The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation released its 2012 Sustainable Travel Policies Benchmarking Study that surveyed travel managers in the United States, Europe and Australia on their opinions on sustainability efforts for their business travel programs.

The study found that sustainability efforts are an important factor in travel programs, in which companies focus on sustainability measures to generate savings, influence traveler behavior to make better decisions and to establish relationships with green-friendly suppliers.

In order to comply with new sustainability travel policies, 37-43% of travel managers said they anticipate changing at least one of their airline, hotel or ground transportation suppliers. Travel managers will be searching for suppliers with green services and solutions to curb waste, minimize carbon footprints and generate results.

Other results of the survey include:

Sustainability Measures

Europe/
Australia

 U.S.
1. Environmental responsibility is more important now than it was even two years ago 56% 41%
2. Plan to incorporate more green measures 52% 41%
3. Anticipate using environmental sourcing criteria 59% 34%
4. Participates in at least one travel-related sustainability initiative 56% 41%
5. Of those who participate in at least one and also have four or more travel-related sustainability initiatives 35% 17%

“Companies worldwide are focusing their corporate social responsibility programs on their impact on our environment,” said Bernard Harrop, head of sustainability at the GBTA Foundation. “Travel has an outsized impact on the environment, but from this study we’ve learned that travel managers lack direction and accurate data to evolve their travel programs in the best interest of the environment.”

The full report is available exclusively to GBTA members by clicking here and non-members may purchase the report through the GBTA Foundation by emailing pyachnes@gbtafoundation.org.

You can read here about the GBTA's recently re-launched Project Icarus, which is aimed at providing information, education and support for sustainability issues in the business travel and meetings industry.

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