year

Beijing half marathon probes 'embarrassing' win by Chinese runner

This Is How Long You Can Leave Butter On the Counter, According to Land O'Lakes

Top 20 Saturday Night Live Sketches That Broke the Whole Cast

I Lost White Friends When I Finally Spoke Out

Traumatic Disney Movies That Scarred a Generation of Children

Young female creative professional listens to coworker

16 Compliments You Didn’t Realize Are Actually Pretty Insulting

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he has ruled out libertarian run for president

RFK Jr. says he has ruled out Libertarian run for president

KFC Is Changing Its Menu—Here’s What to Expect

Tiger Woods makes absolute mess of Masters hole, takes “worst cart ride” in golf

Top 10 Times Bill Hader Broke The SNL Cast

Tech trick: How to tell who’s calling when you don’t recognize the phone number

My company lost $450K because we didn't fire 5 wrong hires quickly enough. It's important to 'fire fast' — even though it's difficult.

US sprint star Sha'Carri Richardson models an Olympic uniform at an event in Paris; other designs by Nike have been criticised as sexist

US officials defend Olympic kit, say athletes have options

19 Common Behaviors of Highly Intelligent People

“Just because he’s white and has red hair doesn’t mean he’s with me” - Leon Powe on how an outsider snuck into the Boston Celtics ‘08 title celebration

United Airlines Developing New Class Of Seating

Closeup of a Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken in plastic packaging

What It Means If Your Costco Rotisserie Chicken Is Green

10 Actors Who Got Fired From Roles Of A Lifetime

For the last decade, Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms, has dealt with periods of depression and loneliness.

Founder of Toms shoes went on a men’s retreat with other entrepreneurs to combat his loneliness and depression: ‘I lost a lot of my clear meaning and purpose’

Retired colonel says this shows ‘Iranians clearly sending signal’ to the US

IMAGES

How To Make Business Travel More Sustainable
How to Adopt a More Sustainable Business Travel Policy
Sustainable business travel infographic in 2022 and beyond
Effective planning for sustainable business trips
12 ways to make business travel more sustainable
A Complete Guide to Sustainable Business Travel

COMMENTS

Five ways to build a sustainable business travel policy
Include a "stay or go" decision tree in the policy and ensure that the logic permeates all facets of the guidelines. This provides travelers with guidance on sustainable options while keeping them engaged in the decision-making process. Include guidance on selecting meeting venues with considerations of optimum locations and routing.
Sustainable Business Travel
Learn how to reduce the environmental impact of corporate travel with eco-friendly choices and green providers. Find out how to save costs, enhance reputation, and foster a culture of sustainability with Amex GBT solutions.
How to create a sustainable travel policy
Schedule a demo. Step 2. Evaluate your findings. Analyzing your current carbon footprint can help you project the volume of your future emissions and create more realistic strategies for your sustainable travel policy. Start by highlighting the routes that contribute the most to your CO2 emissions.
How to create a sustainable travel policy for businesses
A sustainable business travel policy is a set of guidelines that outlines how your employees can travel for work in a way that reduces environmental impact. It should cover various topics, such as minimizing travel frequency, choosing eco-friendly transportation modes, and supporting accommodations and vendors that adhere to sustainability ...
Business Travel Sustainability: All About "Green" Corporate Travel
If you're wondering how to travel sustainably, there are various ways to implement sustainable business travel practices into your corporate travel program. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Implement Purposeful Travel Policies. Adopting a purposeful travel mindset encourages companies to look at travel as an investment rather than a cost.
How To Make Business Travel More Sustainable
There are many ways to make your business trips more sustainable without compromising on important in-person cooperation. Even small changes to your business travel routine can make a big impact in the long run. Here are 12 of our best sustainable travel practices for business. 1. Book business travel selectively.
How to create a sustainable corporate travel policy
Enforce the sustainable travel policy at a team level . The success or failure of your sustainable travel policy should not sit on one person's shoulders. To make sure that there is an equal split of responsibility, give team leaders ownership for their own team's business travel and make sure it's in line with the sustainable travel policy.
How to build a sustainable travel policy
Learn how to reduce carbon emissions and promote employee wellbeing with a sustainable travel policy for your business. Find out how to use digital tickets, offset emissions, and partner with sustainable travel companies like Bolt Business.
Sustainable Business Travel Policy & Travel Optimization ...
Sustainable business travel is a strategy to help improve and optimize business travel in an organization. A sustainable business travel policy not only benefits the environment to reduce its carbon footprint, it also helps organizations reduce travel costs and the time employees are on the road. Discover articles and guides on how you can ...
Sustainable Travel: Business and Corporate Sustainability Program
Learn how to reduce the environmental impact of business travel and save money and time with sustainable travel options. Find out how to implement a sustainable travel policy and what benefits it can bring to your organization.
A Complete Guide to Sustainable Business Travel
Hence, you should always prefer booking non-stop flights and encourage employees to do the same. 7. Avoid Printing Travel Documents. Another essential step you can take to incorporate sustainable business travel is to implement a company-wide "no-print" policy for travel documents.
10 tips to make business travel greener in 2024
8. Create a green travel policy. Incorporate sustainable, green practices into your company travel policy. Set clear targets for your "green business travel policy", and encourage employees to get involved. Think about creating an incentive program to reward and celebrate the most carbon-conscious travelers. 9.
Ask the Expert: Sustainable travel policies
A sustainable business travel policy not only influences an organisation's carbon footprint reduction but also provides employees with the right support and information to carry out their duties safely and effectively, and taking into consideration supply chain due diligence, duty of care, carbon budgeting, environmental impacts and wellbeing
Making Business Travel More Sustainable
Sustainable business travel is the practice of managing corporate trips to minimize environmental impact while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness. ... Green business travel policies (and enforcement of them) show a company's dedication to sustainability, which enhances its public image, boosts customer loyalty, and improves ...
Sustainable Business Travel Policy Best Practices 2024
Learn how to create and implement a sustainable business travel policy that reduces the carbon footprint of your company. KesselRun offers tips, data analysis, and technology solutions to help you achieve your goals and report on your progress.
Why sustainability should be part of your business travel policy
1. Streamline carbon emissions reporting. The percentage that corporate travel plays into your co2 emissions does vary depending on the nature of your business. Manufacturers might find that corporate travel constitutes 10-20% of their carbon footprint. Meanwhile, an international consultancy might find that figure closer to 90%.
Module 2: Defining Sustainable Travel Management
For many companies, this means they are now developing holistic, company-wide climate action plans. A key aspect of these plans will be a sustainable business travel program and reporting on their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. As discussed in Module 1, business travel can be a major component of a company's Scope 3 emissions. Examples of this ...
Business travel won't be sustainable unless companies take action
On top of - and perhaps because of - these competing priorities, companies struggle to implement meaningful sustainability initiatives. While six out of 10 companies have a sustainability policy, only three out of 10 have a policy that includes business travel.
Sustainable Business Travel Policy
Create A Green Sustainable Business Travel Policy. 1. Don't Print Your Travel Documents. All airports and hotels accept digital travel documents, including tickets, boarding passes, and reservation confirmations. Put in place a "no-print" travel policy in your business to motivate staff who are on the go to use technology.
FACT SHEET: Biden-
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and GBTA Foundation are committing to releasing new global and industry-wide sustainable procurement criteria for accommodation, as well as air travel ...
Sustainable travel policy
Shoosmiths sustainable travel policy. Back to corporate responsibility. Shoosmiths is committed to a net zero future with Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) validated targets to reach net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by FY2040. Emissions related to business travel and commute to work form part of our carbon footprint and our ...
Keep travel within budget: the complete travel policy guide
7. Implement a sustainable travel policy. Any travel policy guidelines that you follow will stress the importance of sustainability. Sustainability in business is more important than ever. Any business travel policies you implement must reflect your organisation's sustainability efforts. Find out how to build a sustainable travel policy. 8.
Planning to Combine Business and Leisure Travel? You're Not Alone
(ICF has no formal business-leisure travel policy. It's allowed as part of personal time off.) After a conference in the Netherlands last year, he spent four days hiking in the northern part of ...
Travel IT Solutions: Embracing Sustainability in Business Travel
For travel program managers, this is an opportunity to ensure that travel policies align with the company's sustainability goals. Right now is the perfect time to look at and improve travel rules to match the need for a greener future while still making sure travel helps the business grow.
12 Best Practices for Sustainable Travel in 2024
Engaging with local economies is a key aspect of sustainable travel and a practice that directly benefits the communities you visit. By choosing locally-owned accommodations, dining at local ...
Safari Travel Trends 2024: Sustainability and Increased ...
In addition to the growth in safari travel, the report reveals: Interest in sustainable safari travel continues to grow, experiencing a more than 1,000 percent increase over the last four years; Travelers are increasingly interested in beach/safari combos and intergenerational travel; The average safari budget now ranges between $5,500 to $6,500

Five ways to build a sustainable business travel policy

A sustainability-focused business travel policy can be a powerful tool – not only to influence your organization’s carbon footprint but also to provide your employees with the support they need to be able to carry out their responsibilities safely and effectively.

Provide guidance on how to access virtual collaboration tools and who to reach out to for support.

Strongly discourage one or two-day trips.

Download our latest report!

Include a “stay or go” decision tree in the policy and ensure that the logic permeates all facets of the guidelines.

Put employee well-being front-and-center.

Influence travelers to make lower carbon emission choices.

MORE CONTENT JUST FOR YOU

How to create a sustainable travel policy for businesses

Table of contents

Why do businesses need a sustainable travel policy in 2024?

What exactly is a sustainable business travel policy?

Sustainable travel policy template

Benefits of adopting sustainable travel practices for businesses

Cost savings

Positive brand perception

Regulatory compliance

Future-proofing the business

How to create a sustainable travel policy

1. Evaluate business travel methods and destinations

2. Encourage virtual meetings

3. Plan and coordinate meeting locations

4. Opt for eco-friendly transportation

5. Provide easy-to-use digital tools

6. Offset emissions

7. Monitor and report

How to communicate travel policy changes to your employees?

Download your free sustainable travel policy template

Ready to make your company’s travel more sustainable?

Stay informed

The leading sustainability platform for mid-market companies

Business Travel Sustainability: All About “Green” Corporate Travel

What is sustainable business travel?

5 Ways to implement sustainable business travel

1. Implement Purposeful Travel Policies

2. Decrease Your Air Travel Carbon Footprint

3. Stay at Hotels that Employ Sustainability Measures

4. Consider Sustainable Ground Transportation Options

5. Educate Travelers on Sustainable Business Travel Practices

Why is sustainability travel important?

How can a travel management company help implement sustainable business travel policies?

There's more to learn.

How To Make Business Travel More Sustainable

What is sustainable travel?

Ways to make business travel more sustainable

1. Book business travel selectively

2. Book lower emissions flights

3. Consider eco-friendly transportation alternatives

4. Walk, bike, or use public transit at your destination

5. Invest in carbon offsets

6. Choose hotels with environmentally friendly practices

7. Go paperless with your travel documents

8. Support local restaurants and vendors

9. Offer reusable water bottles for your team

10. Be respectful of the local community

11. Get your entire team on board

12. Continuously measure your impact

Recent Posts

How to create a sustainable corporate travel policy

5 reasons your company needs a sustainable travel policy

What are the different types of corporate travel policies?

Corporate travel and expense policy

Corporate, expense and sustainable travel policy

Do I need a corporate travel policy?

Who should be involved in developing my corporate travel policy?

What should I do before I start writing my corporate travel policy?

How should I write my corporate travel policy?

Define the purpose of the travel policy

Set clear guidelines

Don't settle for "good enough" with your business travel.

How can I incorporate sustainability into my corporate travel policy?

Take sustainable business travel to the next level with Goodwings

According to a recent study, 42% of businesses in the US and 45% in Europe are assigning “carbon-emissions budgets” to incentivize employees to curb their business travel.

"A pilot project is a great way to get instant feedback on whether something is working or not, and make adjustments to your approach"

Turn your employees into climate heroes

Conclusion:

Ready to create your own sustainable travel policy?

Similar posts

Skagerak: Establishing new industry standards with Goodwings’ smart CO2 reporting