Despite the devastating healthcare crisis and economic contraction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a positive outcome: it significantly mitigated environmental pollution worldwide. The decrease in energy consumption resulted in reduced usage of fossil fuels and lowered particulate emissions, leading to various ecological benefits such as improved air and water quality.
These environmental benefits brought sustainability into the limelight. The impact of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions has pushed companies to focus on green travel.
According to Business Travel News, more than 36% of surveyed companies increased their public commitment to green travel practices. Hence, companies are now looking to reduce their carbon footprint, and investing in green travel is a great way to achieve this goal.
Let us see why investing in green travel is good for your company:
1. Improves Brand Image
Consumers and business travelers are now becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their travel choices on the environment. Hence, they are more likely to choose companies that prioritize sustainability. A Sustainable Travel Report 2022 by Booking.com revealed that 71% of global travelers, including business travelers, prefer traveling sustainably, and 70% choose to stay in eco-friendly accommodations.
Hence, it is no speculation that green business travel helps improve your company’s brand image. By promoting green travel practices, you can position yourself as environmentally responsible. If your organization has a green travel policy in place, you can attract environmentally conscious customers and investors.
By promoting sustainable travel practices, your company can tap into this growing market and attract environmentally conscious customers. This can increase customer loyalty and repeat business. This helps uplift your company’s brand image.
2. Fulfills Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an umbrella term that is used to describe a range of actions undertaken by companies to drive social, economic, and environmental progress. As the issue of climate change is becoming more crucial, the environment has taken center stage in CSR efforts.
By integrating a sustainable travel program into your company’s business travel process, you can fulfill your CSR. Additionally, you can incorporate CSR while creating a corporate travel policy, help business travelers make green travel decisions, and examine your supply chain.
By adopting eco-friendly practices for business travel, such as using low-emission transportation modes, reducing unnecessary travel, and offsetting carbon emissions, your company can reduce its carbon footprint and demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability.
3. Enhances Employee Satisfaction
Investing in green business travel can positively impact employee satisfaction and well-being. Employees who are environmentally conscious to travel sustainably are more likely to work for companies that share their values. It will make them feel good about their impact on the environment and their company’s commitment to sustainability. This can lead to employee job satisfaction and a more positive work environment.
Additionally, promoting green travel practices can also lead to a better work-life balance for employees. Employees can attend meetings via video conferencing and other remote communication technologies without having to travel. This can lead to less time spent away from home and a better work-life balance, thus contributing positively to the environment.
4. Better Compliance with Regulations
Governments around the world are implementing regulations and policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable business travel practices. If your company fails to comply with these regulations, you may face fines, legal action, and damage to your reputation.
By investing in green travel practices, you can ensure compliance with these regulations and avoid potential penalties. This includes regulations related to emissions, waste management, and sustainable travel practices.
Additionally, promoting sustainable travel practices can also help companies stay ahead of regulatory changes and avoid potential disruptions to their operations. Governments around the world are implementing more stringent regulations aimed at reducing emissions. If your company is already implementing sustainable travel practices, you will be in a better position to comply with these regulations and avoid potential disruptions to your business operations.
5. Competitive Advantage
Investing in green business travel can give organizations a competitive advantage over their peers in a number of ways. Here are some of them:
- Attracting eco-conscious customers: Many clients/ consumers/business partners are becoming more environmentally conscious and are looking for companies that share these values. By promoting green travel practices, you can demonstrate your commitment to sustainability and attract/retain clients.
- Differentiating from competitors: In competitive markets, it can be challenging for businesses to stand out from their peers. Investing in green travel practices allows you to differentiate yourself from competitors who haven’t implemented sustainable measures.
- Accessing new markets: Some markets may require businesses to meet certain sustainability standards in order to operate. For instance, some places have regulations that require businesses to reduce their carbon emissions or use green transportation options. Investing in green business travel allows you to access these markets and gain a competitive edge.
6. Reduces Carbon Footprint
The carbon footprint refers to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are produced by your company’s activities during business travel. These emissions contribute to climate change, a growing concern for governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide.
You can significantly reduce your company’s carbon footprint by adopting green business travel practices. Some of the ways in which you can reduce your company’s carbon footprint include:
- Choosing eco-friendly airlines
- Preferring economy class over business class
- Avoiding layovers
- Choosing green accommodations
- Implementing a green travel policy
- Motivating employees to choose electric vehicles to commute locally
- Educating your employees, and many more.
Reducing your company’s carbon footprint is important for your company as it reduces environmental impact, improves your reputation, gains access to new markets, attracts investments from socially responsible companies, and many more.
7. Reduces Reliance on Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, are non-renewable resources that are extracted from the earth. When fossil fuels are burned, they release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise and leading to climate change.
Green business travel options, such as public transportation, electric vehicles, or walking, rely less on fossil fuels than traditional transportation methods, such as traveling in a cab. For instance, public transportation, such as buses and trains, can transport multiple employees simultaneously, reducing the number of cars or bikes on the road and the fuel needed to transport employees.
Therefore, if you encourage your employees to adopt these methods, they will not only feel better about their contribution to the environment, but also you can contribute to a sustainable future.
Why Green Business Travel is the Need of the Hour
By investing in green business travel, your company can save money on travel expenses, reduce your carbon footprint, and promote sustainability. This can lead to increased profitability, as well as improved brand image and customer loyalty.
Our corporate travel management solution has a feature that can help you track your company’s carbon footprint monthly or quarterly. With these metrics, you can find out ways to neutralize your carbon footprint and make informed decisions.Â
To check out this feature, get a free demo of ITILITE now!
