The business of sustainable connections

Jason Geall at American Express Global Business Travel argues that sustainability can and must be an important part of corporate travel strategies

 

As new work-life patterns take shape, many organisations are rethinking their operating models and relationships with employees.

 

The great disruption of the past two years has reminded companies about the value of people. Hybrid and remote work are, evidently, here to stay.  It is therefore no surprise that employee welfare and wellbeing have come into sharper focus. At the same time, there’s a more profound recognition of the value of face-to-face meetings.  

 

As a result, the role and perception of business travel is changing. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is no longer just about going from A to B to meet a customer, prospect or colleague, or to perform a specific task. Business travel is now about mobility and interaction - how people connect.

 

‘Connecting’ people requires a different mindset. It plays an increasingly pivotal and expanded role in supporting company culture, engagement, productivity, team cohesion, talent attraction and retention in challenging labour markets.

 

This is reflected in what we’re seeing with our customers. They say travel and meetings are increasingly interwoven with stakeholders across a range of functions – HR, recruitment, mobility, real estate, security, sustainability, diversity, compliance and data.

 

For example, some clients are re-evaluating their internal travel. Traditionally, these trips were often viewed as less important than revenue-generating sales meetings. But now, as the need for teams to connect in person grows, the value of internal interactions is gaining more recognition. Our research for the 2022 Global Meetings & Events Forecast found the internal meetings category is expected to show most growth in 2022.

 

Today, customers, partners and employees want to feel confident that they’re working with and for sustainable, responsible, inclusive organisations. Business leaders are aware of this – a recent survey of 2,000 CEOs conducted by professional services firm EY found 99% said they factored environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into their buying strategies.

 

As a travel management company, we’ve always believed travel is a force for good. It is the engine room of the global economy, driving trade and growth. It brings people together, connecting communities, helping to bring down barriers and build respect and understanding.

 

In the past two years, we’ve seen what a world without travel looks like, and the damage done – the plummet in trade and global GDP, millions of jobs lost, the impact on mental health. But to continue enjoying the economic and social benefits of travel, wide-reaching collaboration is needed to address environmental impact.

 

For organisations with net-zero objectives, how they connect becomes key to strategies around emissions reduction. Organisations need to measure and analyse their travel carbon emissions data, and identify levers they can pull to meet targets. They should provide information that nudges their business travellers towards greener options. And they should look to source more sustainable hotels and meetings venues, and to invest in high-quality carbon offsets.

 

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the most viable option right now on the path to net-zero travel. It offers drastic lifecycle carbon emissions reduction – currently up to 80% – and can be blended with traditional jet fuel for use today, without need for new aircraft technology.

 

These are big changes, challenges, and opportunities, and they reflect what the value of travel and interaction – of connections – looks like in the new landscape we are all operating in.

 

To stay ahead of the curve as these changes play out, business leaders have plenty to consider. Are all the right stakeholders involved in policy-making conversations? Does the budget and headcount for managing this reflect its value to the organisation? Do travel procurement strategies support sustainability and diversity objectives? Strategic changes should have C-suite leadership and guidance – is there enough support and engagement at senior level?

 

These are not new trends but have been significantly accelerated and put in sharper focus by the pandemic. And for many, these trends are heading towards an inflection point that makes now a very good time to explore how to implement changes for the better.  

 

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Jason Geall is SVP & GM EMEA, American Express Global Business Travel. A new report, Business Travel is the Centre of the New Company Culture, produced by Amex GBT and Cultique, is available for download

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com