As the global fight against climate change intensifies, businesses of all sizes have a crucial role to play in achieving sustainability goals. While eco-friendly measures were once a mere bonus, they are now a necessity for companies that hope to thrive in the long run. Among industries that have a pivotal role to play in mitigating environmental harm, travel and hospitality companies stand out. More and more hotels and corporate travel buyers are stepping up to the challenge, understanding that sustainability is vital both for the planet and their bottom line. Let’s look at what sustainability means for the business travel community and some of the actions being taken achieve it.
Understanding the Need for Sustainability
At its most basic level, sustainable practices involve maintaining a balance between economic prosperity, environmental protection, and social responsibility. The travel industry has long struggled with emissions from energy consumption and extensive operational waste.
In order to move towards a more sustainable future, it is essential that both suppliers and buyers within the travel sector embrace sustainability concepts at all levels of operations, and there are significant benefits for doing so. Organizations that prioritize sustainability are less likely to face regulatory hurdles and negative media attention. For an industry that is heavily reliant on fossil-fuels, turning to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, whenever feasible, can bring down costs in the long run. More significantly, reducing supply chain waste and emissions can also lead to substantial operational efficiencies.
“Studies have repeatedly shown that travelers are more likely to trust, and buy from, airlines, hotels and other suppliers that have a sustainable reputation.”
Studies have repeatedly shown that travelers are more likely to trust, and buy from, airlines, hotels and other suppliers that have a sustainable reputation. In the end, industry suppliers will benefit from utilizing sustainable practices as it helps them stand out in an increasingly competitive market and puts them ahead of their competition.
Strategies for Achieving Sustainability
There are some very basic strategies that any organization can use to move towards sustainability goals. The first is adopting a circular economy model, which focuses on designing for, and committing to, recycling, repurposing, and regeneration. The second strategy involves creating energy efficiency programs and adopting renewable energy sources. Third is choosing production and supply chain partners that share their sustainability objectives and, lastly, is adopting a policy of transparency around energy, water use, emissions, and waste management.
In the context of corporate travel programs hotels, buyers and travelers have all been conscientiously shifting towards more sustainable practices in order to protect the environment, local communities, and cultures by using renewable energy sources, investing in green technologies, and implementing eco-friendly practices. Additionally, many travel-related companies are focusing on responsible tourism initiatives such as developing sustainable tourism destinations and supporting local communities by providing job opportunities for locals and promoting cultural appreciation. By doing so, suppliers can reduce their environmental footprint while still providing travelers with unique and memorable experiences.
Current Best Practices in Travel & Tourism Sustainability
Formalizing policy around sustainable practices has become increasingly important in the travel industry, especially with growing awareness among travelers who want to exercise their personal choice to lessen their environmental impact. In support of their customers, some of the industry’s leading service providers, like Vindow, have become members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC) ,whose mission is to establish and manage global standards for sustainable travel and tourism. GSTC has developed the GSTC Criteria, which includes Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. They are part of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in travel and tourism.
Another major way in which travel technology providers, including Vindow, are being more energy efficient and lowering their carbon footprint, is building their cloud-based SaaS systems on the Amazon AWS platform. Amazon’s data centers are designed to be highly energy-efficient, lowering carbon emissions by 88%, when compared to surveyed enterprise data centers. This translates to a significant reduction in the environmental footprint of businesses that leverage AWS services. With higher server utilization rates and energy efficiencies, cloud providers like AWS significantly reduce the energy consumption per unit of computing output. Additionally, AWS’s scalability allows businesses to match their IT resources with demand, avoiding energy wastage from over-provisioning.
By building on AWS’ infrastructure, Vindow can be shown to be 3.6 times more energy efficient than the median of U.S. enterprise data centers surveyed and up to five times more energy efficient than the average in Europe, lowering customers’ workload carbon footprints by nearly 80% compared to surveyed enterprise data centers. This strategy makes it possible for Vindow to have a robust, secure, scalable architecture that is also environmentally conscious.
The Travel Industry is at a Critical Juncture
Implementing sustainable practices is increasingly important for the business travel community. Companies like Vindow are showing that responsible sustainability practices can be good for both the planet and business, by fostering innovation and increasing efficiency. Through investment in green technologies, adhering to responsible tourism initiatives, and focusing on responsible travel practices, the business travel industry can reduce their overall carbon footprint and create a more sustainable future and Vindow intend to lead the way.
