How to travel sustainably and reduce your carbon footprint during business trips?

Business travel is one of the biggest contributors to corporate carbon emissions. According to a study by the Global Business Travel Association, business travel accounted for 1.4% of global CO2 emissions in 2019. That’s equivalent to the annual emissions of 23 million cars!

As climate change becomes a more urgent and pressing issue, it is important for businesses and travelers to adopt ESG practices and reduce negative environmental impact. Not only is this good for the planet, but it can also benefit the bottom line, as customers and investors are increasingly demanding more transparency and responsibility from companies.

ESG reporting is currently one of the biggest challenges for companies. Business conversations now start with it. Companies need to be aware of sustainability and implement tools to help them do so.

Here are some things you can do before and during your trip to make it more eco-friendly:

1. Choose the most eco-friendly mode of transportation

Opt for train, bus, or carpooling. Avoid flying if possible, or choose economy class and direct flights. Flying is the most carbon-intensive way of traveling, so try to limit it as much as you can.

2. Choose sustainable accomodation

Choose hotels that have green certifications or policies, such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, etc. Look for labels like Green Key, LEED, or Green Globe when booking your hotel.

3. Avoid traveling by car on-site

Book accommodation close to the meeting venue or public transport hubs to make it easier and faster to get around. This will not only save you money and time spent on getting around, but also reduce carbon footprint and give you a chance to explore the local culture and scenery.

4. Offset the carbon emissions

You can offset the carbon emissions of your trip by supporting verified projects that reduce greenhouse gases, such as renewable energy, forest conservation, etc. You can use tools like WorkTrips.com that calculate and report the carbon footprint of each trip automatically.

5. Implement eco-friendly travel policies

Travel policies of companys may specify that on shorter routes, for example from Brussels to Paris, an employee should choose to take the train instead of an airplane. Our users can already check the amount of carbon footprint emitted when planning a trip by any mode of transportation. And soon it will be available for an entire business trip, also taking into account, for example, the environmental impact of a hotel stay. We are working on making it possible for our customers to expand the parameters of their travel policies, taking into account the amount of carbon footprint left.

We hope you found these tips helpful and inspiring. We encourage you to try them out on your next business trip and see how they make a difference for yourself and the environment. If you want to know more about how our company executes ESG policies, head over to our ESG section.

Greetings,
WorkTrips.com