Press releases
Business travel largely unaffected by environmental concerns
While global warming continues to top the news agenda, research released today by Barclaycard Business shows that just one per cent of business travellers adhered to their company environmental policy and reduced the amount they travelled in 2007 – with a further one per cent (1%) making the same decision due to personal concerns for the environment.
The Barclaycard Business Travel Survey, now in its 12th year, canvasses the views of more than 3,000 business travellers across the country, building a comprehensive picture of the UK’s business traveller, gauging views on business travel and travel behaviour.
In a climate where ongoing environmental benchmarking and improvement is the stated aspiration of many businesses, 78 per cent of respondents said they are operating without reference to any environmental travel policy - and a further 81 per cent stated that their business did not audit carbon emissions resulting from travel.
Opinion is further divided on who should be responsible for the effect of business travel on the environment. Overall 35 per cent felt that the responsibility was that of the Government - rising to more than 40 per cent of the 238 company chairman surveyed – while 21 per cent believed it was the individual’s responsibility (25% of chairman) and only 18 per cent (13% of chairman) that of the employer.
However, the 'polluter pays' principle is seen as an important step to environmental protection, with 42 per cent of respondents in favour of an environmental tax on airlines – of which 55 per cent believe will be passed on to the passenger.
On a more positive note the research may have uncovered the first indications of a gradual change in behaviour driven by individuals. While business people may not overall be travelling less, some 36 per cent claim to be taking environmental considerations into account when making their business travel choices – for example travelling by train rather than car.
Denise Leleux, Director of Commercial Cards, Barclaycard Business said:
"There is very little evidence of any significant shift in behaviour of business travellers in 2007 – despite the volumes of media coverage given to this area and the corresponding level of comment by business and the business community on a broad range of environmental initiatives".
"One of the major issues arising is a lack of consensus amongst employers and employees about who should be taking responsibility and how. If we are to move forward and achieve significant change this should be the focus of attention – in the meantime we are seeing individuals taking action where they can".
Additional findings:
- Women care more for environmental issues: 40 per cent said their travel choices was partially (35%) or significantly (5%) affected by environmental concerns, with corresponding figures for men of 30 per cent (30%) and 4 per cent (4%)
- Public sector employers are almost twice as likely (20%) as private sector employers (11%) to have an environmental policy covering travel
- Medium sized businesses were most likely to have an environmental policy (22% of those with 250 - 499 employees versus 16% of those with 500 - 999 employees)
