Pillar 2

Focusing on solutions and actions for organisations

  • Update or elaborate a responsible travel policy.
  • Adapt HR policies, as relevant.
  • Work with the travel unit/agency to adapt the booking tool and process such as to prioritise less emissive modes of transport, as well as to track mileage and emissions.
  • Introduce incentive mechanisms such as carbon budgets per department/unit.
  • Flying economy: adjust travel along with the travel booking tools so that flying economy becomes unconditional; flying on premium classes is approved by managers under specific conditions. Disability or accessibility requirements should be recognised and considered as exceptions.

Staff and leadership awareness: Develop decision-making tools and communicate to help employees make climate-friendly decisions regarding the method of transport, the travel company, and the itinerary.

Reduce business travel, in particular by air (‘travel less’)

Travelling less, meaning reducing the number of passenger-kilometres, requires effort on different levels, and requires:

  • Leadership support and exemplary leadership; as well as guidance on prioritisation of meetings and large organisation-wide events that involve flying in a large share of participants.
  • Adjusting organisational models: decentralise entities (multiple headquarters or hubs), play on human resources policies (localisation, regional mobility, etc.) to reduce travels, etc.

  • Reduce number of trips and number of persons travelling.
  • Review the location choices for meetings, training sessions and events to reduce the need for travel for a maximum of staff.
  • Prefer local recruitment.
  • Switch to rail travel instead of air travel, where feasible.
  • Adapt HR practices and incentives (e.g. allowing staff to combine holidays with professional travel, do not allow personal loyalty points for professional trips, etc.).

Reducing the emission factor of a flight by making climate-friendlier decisions on travel itineraries and companies.46

  • Allow only economy class, where possible.
  • Take direct flights when available.
  • Favour fuel-efficient aircraft.
  • Favour more efficient airlines.

Reducing emissions from Fleet and Transport Management means changing the approach to mobility, transport and fleet management. The Fleet Forum, in partnership with HULO and with the support of the CDCS and the European Commission have developed an Environment Self-Assessment Tool (ESAT). This tool allows organisations to assess their approach to transport and fleet management from an environmental sustainability perspective against recognised standards and requirements. It is based on a three-tiered approach: Avoid (do not go on business trips or field visits), Shift (from plane to train, from car to public transport, walking, cycling, car sharing), Improve (fly less emissive, use cleaner and smaller vehicles).

Key levers include reducing mileage and fuel consumption, and extending vehicle lifespan:

  • Limit and optimise vehicle usage.
  • Pool vehicle use with partners to optimise fleets.
  • Train drivers in eco-driving.
  • Maintain vehicles to increase their lifespan.
  • Run regular rightsizing/right profiling exercises.
  • Set ambitious speed limits and restrict car speeds.
  • Forbid use of 4WD vehicles within urban contexts and on tarmac roads.
  • Pool transport demand (internally/between agencies).
  • Increase lifespan: review current replacement policies considering environmental factors.
  • Improve your fleet-related waste management.
  • Adapt the mix of vehicles that make up the fleet to various usages and contexts, based on a thorough analysis of transport needs. This also includes an evaluation of how public transport and soft mobility can fulfil transport needs.
  • Purchase vehicles that are the most fuel-efficient (lighter the better), have the lowest emissions (no diesel, electric in relevant cities) and meet your needs (no SUVs in cities).
  • Favour fuel-efficient and repairable vehicles that are locally or regionally produced, if available.
  • Increase lifespan: consider procuring second-hand vehicles for some transport needs.
Pillar 1
Pillar 3

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