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More Companies Link Executive Travel To Corporate, Community, And Environmental Values |
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Executive travel provides a key opportunity for organizations to demonstrate to their employees, suppliers, customers, and communities that they believe in corporate citizenship practices, according to a report released today by The Conference Board. |
“By linking environmental, community relations, and human resource goals through creative business practices, companies around the world are developing innovative travel programs that can reduce environmental impacts, improve the quality of life in local communities, and increase employee commitment and corporate reputation,” says Steven M. Godeke, Senior Research Advisor, Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel, The Conference Board, and author of the report.
As the second largest variable expense for most organizations, the main criteria in determining corporate travel purchases have historically been cost, security, and convenience. Many organizations are now also developing business expertise, improving employee morale, and furthering positive community relations through their corporate travel policies.
GREEN BUSINESS TRAVEL
To limit their environmental liability, many organizations are currently targeting their carbon dioxide emissions as a first step, while others are actively seeking out travel and lodging vendors who supply environmentally-sound products. The road to climate neutral travel begins with two basic steps: defining a company’s full environmental impact and ways to improve it, and monitoring travel data via a company-wide tracking system.
Some organizations such as Sustainable Asset Management, a financial management firm, have set the ambitious goal of zero environmental impact and are working with several initiatives that assist organizations in this process by purchasing carbon/climate offsets. An offset is an emission reduction or removal project through which another entity reduces its emissions. The offset purchases often provide creative opportunities to assist communities as well as to reduce the environmental impact. For example, Nike’s travel department partnered with Delta Air Lines to create Eco-Class. When employees fly with Delta Air Lines, Nike and Delta both donate a portion of the ticket to offset carbon dioxide emissions.
Many environmental programs also result in cost savings – a key consideration for most corporate travel purchasers. For example, Credit Suisse now has a policy where if someone is traveling from New York to London, they will be asked to consider a cost-effective alternative to travel by using video- or tele-conferencing.
THE PEOPLE FACTOR
Growing numbers of individual travelers are seeking out environmentally and socially sound options in their leisure travel and may not want to check their values when they travel on business. Many companies provide opportunities for employees to enhance the reputation of their employer as well as provide benefits to the employees. HSBC Holdings’ employee volunteer program with Earthwatch Institute, for example, educates and trains staff through ecological research expeditions to help position the company to achieve its social and environmental goals.
THE GREEN HOTEL INITIATIVE
While organizations can account for and manage the direct impacts of their own activities, the quantification of environmental performance up and down the supply chain can be challenging. As consumers of travel services, many companies and organizations are not aware of how they can be informed about and influence the environmental and community activities of travel and lodging suppliers.
The Green Hotel Initiative, sponsored by CERES, provides corporate travel purchasers with the tools to assess the current practices of their lodging suppliers through its “Best Practices Survey” and to demonstrate their desire to avail themselves of these services through its “Guest Request Card.”
Companies can customize their green travel programs to their specific circumstances. In general, successful projects tend to display the following characteristics:
Linkage with the operations, strategy, and culture of the organization.
Emphasis on the connections among environment, human resources and community goals.
Clear and consistent communication to all stakeholders as to the goals and progress of specific initiatives.
The full report is available at www.conference-board.org.
This report was presented by Mr. Godeke in April at the First International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism, held in Djerba, Tunisia. It was convened by the World Tourism Organization, upon an invitation of the Government of Tunisia, and included more than 150 participants from 42 countries and six international organizations. He spoke during a specific session that was dedicated to policy and mitigation issues.
ABOUT BEST
Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel (BEST) www.sustainabletravel.org is an initiative of The Conference Board, in association with the World Travel and Tourism Council. Support is provided by several foundations, including Ford, Charles Stewart Mott, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, as well as by corporations such as American Express and Marriott International. BEST is the premier source of knowledge on travel and tourism practices that benefit communities worldwide.
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