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Posted Jan 22, 2010
I'm a big believer and advocate of green meetings, so when I came across this figure, it startled me and motivated me to share some thoughts. Seems that very large events held in a central location can produce over a ton of carbon per attendee, according to a whitepaper from ClimatePath, an organization that provides industry solutions to help event planners, consumer brands, travel providers, and other businesses measure and reduce the climate impact of their business activities.
Posted Oct 29, 2009
How do you measure your travel and meetings Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") program? What are your CSR priorities?
Posted Oct 13, 2009
I read a story in today's Toronto Globe & Mail that captures perfectly both sides of the coin when deciding to meet virtually versus face-to-face. Seems David Suzuki, a noted Canadian environmentalist, has given up plane travel to Australia -- where he's in much demand for speaking engagements -- because the trips leave a huge carbon footprint.
Posted Jul 21, 2009
By now everyone knows that while the passenger numbers have been falling, the revenue numbers are even worse. Three key indicators have recently confirmed this. If we look at the USA market as a proxy for the whole world (I will come back to this), it shows that all aspects of travel are down.
Posted May 4, 2009
OK this is not the most earth shattering insight you'll read today. I'll keep it short, though.
I'm going on an overnight business trip to Kansas City. Lovely city; I've been there many times before. Great people, great restaurants. Unfortunately, like 99% - plus of business travelers (who is that 1%, anyway?) I catch an early flight, get to a meeting, eat a sandwich in a conference room, go to dinner, crash. Repeat the next day in reverse, racing out the door to catch a 4 o'clock. Not much time to take in the sights.
Posted Apr 1, 2009
Will green initiatives/CSR Survive a Down Economy? I ask my Magic 8 Ball for today’s outlook and it says: Not likely. If I ask for the future it says: Probable. This is common sense, right? But in actuality, a recent poll of corporate travel managers in the U.S. and Europe for The Wire ... from AirPlus shows that 41% have increased their commitment and/or awareness during this down economy. And another 56.8% feel that a corporate commitment to CSR/green initiatives will increase a company’s brand perception either overall or per industry. I found all of this encouraging, but I didn’t trust it. The results seemed too optimistic to be true, and don’t really match other study findings.
Posted Feb 18, 2009
I chaired a session at the London business travel show last week, and the subject was sustainability. We had some great speakers who succeeded in telling the audience how they, their companies and their clients had moved forward this much talked about but little delivered objective.
Posted Feb 6, 2009
Who cares about Corporate Social Responsibility when the economy is in a freefall? The answer is simple ... any company with the insight for long-term sustainability in a volatile marketplace. Those that want to emerge on the other side of this recession with a real chance at growth and profits.
Posted Nov 4, 2008
The Institute of Travel Management named the winners of its second annual Project Icarus environmental awards, recognizing those companies that exhibited leadership in developing sustainable travel programs.
Posted Oct 29, 2008
Booking with a green hotel may equate to cost savings, not just for the hotelier but also for the travel buyer, according to hoteliers speaking at a New York City Business Travel Association event last week.
Damien Keller, director of sales for The Orchard Garden Hotel and The Orchard Hotel located in San Francisco, said his properties spent about $35,000 to make the buildings Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED-certified, and after two years the initial investment was recouped.
"We have already seen that money come back so everything now is just profit. In fact, we have sent out a letter to our preferred corporate clients saying we are actually keeping our rates flat and for some of them we have taken 5 percent off," said Keller. "We have seen the savings so now we are going to pass it on to you."
Jennifer Rota, director of sales and marketing at the Michelangelo Hotel in New York City, said she has passed to guests some of her hotel's savings from green initiatives like changing light bulbs and recycling.
"You won't see it on lower rates, but we are going to give amenities to the guests; it comes back," said Rota.
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