11 Ways To Care For The Planet While Traveling For Business

Did you know? Companies who practice sustainability and encourage their travelers to do so enjoy more profitability and happier employees. The business travel community can help take action to invest in our planet. Keep reading for a checklist of 11 sustainable actions to try now.

1.Limit trips to necessary business travel that helps strengthen relationships and add the most value to your company’s objectives. Internal meetings that don’t boost sales or the bottom line are a good place to start using virtual collaboration.

2.Combine several appointments on one trip.

3.Where possible, shift to more eco-friendly travel alternatives, like taking intercity trains in some countries. When flying is the only option, choose direct flights and fly economy class wherever possible.

4.Use ridesharing and public transportation where feasible, safe and permitted by the travel policy.

5.Choose the most environmentally friendly rental vehicle allowed in the travel policy. Carpool when you can.

6.Go paperless. Refrain from printing itineraries, presentations, and other documents as much as possible. Use approved electronic devices and services, instead.

7.Get creative with where and how you meet. Invite colleagues, clients and prospects to join you for volunteer activities that help the planet, like beach or park clean-ups. The experience may yield surprising relationship-building benefits.

8.Where possible, decline single-use plastics offered in offices, hotels, restaurants and other public spaces.

9.Collaborate with your travel arranger to identify eco-friendly hotels. Check the eco-certifications and amenities at hotels. Saunas, spas, and restaurants can increase hotels’ CO2 emissions.

10.Consider using hotel towels and linens a few times before having them changed.

11.Pack light. The less baggage you have, the less fuel it takes to get you there.