Against this backdrop, many organisations are thinking hard about their travel carbon footprint. Research from leading travel and expense management company SAP Concur suggests that 39 per cent of travel managers will face the obstacle of new or increasing sustainability regulations and requirements this year.
Why data matters
Leaders across sectors will now have to work harder to measure the environmental impact of their business travel. They will need detailed and accurate data on the emissions generated by every element of employees’ trips. “Measurement is the baseline,” says Kit Aspen, Founder of carbon intelligence platform Thrust Carbon. “You need to know who is travelling too much because, in most organisations, 10 per cent of the people are doing 90 per cent of the travel. You also need to understand why and how your people are travelling.”
Though many organisations still believe in the value of business travel, attitudes are shifting rapidly, says Christopher Juneau, Head of Market Strategy at SAP Concur. “Some meetings will be better done virtually and, when we do decide to travel, perhaps it makes sense to take a longer trip to see more people, rather than making repeated visits,” he says. “We are also at a tipping point in terms of prioritising sustainability – opting for rail travel, for example, over a flight, even if it costs more or takes longer.”
Companies’ key stakeholder groups are also determined to hold businesses to account – and to reward those that perform well. PwC research has found that consumers would pay almost 10 per cent more for products from sustainable companies. Similarly, 85 per cent of Chief Investment Officers say sustainability is now an important factor in their decision-making process. And, in a marketplace where the battle for talent is fierce, one 2024 report revealed that companies where staff feel there is a genuine commitment to sustainability had a 16 per cent higher employee engagement rate. Significantly, an August 2024 SAP Concur study found that 27 per cent of people would decline a business trip because of the environmental impact of the travel or the lack of sustainable options.
