Sustainable aviation fuel and carbon compensation for business travel

SAF is a renewable or waste‑based jet fuel made from raw materials such as used cooking oil, tallow, municipal waste, and emerging synthetic (e‑fuel) pathways. When produced according to recognized sustainability criteria, it delivers strong climate benefits. Lifecycle emissions reductions typically range from ~25% to 80%, and BCD sources high‑quality SAF with reductions generally above 75%.

SAF must meet strict standards related to feedstock sourcing, lifecycle emissions, and sustainability safeguards.

No, but it is the largest single lever available today. Industry modelling shows:

• 53% of aviation’s pathway to Net Zero relies on SAF
• 34% on new technologies and aircraft efficiency
• 7% on operational and infrastructure improvements
• 6% on market‑based measures

That’s why SAF is essential for near‑term aviation decarbonization.

Yes, when done well. High‑quality climate projects are credible when they meet strict standards for verification, additionality, permanence, and transparent retirement.
Importantly, only removal projects (such as biochar, soil carbon, or direct air capture) can physically remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and address residual emissions. Avoidance projects help reduce global emissions but do not remove carbon once emitted.

Residual emissions are what remains after implementing all  available reduction levers, including SAF. Offsetting can be considered at this stage to further reduce emissions.

SAF enables in sector lifecycle emissions reductions for business travel while maintaining essential trips. Additionally, corporate demand helps scale future supply.

For companies with SBTi targets, SAF is one of the only legitimate ways to claim reductions in Scope 3 Category 6.
For companies without SBTi commitments, SAF adoption can:

• Strengthen ESG scores
• Improve eligibility for sustainability‑linked loans
• Demonstrate credible climate leadership to investors

SAF reduces emissions within aviation. High‑quality climate projects help address what remains outside aviation via avoidance or removal. Using both creates a balanced, responsible climate‑action strategy.

Under the right registry and accounting rules, companies can claim Scope 3.6 (Business Travel Category) benefits. BCD Travel helps align claims to current guidance and update as standards evolve.

The main risk of greenwashing is making sustainability claims that overstate impact or can’t be evidenced, which undermines trust, exposes us to regulatory scrutiny, and damages credibility. We avoid this through two pillars: rigorous verification and precise communication.

1. Rigorous supplier due diligence
   We only work with suppliers whose sustainability claims we can independently verify. That includes in‑depth reviews of their portfolios, methodologies, and certification processes, and retaining clear documentation for every environmental claim (e.g., SAF certificates, LCA data, retirement records).
2. Evidence‑based claims, never absolutes
   We avoid generic or absolute wording like “carbon‑neutral travel”. Instead, we state exactly what was purchased, what standard it meets, how it was retired, and whether it represents emissions reduction vs. emissions removal.
3. Transparent proof‑packs
   For every claim, we provide supporting documentation (audit trails, certificates, transaction IDs, sustainability criteria), so stakeholders can track impacts all the way to source

In short: We minimize greenwashing risk by choosing credible suppliers, using precise language, and backing every sustainability claim with verifiable evidence.