A new study of 313 European travel managers has revealed that 62 per
cent of travel programmes are now considered 'sustainable'. This is an increase from the 40
per cent recorded in a similar study in November 2019.
The research, carried out on behalf of Business Travel Show Europe, found
that while more than one third (37 per cent) of buyers were managing a
sustainable programme pre-Covid, 25 per cent of sustainable programmes have
been introduced during the global pandemic, and a further 23 per cent of buyers
are planning to initiate a sustainable travel programme for their business.
The proportion of buyers who said their programme was not sustainable because
of the cost of implementing it has plummeted, from 25 per cent in 2019 to just
1 per cent now.
One in five buyers is relying on their TMC to ensure their programme is
sustainable, the survey revealed.
Stephen Swift, travel manager, EMEA & APAC at the Ford Motor
Company, who is speaking at Business Travel Show Europe, said, “My
company is fully focused on changing our product range to be all electric by
the middle of the decade. We are focussing our travel programme on sustainable
travel choices to support this: hotels with clear and published green policies
and choosing modern, more fuel-efficient airline fleets and ride sharing where
possible.”
Sam Hart, CIO of Agiito, the TMC formerly known as Capita Travel and Events,
said, “We are one planet. Being a sustainable business IS the only option. We
need to help our customers with the right travel choices by providing clear
metrics around the impact of their journeys. We also need collaboration across
supply chains throughout the industry to solidify the importance of
sustainability and minimise end-to-end impact.”
Business Travel Show Europe has also announced the launch of an Ethical
Travel Trail at the 2021 event which takes place in person at
ExCeL in London on 30 September and 1 October 2021.
The trail will take attendees on a journey across the show floor,
highlighting companies that are championing sustainability, diversity, equity
and inclusion, carbon neutrality and human rights to challenge behaviours for
the good of the planet.