Sustainable Business Travel: How Managers Can Lead the Change

Now that we are more aware of our actions and their consequences, ESG (environment, social, governance) factors have become a growing concern and a travel priority for many travellers. However, what does sustainability mean in corporate travel?

Is it enough for you to book a flight carbon offsetting plan or utilise reusable straws in the name of sustainable business travel? Or is there more to the story? With business travel expenditure rising worldwide, specifically in the APAC region, dan 81% of travellers reporting their trips to be worthwhile in achieving business goals, it is essential to comprehend what sustainability in travelling is.

Therefore, today, in our article, we will be exploring and analysing the many ways in which you can ensure your corporate travel is sustainable and be the one to lead the change!

What Is Sustainable Business Travel?

At its core, sustainable travel involves minimising the harmful aspects of travel while attempting to maximise its positive impacts. Achieving sustainable business travel is not one man’s job and involves collective efforts on the part of the individual and the organisation.

However, ESG goals are rarely achieved because of traveller-manager misalignment, where the manager’s goals and business traveller’s preferences are not aligned. Although 91% of business travellers would prefer ESG travel options; our survey found that only 21% of companies prioritise sustainability.

Instead, corporations rated cost management, process efficiency, and health and safety as their top three priorities. Companies often struggle with achieving ESG factors due to constraints like being unable to afford eco-friendly travel options, difficulty finding reliable travel providers who prioritise sustainability, and, most importantly, the complexity of integrating these factors into policies.

Even when travel providers offer eco-friendly travel options, such as accommodations in hotels with lower carbon transmissions and environmentally friendly ground transportation, the ESG challenges in companies remain.

Why does sustainability matter?

You are travelling for business, so how or why does the burden of sustainability in travel weigh down on you? 

No matter why you travel, you are a tourist. Your spending in this role contributes to 10% of the global GDP, which means that you have the power to change toward sustainability simply through your spending.

Any penny you spend counts towards the economic impact you make on the local community you visit. Thus, if you transition your spending from conventional to local businesses operating on ESG factors, you, as a business traveller, are bringing about sustainability in corporate travel.

How to travel greener? Our expert tips!

Make Use Of The Local Team

A practical approach to enhancing sustainability in travelling is to travel domestically rather than internationally. You should look around for local teams, leverage local talent, and try to utilise their business expertise over that of other international companies.

Even if you cannot find a local alternative and must resort to your international lead, evaluate whether travelling is necessary. Most of the time, your domestic options can suitably meet the needs of your international trips and substantially reduce your travelling’s environmental impact.

Keep An Eye Out For Greenwashing

When traveling, you should be alert for greenwashing awareness. Greenwashing is when companies portray themselves as complying with ESG factors and undertaking environmentally friendly practices; however, in reality, they are acting on the contrary.

Greenwashing awareness is important to ensure that you only purchase from responsible businesses. One way to do so is by checking whether a restaurant, a hotel, or an airline has a sustainability certification. The most popular and reputable certifications are B Corporation, Leaping Bunny, LEED, and FairTrade.

Research Beforehand

Preparing for your travel can save you a lot of hassle with choosing accommodations, activities, and travel options. Therefore, do your research. Closely explore the websites of your hotels, tour operators, and activity organisers to see their stance on sustainability and incorporation of ESG factors in their dealings.

If you don’t find anything about sustainability or their environmental concern, that is your sign to steer clear of them.

Utilise Public Transportation

Using public transportation for business travel is an effective method of supporting sustainable travel. As multiple passengers use public transportation, they have a reduced carbon footprint and, as an added benefit, are more economical than private taxis or rental cars.

Public transportation for business travel is also a great way to support the local economy. It is efficient and faster, especially during peak hours when you are bound to find traffic congestions. However, usability is not always feasible due to health and safety concerns or the lack of availability and accessibility in remote or rural areas.

Thus, plan ahead and map out your public transportation routine before travelling.

Book Direct Flights

Among the many eco-friendly travel options, the one that is the most convenient to implement is booking direct flights. Direct flights have shorter and more straightforward routes that do not include any layovers, which essentially reduces fuel consumption and, in turn, results in lower carbon emissions.

A study conducted in the United States to examine carbon emission in direct flights vs. connecting flights found that, indeed, direct flights are beneficial for carbon emission reduction.

40% of the total emission reduction in direct flight accounts for the shorter route, and the remaining 60% is due to the elimination of the landing and taking off cycle. Although booking direct flights is a small step, it is a significant one.

Go green with your trip planning at TruTrip

Even if incorporating sustainability in corporate travelling initially seems complex and costly, we’d say aim for the long term. Embracing sustainable business travel practices leads to reduced travel expenses, optimised travel planning, an improved business reputation, and a genuine contribution towards making a real environmental impact.

Ready to transform your travel management and go green? Jadwalkan demo atau mendaftar untuk uji coba gratis with TruTrip today, and together, let’s counter traveller-manager misalignment sustainably and affordably!