Credit: Canva ProEmburse has released its findings on British business travel, sharing that only 16% of travelers prioritize sustainable travel options.
Emburse, a global spend optimization company, conducted a comprehensive research study on the attitudes of British business travelers toward sustainability. As business travel volumes approach pre-pandemic levels, Emburse sought to understand how sustainability fits into the agenda of companies and their traveling employees.
The findings reveal that while many businesses and employees have sustainability on their minds, the translation of good intentions into concrete actions is still lacking, with both parties placing the responsibility on each other to implement sustainable travel practices.
According to the report, 38% of businesses have reported increased investment in sustainability, and a significant majority (71%) have established formal sustainability policies or guidelines. However, only 37% of these businesses actively enforce these policies during the booking and travel expense approval process.
Just one in six employees considers sustainability as their key priority when making travel plans, with cost and traveler convenience taking precedence, according to the report.
While environmental concerns remain a low priority during the booking process, 71% of employees believe their employers should do more to enable sustainable travel. Additionally, the majority (76%) of employees would opt for a more sustainable mode of transportation if provided with financial incentives or sustainability programs.
Since Emburse's previous survey in 2021, employee demand for sustainable travel incentives has risen by 19%. It is worth noting that in the 2021 data, only 11% of employers listed sustainability as an important factor for business travel arrangements. However, the current study reveals that cost remains the most critical factor for both businesses and employees when booking business travel.
While more organizations are implementing sustainability policies and guidelines, there is still an evident gap between the desire for eco-friendly travel and actual execution. As the survey indicates, the priorities between companies’ sustainability practices, traveler priorities, and employees’ personal sustainable practices are askew, signaling more responsibility should be placed on companies’ eco-friendly travel practices.
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