Business travel is critical and cannot be overstated. Corporate travel allows employees to improve their skills and gain real-world experience, while also strengthening relationships with clients and business partners.
Despite its importance, climate change makes sustainability difficult. Environmentally friendly waste collection practices and carbon-reduction initiatives are more important than ever. So, what can businesses do on their own to combat climate change? Here are some reasons why your company should create a sustainable business travel strategy, as well as some “green” travel options to consider.
Businesses must first be aware of and prioritize their environmental impact. Because consumers value sustainability, sustainable business practices benefit both the company and environmental preservation and protection. Businesses that have adopted eco-friendly practices to reduce the environmental impact of both their employees’ and their own travel are more likely to attract customers and future employees.
Businesses can encourage more environmentally friendly business travel and transition to carbon-neutral modes of transportation such as electric vehicles, vans, and buses.
Provide additional best practices training so that employees are fully aware of the company’s sustainability goals. Among them are switching to reusable plastics, eating more sustainably, and dining locally. While using hotel amenities is convenient, single-use plastics are harmful to the environment. You can encourage employees to adopt more environmentally friendly habits such as using reusable water bottles, containers, and utensils by providing company-branded versions as freebies or employee rewards.
Businesses are making greater efforts to identify environmentally friendly business travel options, particularly for air travel. Why? Because aviation accounts for 14% of total global CO2 emissions. To reduce CO2 emissions from flights, businesses should collaborate with airlines that are committed to using sustainable aviation fuels. Encourage employees to take alternate routes. According to one study, these fuels can reduce a flight’s carbon footprint by up to 80%.
Book direct flights, fly on fuel-efficient aircraft, and travel less to reduce your environmental impact. By removing 15 pounds of weight from your suitcase, you can reduce your emissions by the equivalent of two trees. Another simple step is to discontinue the production of itineraries, boarding passes, and other travel-related documents. Most domestic travel nowadays requires only computerized papers and smart software.
Once business travel and activities have resumed, take advantage of the opportunity to review and modify your corporate travel policy. Both businesses and individuals can make changes to their travel habits to reduce their environmental impact. Please see the resource for more information.