Saturday, March 16, 2024
The GBTA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), has unveiled the GBTA Sustainable Procurement Standards. This educational tool is designed to assist corporate travel purchasers globally in making procurement choices that are both informed and aligned with their company’s sustainability goals. Moreover, these Standards are in harmony with the Biden Administration’s commitment, made last December, to enhance sustainable travel initiatives.
Furthermore, the GBTA Sustainable Procurement Standards aim to equip suppliers with the necessary tools to uniformly address procurement inquiries. They provide a consistent questionnaire for evaluating the sustainability efforts of existing or prospective vendors, partners, and suppliers. This resource, which is offered at no cost, initially concentrates on the aviation industry, with GBTA planning to introduce additional standards for sectors like hotels and ground transportation in the near future.
“One of the biggest sustainability challenges faced by the business travel industry around procurement is focusing on issues that are meaningful and driving positive change across the ESG spectrum,” said Delphine Millot, Managing Director of the GBTA Foundation and Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Advocacy at GBTA. “This is why the GBTA Foundation convened the entire value chain of business travel to agree on common, global standards to benchmark the sustainability performance of airlines, hotels and car rental companies. The new Standards offer a practical solution for buyers to support their procurement efforts and streamlines the process for suppliers, ultimately fostering a more responsible travel ecosystem.”
The Standards provide a compilation of pertinent queries and factors that can be tailored to align with the specific environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and maturity levels of different companies. Accompanying these questions is an educational guide that outlines sector-specific considerations for travel purchasers to contemplate when evaluating suppliers’ sustainability efforts. These Sustainable Procurement Standards can be accessed on the GBTA Foundation’s website and within the GBTA Hub for members of the GBTA.
To ensure the Standards’ framework and content were robust and comprehensive, the GBTA Foundation and the GBTA Sustainability Committee engaged in an 18-month collaboration with stakeholders in business travel, experts in various subjects, and authorities on sustainability standards. This process involved consultations with over 50 prominent companies in business travel, non-profit organizations, and industry associations. Additionally, input was sought from key GBTA committees and groups, including the Sustainability Leadership Council and the Corporate Advisory Board.
“One of the most daunting tasks in our sustainable business travel journey was integrating sustainability into the RFx process. We quickly realized that there wasn’t one consistent path, numerous certifications, and varied guidance on how to apply the results into our program,” said Jenny Sabineu, Senior Manager, Travel (EMEA/LATAM) & Sustainability for Salesforce and GBTA Sustainability Committee member. “I am encouraged by GBTA’s leadership to help harmonize these efforts and drive toward collective progress to ensure sustainability is a business priority in the corporate buyer-supplier relationship.”
“The world of sustainability is complex, and travel buyers need a reliable resource to help them make informed decisions that best align with their corporate objectives and values. United applauds GBTA for taking a leading role in delivering this essential tool,” said Lauren Riley, Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director, Global Environmental Affairs, United and Chair, GBTA Foundation Sustainability Leadership Council.
Beyond focusing on aviation, the GBTA plans to expand its standards to include the accommodations and ground transportation sectors in 2024, followed by additional industries in 2025. The standards for meetings and events, reflecting GBTA’s role as a Supporting Association of the Net Zero Carbon Events Coalition, are set to roll out in 2025.
On April 3, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, the GBTA Foundation and Sustainability Committee will host a complimentary webinar to discuss the Sustainable Procurement Standards in greater detail. This session will cover the rationale behind the creation of the Standards and demonstrate how they can be applied within procurement and supplier management workflows. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A segment, allowing for real-time responses to their inquiries. Registration for the webinar is available online.
Furthermore, the Foundation intends to utilize face-to-face interactions to disseminate information about the Standards at forthcoming GBTA events, including the Canada, LATAM, and APAC Conferences scheduled for April and May, as well as the GBTA Convention in July. Additional information can be accessed at any time through the Standards FAQ document online.
GBTA is also offering a Sustainable Travel Management course during its Convention. This course is designed for corporate travel managers interested in learning about the practical aspects of climate action, including how to manage, reduce, and track carbon emissions associated with business travel. Registration for this course is currently open.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
