INSPIRE


BUYER’S GUIDE


With BuroHappold aiming to reduce its carbon footprint, global travel manager Carole Bayliss outlines how her programme will play a part


W Carole Bayliss


As global travel manager for BuroHappold Engineering, which has worked on projects including the “Rain Vortex” at Jewel Changi Airport, Bayliss manages supplier relationships and the hotel and car hire programmes, monitors policy compliance and is responsible for traveller tracking systems.


E HAVE BEEN TRACKING our carbon emissions for several years, but now need to take it a step further. Targets have yet to be established but there is no doubt business travel will be a key part of this as it accounts for around 54 per cent of our overall emissions.


The process of reducing our carbon footprint will need to be built in to our travel policy and integrated in the global travel programme. It will affect all aspects of the travel process from gaining approval through to confirming the booking.


Targets need to be established, but this needs to be balanced against business growth, the cost to the business and traveller wellbeing. As a business we are looking at a combination of reducing emissions and carbon offsetting.


Reducing the number of business trips is an obvious way to cut emissions, although not always possible. The nature of our business requires travel. However, we need to prompt travellers and line managers, during the authorisation process, to consider whether the trip is necessary. An ongoing communication programme is required to promote the use of remote meeting technologies. Integrating this approach into our client proposals is also something we are considering, as often the demand for travel comes from the client.


As a business we want to decide how we carbon offset. Our preference is to invest in programmes that offer additionality, such as new energy-generating schemes or the development of new biofuels. We also want to combine this with investment in SOS projects. We are working with our TMC, ATPI and other suppliers to achieve this and to gain an understanding of what they are doing to tackle their carbon footprint. Requesting sustainability policies is now part of our RFP process.


We currently calculate carbon emissions in retrospect. Ideally, we would like to be able to calculate carbon offsetting at the point of booking, within the online booking tools. We are looking to our TMC to provide us with these tools. We could then pre-agree which airline offsetting schemes we want to include in our offsetting programme. EasyJet is one of our top airlines. Its announcement that it will offset carbon emissions from all its flights means we can include this in our offsetting programme.


All of this needs to be continually reviewed, monitored and reported on. As with all policies, the “green” aspect of the travel policy needs to evolve. It is largely driven and dependent on the travel industry, government and technology developments and initiatives. As a business we need to adapt and embrace these changes to achieve our goals.


50 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 buyingbusinesstravel.com


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