Sustainable business travel is the practice of reducing the environmental impact of corporate travel through smarter booking decisions, lower-emission transportation options, and accurate emissions tracking. It is increasingly important because organizations face growing expectations around ESG performance, business travel emissions reporting, regulatory compliance, and corporate sustainability goals. A successful sustainable travel program combines data, policy, reporting, and traveler engagement. 

The most effective way to encourage sustainable business travel is to make lower-carbon options visible during booking. Concur Travel displays emissions data and alternative travel choices alongside standard search results, helping employees make informed decisions. Organizations can also use pre-trip approvals, travel policies, and sustainability guidelines to reinforce responsible travel behavior and reduce business travel emissions.

Scope 3 Category 6 includes greenhouse gas emissions generated by employee business travel, including flights, rail travel, hotel stays, rental cars, and ground transportation. As sustainability reporting requirements expand, organizations need reliable business travel emissions data to report, measure, and manage Scope 3 emissions accurately. Travel managers play a critical role because booking and expense data provide the foundation for emissions reporting and compliance.

Business travel emissions tracking is the process of measuring greenhouse gas emissions associated with employee travel, including flights, hotels, rail, rental cars, and ground transportation. Organizations use travel emissions data to support ESG reporting, Scope 3 emissions measurement, and sustainability planning.

Travel managers can reduce travel-related emissions by implementing sustainable travel policies, promoting lower-carbon transportation options, using pre-trip approvals, and providing emissions data at the point of booking so travelers can make more informed decisions. 

Business travel is typically reported under Scope 3 Category 6 emissions. Accurate travel data helps organizations measure environmental impact, support sustainability disclosures, and demonstrate progress toward ESG goals.

A sustainable travel program combines travel policies, booking tools, emissions tracking, reporting, and traveler guidance to help organizations reduce the environmental impact of business travel while supporting business goals and traveler needs.

Emissions data helps organizations understand the environmental impact of business travel, measure progress toward sustainability targets, support ESG reporting, and identify opportunities to reduce travel-related emissions.

Emissions tracking measures greenhouse gas emissions generated by travel activities. Carbon accounting uses that data to calculate, report, and manage an organization’s environmental impact across sustainability programs and reporting frameworks.

Sustainable travel technology helps organizations provide emissions data at the point of booking, track travel-related emissions, support ESG reporting, simplify carbon accounting, and guide travelers toward lower-carbon travel options.