*GUEST BLOG* What is the Government’s approach to sustainability and what impact can it have on travel management?

There has been much written about national and global targets to manage carbon emissions and the best route forward to support a more sustainable future. So what is the current situation and how can businesses and travel management professionals work with TMC’s to apply these directives to achieve a more sustainable approach to travel?

Currently the UK has a target to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050. This was first detailed in the 2008 Climate Change Act and is often defined as achieving “net zero” greenhouse gases in the next 30 years. In short, emissions from homes, industry and transport must either be avoided completely or offset by planting trees. To continue its efforts to realise this ambition, the government has committed over £3bn to support Research & Development for low carbon projects until next year as part of the Clean Growth Strategy. This has also been supported by investment in the development of offshore wind capacity and solar power.

In more recent times there have been calls for a more practical approach that extends beyond simply planting tress - namely investment in environmental projects aimed at reducing future emissions, such as the development of clean energy technology. From a fiscal point of view it is also possible to claim capital allowances when you buy energy efficient or low carbon technology for your business, so it’s worth bearing in mind as a tax incentive.

The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan: progress report highlights the advances made as part of its commitment to a clear and transparent reporting of progress to Parliament. Key developments have included minimising waste and action on plastics, which is important to bear in mind for companies keen to implement their own sustainability policies and KPIs.

From April this year the Government’s new controls on plastics come into effect. This will apply to plastic straws, drinks stirrers and plastic cotton buds. This is in addition to the EU’s own plan to place a wider ban on plastic items, including cutlery and plates, by next year. Many businesses have adopted their own policies as a result and the launch of the UK Plastics Pact in 2018 included a number of household names such as Sainsbury’s, Coca Cola, John Lewis and Unilever, all committing to delivering real change in the way plastics are produced and used.

So what does this mean for business and business travel? Such government policies and pledges can certainly act as signposts to inform how to implement sustainability policies – both from an operational as well as a travel point of view. The key is to stay informed. If you are looking to invest in a carbon off-setting scheme do your due diligence into its operations and deliverables, ask your supply chain what steps they are taking to reduce their impact on the environment and inform your travellers of the options available for a more sustainable trip so they can feel confident in the travel choices being made. And all that starts with an effective travel policy that balances the scales of environmental consciousness and the commercial needs of an organisation, without overlooking traveller wellbeing.

Such approach to your travel policy can take many forms: favouring the use of public transport rather than private transfers, only permitting hire of electric vehicles or considering mixed mode itineraries, can prove fruitful to companies’ endeavouring towards a more sustainable operation.

Blog post written by Direct ATPI. Register for FREE and visit them at stand B440 - www.businesstravelshow.com

*GUEST BLOG* 3 ways to jump-start travel programme sustainability

Managing corporate travel to increase sustainability has rapidly morphed from a feel-good nicety to an absolute necessity.

Seven in 10 travel managers in Europe now think it’s important to give travellers sustainable choices, according to recent research from the Global Business Travel Association and SAP Concur.

At BCD Travel, we see green travel gaining momentum in 2020 and beyond. But our commitment to sustainability has been embedded in our business practices for more than a decade. We’re proud of our leadership role in the industry and the work we do every day to help companies of all sizes reduce the environmental impact of business travel. We encourage travel buyers to get started by applying proven programme management strategies to their sustainability goals. Here are three ways you can do just that—ordered by level of effort.

1. Factor sustainability into supplier selection.

This is the easiest to-do because you probably already consider sustainability when evaluating agency, air, hotel and car-hiring partners. But plan to expand: Three-quarters of travel managers say they’ll focus even more on sourcing with eco-minded suppliers over the next two years, according to the GBTA-SAP Concur research.

Your challenge is to look beyond table-stakes qualifications, like hotels that ask guests to reuse linens. To make real progress, you’ll need to seek out suppliers with innovative approaches to reducing environmental impact. A recent favourite of mine was Dutch airline KLM’s centennial anniversary “Fly Responsibly” campaign, which offered concrete ways to reduce the environmental impact of flights.

Ask your travel management company what they’re seeing in the marketplace that’s new and next when it comes to sustainability.

2. Guide travellers toward more sustainable choices.

Using Traveller Engagement^TM tactics to boost sustainability is simple because your business travellers want to reduce their impact. Over the past year, 58% of travel managers received traveller requests for more eco-friendly trip options, according to GBTA and SAP Concur.

Plus, you’ve got more ways than ever to reach your travellers right as they’re making trip decisions with environmental consequences. Use merchandising via your online booking tool to guide travellers toward lower-impact (and often lower-cost) options. Mobile apps like TripSource® allow you to remind travellers to make sustainable choices, like taking public transportation.

3. Leverage collaboration technology to reduce nonessential trips.

Video-enabled collaboration tools are getting better and more ubiquitous every day. In 2020, try incorporating them into your programme as non-travel offerings in ways that won’t hurt your bottom line.

Here’s the rationale. In-person pitching is 34 times more likely to seal the deal, as the Harvard Business Review reports. So, your salespeople will always need to go on business trips. But internal meetings are ripe for reduction that won’t harm revenue. A directed virtual collaboration strategy for internal meetings enabled one of our clients to significantly reduce environmental impact by avoiding over 900 trips. The company also saved US$5.5 million and boosted productivity by redirecting over 15,000 hours of employee travel time.

At BCD, we’re incorporating supplier sustainability, eco-oriented engagement strategies and virtual collaboration tools into our newly launched Sustainable Collaboration offering. It also provides solutions for more complex areas, such as measuring and reporting on sustainability and implementing a carbon-offsetting programme.

I’d love to talk more about Sustainable Collaboration and hear how you’re enabling conscious travel at the upcoming Business Travel Show, 26-27 February 2020, at the Olympia London. Register for a free visitor pass at www.businesstravelshow.com and please stop by Booth B320 for a chat. See you there!

This blog was posted by Tony McGetrick, BCD Travel’s director of sales for U.K. & Ireland.