Mind Your Ps: How Corporate Travel Supports Business Goals for Profits, People and the Planet

The three Ps—profits, people and planet—are the triple bottom line for businesses today. Companies evaluate opportunities and measure success using financial, social and environmental metrics. According to a recent study commissioned by the United Nations:

• 97% of chief executive officers believe sustainability is important to the future success of their business.
• 85% have embedded sustainability into the business.
• 79% say brand, trust and reputation drive them to act on sustainability.

Corporate travel plays a vital role. A travel program that embeds sustainability into its operations supports savings (profits), traveler satisfaction (people) and environmentally and socially responsible stewardship (planet).

If you’re just getting started with linking your travel program to broader business goals on sustainability, GBTA’s Sustainability in Travel Self-Assessment Tool, created in conjunction with BCD Travel, is a great place to begin. It measures sustainability by program category, including:

• Overall sustainability program
• Policies and procedures
• Air
• Hotel
• Car rental
• Rail
• Other transportation
• Meetings and events
• Traveler well-being
• Program communications

Based on the results, the tool grades your travel program’s sustainability level and provides recommendations for improvement. It’s easy to use, and the category assessments can be completed over time or all at once.

Once you have a clearer understanding of your program’s strengths and weaknesses, start looking for others in the business travel industry with a proven record of sustainability success.

In addition, the United Nations Global Compact website offers information on thousands of companies committed to the world’s largest sustainability initiative. The Global Compact calls for corporations to align business principles with sustainability efforts, including improving human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption practices. Make connections with some of these businesses that are getting sustainability right, and ask them for guidance.

The focus on profits, people and the planet is here to stay. It’s time to start minding your three Ps—and you’ve got the tools and resources to make that happen.

Questions? Comments? Send me an email at Sabine.Kerse@bcdtravel.de, and let’s have a chat about creating a sustainable travel program. You can also get in touch via sustainability@bcdtravel.com, and we’ll share our story and tips for sustainability success.

 

 

As Senior Manager Global Sustainability Marketing, Sabine Kerse leads all Marketing and Communications activities focused on sustainability at BCD Travel. In this role she’s made her passion for sustainability part of her profession and uses the powers of Marketing to drive corporate responsibility forward.

Sabine holds a Master’s degree in Tourism & Leisure Management from the Salzburg Management Business School and has profound knowledge about corporate travel from different roles in over 20 years in the industry.