How companies are reducing air travel and cutting emissions

The 25 corporations that fly the most are responsible for more than a third of the emissions from business air travel

When someone working at Salesforce needs to make a business trip in the Northeast U.S. or in Europe, the company’s internal travel booking tool will suggest taking the train instead of flying if a viable route is available, flagging it as a more sustainable choice. It’s one part of the company’s larger plan to reduce corporate emissions, that looks a lot like the global strategy: travel less, switch to greener options of transportation where you can, and innovate new solutions where you can’t yet.

Key takeaways

• Adopt a virtual-first policy: Some companies, like AstraZeneca, have a “virtual first” policy that encourages employees to schedule meetings online whenever it’s possible;
• Stop one-day travel: The consulting firm EY, for example, asks employees to try to schedule multiple meetings at their destination, taking trips that are longer but less frequent;
• Create an emissions budget for flying: Companies that use this approach set an emissions budget for each department for the year, and then figure out how to stay within those limits.

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