When we consider the driving forces overseeing the strategy, execution and control of travel policies today, environmental sustainability is the primary and most prominent influence on most peoples’ lips.

It’s not that the climate has unexpectedly become trendy, but rather that the global pandemic has offered our industry a once-in-a-generation chance to change. This opportunity comes when comparatively low movement and lessened impact on everyday travel operations give the issue the proper attention.

Developing a sustainability-focused business travel policy will help future-proof businesses for decades to come. A focus on the environment has several advantages outside the apparent ones for the planet.

What can travel managers do to lower their carbon footprint?

A corporation may believe that much of the dialogue about sustainable travel is greenwashing. Still, in reality, although numerous travel options harm ecosystems, substantial improvements can be made that will make a significant difference.

On an international scale, many business travels implicate travelling by air, and this travel method can contribute a considerable portion of carbon to the environment.

For a business looking for a quick win, examining how the organisation uses air travel can be an essential starting point. Travel managers can enforce several procedures in an organisation to help lessen the carbon costs of air travel.

Lowering the total number of flights required is a reasonable starting point but not always practical. However, assessing each trip to see if it is indispensable can help. For instance, if you have a group of people journeying to a business meeting, is it paramount that they’re all there? Reducing the size per travel party can significantly impact carbon use. The pandemic taught us that there are alternatives available for companies that can, in some cases, diminish the need to travel.

Selecting direct flights rather than multi-leg alternatives can help ease the use of natural resources, as non-stop flights tend to take a more direct path. Furthermore, reducing stopovers reduces the requirement to book hotel rooms, saving both duration and expenditure and improving sustainability.

How do we measure success?

The argument about the demand for sustainability in travel has been won. But for all the critical and credible actions to minimise our carbon footprint, we must ask ourselves what success looks like and how travel managers can measure that success.

Our sustainability experts can help your business reduce its carbon footprint. Contact us today to find out how.