INTRODUCTION
For Eco-conscious companies, balancing the need to travel with business objectives to lower their carbon footprint can be a tricky balance.
Getting your experts where they need to be is not negotiable. The fact is they need to travel for your business to be successful, but how can you do this as an environmentally conscious business?
Well, the good news is, it is possible to travel green but it takes a bit of hard work and dedication. The great news is that having a Travel Management Company in place can help drive greener travel within your business and take the hard work out of it for you.
Here’s how:
CO2 REPORTS
More and more companies are paying extra attention to their carbon footprint and the effect their travel is having on the environment. Some businesses will even have certain quotas and targets to measure their environmental impact, – and that’s where a Travel Management Company comes in.
By displaying the amount of CO2 per trip within the online booking tool travellers are encouraged to make greener choices. A proactive TMC (such as us,) will then report on the CO2 footprint per trip. Many of our clients find these reports to be invaluable for producing Corporate Social Responsibility statements and for managing their business KPIs.
ENCOURAGE GAMIFICATION
Building incentive schemes into travel policies is becoming an increasingly common way of helping companies meet KPIs and increase the adoption of greener travel throughout the business.
Offering rewards to employees who opt for environmentally friendly options such as lift or taxi sharing when travelling is a proven way to drive adoption of key objectives. Online Booking Tools can be used to help promote greener travel too. By highlighting the more fuel-efficient cars or hybrid electrical vehicles, travellers are likely to be drawn to these options through visual guilt.
GO PAPERLESS
Many air and rail companies are now offering eTickets which can be used via QR codes on your traveller’s mobile.
Not only does this eliminate your company’s need for paper and lower your carbon footprint, but it means your traveller’s are far less likely to lose their ticket.
Going paperless can also help with every traveller’s biggest annoyance: expenses. Most TMCs have an expense solution in place which means that travellers can send invoices from their phones straight to your finance department.
FLY DIRECT
Opting for nonstop rather than connecting flights can massively reduce your carbon footprint as most of the fuel consumption occurs during landing and take-off.
Direct flights can be more expensive, but in return you’ll be saving your traveller’s time. Limiting the impact of longer hours and jetlag will help your experts perform better while working away and show consideration for their wellbeing.
PLANT A TREE!
Carbon offsetting is a great way to make up for the carbon dioxide released during your business travel. Trees consume Co2 and release oxygen back into the atmosphere, meaning that by planting a tree your business can positively impact the environment.
If you don’t have space around your offices to plant trees, there are many local and international schemes you can get involved with to do the planting for you.
Why not plan a tree for X amount of air miles your company accrues? Or when X amount of employees reach an environmental KPI within your travel policy? This information can be given to you through Management Information (MI) via your account manager. You can find out more about reports offered through an account managed service here.
REUSING THE SAME TOWELS AND SHEETS
Most hotels give guests the option of reusing their towels and bedding rather than changing them daily. By reusing them, you can help reduce the amount of laundry the hotel has to do, therefore saving water and energy.
EAT LOCAL
One of the great things about travelling, whether for business, leisure or bleisure, is experiencing local foods and cultures.
While it can be tempting to buy from a familiar chain, encourage your travellers to consider the fuel it takes for a recognisable brand to pack and ship it’s products to global locations.
Opting for food from a local, independent restaurant is likely to be fresher and healthier, as well as better for the environment.
PACK LIGHT
The lighter your travellers pack, the less fuel the plane will consume while transporting luggage. – Your business also save more money by avoiding larger baggage fees.
Travellers should also be encouraged to take reusable toiletry bags and water bottles (which can be refilled and taken onboard when flying) to limit plastic waste. Consider investing in branded in-flight reusable merchandise to ensure your traveller’s comfort and cut down on waste.
MORE BLOGS
Gray Dawes Win At Business Travel Awards 2024
The 2024 Business Travel Awards Europe – the Oscars of the business travel industry – featured finalists from 22 different categories, with eventual winners undergoing a rigorous judging process. We were therefore delighted to be crowned Travel Partner of the Year: Medium TMC.
Travel Talks 14 – Emburse
In this fascinating Travel Talks episode, our Director of Account Management and Implementation, Ian Currington, and the VP of Sales at Emburse, Paul Crawley, discuss the future of travel & expense strategy (T&E). Discover why companies need to care for what’s coming next in T&E, the benefits it can bring to your employees, and how you can take advantage of having automated control and real-time visibility of your expenses.
The Rise of the Sustainable Hotel
With the science surrounding the increased sustainability of planes, trains, and automobiles tending to dominate the eco-friendly news cycle, stories about the climate-conscious efforts of other industries within the travel world often go unnoticed. Take the rise in sustainable hotels for example. Sustainable hotels are a growing trend that aims to minimise this impact. But what exactly is a sustainable hotel? What benefits do they offer? And how might they look in the future? In this article, we explore all of this and more…
OUR PURPOSE
At the heart of everything we do are our people. We don’t just mean just our employees, but our clients and suppliers too.
At Gray Dawes Group we strive to create an environment which recognises and nurtures a healthy work/life balance – for our staff and clients alike.
By providing our customers with better travel management, they’re able to achieve what they need to by working flexibly, whether in the office, at home or around the globe.