In 2024, amidst the swirling discussions at Davos, the aviation industry’s carbon footprint remained a hot-button issue.
1 With aviation accounting for roughly 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, according to recent estimates, leaders debated the urgency of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and technological advancements. 2 While acknowledging progress, many stressed the need for accelerated action. ‘We cannot afford incremental change,’ one speaker emphasized, ‘the timelines are shrinking, and the pressure to decarbonize is only intensifying.
Business travel is a significant part of international trade, but it comes with a substantial environmental cost. As organisations globally face increasing pressure to decrease their ecological footprint, it has become essential to understand and work to reduce the environmental impacts of business travel.
Air travel is the third largest source of emissions in the world, and business travellers are responsible for many of these flights. However, aside from air travel, business trips entail hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and conference or meeting activities that also impact the environment.
So, it stands to reason that sustainability is still a key focus in the travel industry and companies are under more pressure than ever to actually do something about it.
Less Talk, More Action
AirPlus conducted a survey of more than 500 business travellers across nine European countries and found that 54 percent of UK-based companies had sustainability policies in place, while only 20 per cent did in Germany. In South Africa, we are seeing a growing adoption of corporate sustainability practices, but it’s clear there is more work to be done.
Organisations that are leaders in sustainability have put wide-ranging plans in place to minimise the environmental impact of their travel activities. Many companies calculate the emitted tonnes of CO2 and offset this against specific environmental projects. However, recent “greenwashing” claims have highlighted the importance of providing details on the integrity and accounting of the offsets used.
It’s clear that companies should focus on emission reduction first and then update their travel policies accordingly.
Travel with purpose
Videoconferencing is a valid way of creating a real connection without the carbon impact of travel, but when travel remains necessary, businesses can make more sustainable choices.
For example, it is better to choose direct flights than to buy several tickets for different legs of the journey as this will reduce emissions. Airlines are also introducing levies and surcharges to support greener aviation, making it essential for companies to budget accordingly. It is also possible to select environmentally certified hotels to make sure that the stay is environmentally friendly, and using electric vehicles or trains for ground transport dramatically reduces emissions.
Many companies are buying carbon offset from verified projects to offset remaining emissions, but this should be monitored to ensure the offset program is credible. It must be done alongside the reduction strategies and not as a substitute for them.
Crunch the numbers
For those companies that are just starting to forge their way toward more sustainable travel, the first step is to understand where their current travel activities fall on the environmental impact scale. First, it is necessary to establish a baseline by measuring the current environmental impact of travel activities. Then, it is necessary to set specific reduction goals and implement enabling measures to ensure that someone is accountable.
It is pretty evident that the future of business travel will be more moderate, that is, to use in-person encounters only when it is necessary to achieve a particular environmental cost. This approach is not only beneficial for the environment but also for the employees and the company’s budget.
Ultimately, we need to act, and there are definitely some viable approaches to do that. The concept of sustainable business travel is not a complete cessation of business travel but rather an adjustment towards a more conscious movement.
Our global partner, BCD Travel, have identified the top 5 upcoming trends in sustainability. Read more about the report here.
BCD Link: