The buzz around sustainable travel has been increasing over the past decade or so, as the average traveller is becoming more conscious of the choices that they make. With this, the businesses are also evolving to adapt. To understand how businesses and employers are adapting to this change, BW HOTELIER spoke to Kumar Gaurav Gupta, VP & Country Manager – Indian subcontinent, SAP Concur, which looks after for integrated travel, expense, and invoice management solutions.<\/p>\n\n
Excerpts from the interview:<\/p>\n\n
What are the challenges employers face around ensuring sustainable travel?<\/p>\n\n
Sustainability as a topic is quite complex, and employers across sectors are facing one common challenge while trying to implement and achieve their sustainable travel goals; that is the uncertainty on where to begin. Few other top challenges we uncover from the survey conducted in 2022 was lack of budget, internal stakeholder alignment and lack of professional tools.\n
\nThis is resulting in businesses to rethink their travel programs and establishing new practices that embrace sustainability, safety, and convenience. An example is in our own online booking tool; we see guidance from the organisation on how an employee can contribute to the organization\u2019s sustainability initiatives.<\/p>\n\n
How do employers and companies contribute to global climate change and sustainability?<\/p>\n\n
Climate change has become a serious concern for organisations across the globe. The number of organisations setting climate reduction targets has roughly doubled every year and, at the end of 2021, represented more than 40% of the global economy. The sequential trend that we have seen our customers taking to meet their targets is to \u201cAvoid, Reduce & Compensate\u201d emissions.<\/p>\n\n
What is the future of sustainable travel in India?<\/p>\n\n
Indian travellers are becoming mindful of how they travel. According to SAP Concur, almost nine in ten organizations across the APAC region highlights that their companies are actively considering sustainability when managing corporate travel. About 56% of the respondents have said that their \u201csenior leadership\u201d is actively driving the sustainability agenda for corporate travel within their organisations. Many APAC organisations (71%) already realise the need to harness technology to become sustainable effectively.
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