For many, travel is a necessary part of business, but can it be done while keeping environmental sustainability at the forefront?
As the saying goes, sustainable travel done well means you should ‘leave only footprints behind’. But, in our fast-moving world, this can be challenging to practice, particularly when attending fly-in, fly-out meetings, rushing to get into the office, and planning large-scale events and conferences.
Embracing a holistic approach to green travel has many benefits for companies. It shows an alignment between employee actions and your Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and contributions toward a healthier planet. To help you on your (more sustainable) journey, here are some tips to consider when planning your next corporate trip.
- Pay to offset carbon emissions from flights
Corporate trips often involve air travel, and aeroplanes are responsible for producing significant amounts of carbon emissions. Choose to offset the emissions from your flight when offered during the booking process. This extra fee contributes to large-scale projects that actively counteract greenhouse gas emissions, such as reforestation efforts.
- Choose direct flight routes
If a direct flight option is available, select that instead of a multi-stop journey and get to your destination sooner. As take-off and landings are the most fuel-intensive part of any airline trip, a non-stop route will cut down on the unnecessary environmental impact of your air transit.
- Video conferencing to replace in-person meetings
Where possible, suggest a virtual meeting instead of an in-person catch-up. A meeting hosted on Zoom or Teams will avoid the emissions that would have been created by car and plane travel and is a much cheaper, less stressful option for everyone involved. If some face-to-face meetings are required, suggest a regular cadence of both in-person and virtual catch-ups, which will at least halve the cost and ecological impact of attendee travel.
- Embrace public transport
Utilising public transport to get to and from the office is a far superior form of transport, in terms of its associated per-user ecological impact, compared to personal vehicles, taxis or Ubers. In cities with robust and reliable transport networks, using buses, trains, and trams instead of driving your car to and from work will reduce your environmental footprint and save on fuel prices.
- Get active
Biking or walking to work might be an option if you live reasonably close to the office. This has the benefits of being good for the environment and excellent for your physical and mental health, too. Increased daily exercise can help increase blood flow, release endorphins, and reduce overall stress.
- Choose sustainable accommodation
When working away from home or on a business trip, consider staying in a hotel that values sustainability in its daily practices. Many hotels now use energy-efficient lighting, water conservation programs and waste reduction initiatives. These eco-friendly endeavours are often promoted on the hotel’s website or publicised through environmental certifications or star ratings.
When travelling for work, whether intercity, interstate or international, corporate travellers have the power to impact the environment positively. Every decision counts – from how you get to work to how you fly and the accommodation you choose when away from home. Embracing a greener way of travelling is everyone’s responsibility, so do your bit to reduce your business’s ecological footprint and make sustainable choices on your next business trip.
