Emburse, a global leader in spend optimisation, has released the findings of its latest research on attitudes towards sustainability among British business travellers. The Censuswide survey of 1,003 employees and 254 employers asked where sustainability fits within the business travel agenda, as trip volumes approach pre-pandemic levels. The data showed that while the environment is front of mind for many companies and their travelling employees, the majority are yet to turn good intentions into concrete actions and are placing the onus on the other to implement sustainable travel.
According to the report, 38% of businesses reported increased investment in sustainability, with 71% reporting having a formal sustainability policy or guidelines in place. However, only 37% of these businesses actively enforce these policies during bookings and travel expense approvals.
Only one in six employees cited sustainability as their key priority when making travel plans, significantly below both cost and traveller convenience. While environmental concerns remain a low priority during the booking process for business travellers, 71% said their employer should do more to enable sustainable travel. Meanwhile, the majority (76%) of employees also agreed they would take a more sustainable mode of transport if financial incentives or sustainability programmes were available.
Since Emburse’s 2021 survey looking at sustainable business travel post-pandemic, employee demand for sustainable travel incentives has risen by 19%. The 2021 data also found only one in nine (11%) employers had listed sustainability as an important factor for business travel arrangements.
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