Sustainable travel is nothing new – vacation companies like Responsible Travel or Exodus have put people, place and planet at the center of their offerings for many years now. But what about those who want to be able to follow the same ESG values when we travel for business?
The good news is that if there’s one lesson we’ve all learned from the pandemic, it’s that we can all be kinder to the planet and appreciate the people around us — and this is especially important with the arrival of Earth Day on April 22.
For example, the Conscious Travel Foundation, a not-for-profit network that aims to promote responsible travel practices through mentorship programs, grew out of the womb of the pandemic, as companies realized that more could and should be done to make travel more sustainable.
Major brands such as Hilton and IHG have also increased their focus on improving their green credentials. Hilton has committed to reducing carbon intensity by 61% and water intensity by 50% by 2030 in line with the Paris climate agreement, while IHG has pledged to eliminate 200 million single-use mini beauty tools across its hotels.
Discussions from the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) last year underscored some stark realities, meaning that society is now making greater efforts to adopt greener living and working habits, something the corporate travel sector cannot afford to ignore.
So there are two main areas that will drive conversations in business travel and help address the climate crisis: climate resilient sites and greener examples.
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Climate-resilient locations are areas that have the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to environmentally hazardous events, trends, or disturbances. This is quickly becoming a hot trend in the world of corporate travel, and for all the right reasons. Regions such as Scandinavia and North America, which provide good water and food security, have rich biodiversity and, most importantly, closely regulate environmental degradation, providing a solid foundation for companies to build their portfolios on.
Rather than implementing systems that react to climate change, business travelers can focus on ways to conserve and transform local areas that are resilient to climate change.
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This is partly due to fewer complications when it comes to incorporating tighter sustainability protocols, as these areas are more permanent, allowing companies to more easily align their needs with environmental considerations. Not only are these areas already fertile business hubs, but they are also strategically located for corporate travelers due to their ability to withstand rising sea levels and the increased frequency of extreme weather events.
Prioritizing mitigation over adaptation is also a preferred method of business travel. Instead of implementing systems that react To climate change, business travelers can focus on ways to preserve and transform local areas Withstands Climate change as well as reducing emissions and building resilience in local communities.
Therefore, investing in climate-resistant locations is one solution that corporate booking platforms can pursue. Moreover, comes an additional desire to make cities and communities more sustainable as enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Shifting your overall business strategy along with these goals is important because it encourages companies to be more environmentally forward.
Setting eco-friendly examples with ESG
Seamlessly integrating ESG into their overall business strategies gives companies the capabilities to influence broader change in the travel sector and helps them build on the current momentum of environmental initiatives such as the COP26 Summit. As outlined at the Summit, setting more stringent corporate ESG targets will help accelerate towards securing global net zero by mid-century.
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With employee demand changing to become more focused on sustainability, corporate booking platforms have a responsibility to support this transition. If you’re looking to align your reservations with overarching sustainability values, transparency is essential.
Paul Proctor, vice president of commercial affairs for Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts echoes this demand, saying that “more transparency about sustainability at the booking stage is a win-win for all corporate and hotel customers.” In addition, Paloma Zapata, CEO of Barcelona-based Sustainable Travel International, cites the “climate-smart forward thinking approach” that some companies are taking, thus creating awareness and actively motivating employees to make smarter decisions and take ownership of their footprint. And since 89% of hospitality operators are already investing in technology in 2021, there is clearly a desire for change.
Therefore, technology is a key component to stabilizing the conflict between business travel and sustainability: By choosing platforms that offer cloud-based sustainability filtering tools, companies can then acquire better properties that reflect their environmental goals. For example, modular filters that highlight whether properties offer green assets, such as recycling programs or environmental certifications, mean customers can book more green accommodations and support measures such as carbon offsets.
These latest innovations in the corporate reservation cycle aim to overturn the legacy legacies associated with traditional reservations, and create new frontiers to combine customer sustainability values with technology-driven capabilities to meet ESG’s internal standards. Giving users the ability to choose more sustainable ways of living ensures that employees can gain a personalized experience while also prioritizing ways that future-proof both the travel industry and the planet.
Because these tools are easily accessible and adopted, they are a great balancing and enabling tool for small operators who may not necessarily have the budget to create a sustainable scheme.
In the end, the travel will not stop. In fact, business travel is expected to grow to $1.7 trillion this year which is another good reason for corporate booking platforms to support shifting values for both employees and businesses alike. It’s time for us all to think about how we can get smarter, safer and more sustainable – combining tech solutions with environmental ethics can be just the first step.
