Majority of Belgian business travellers want a sustainable travel policy
More than three in five Belgian business travellers now fly less than before the pandemic. The majority of employees think this is an important way to reduce the company's climate impact and want a sustainable travel policy. This is according to a new survey by the Travel Smart Campaign.
Tourists found their way back to the airport much faster than business travellers after the pandemic. There will also be fewer business trips in the coming years than in 2019. 4 in 10 European companies also point to the need to reduce business travel per employee by more than 20% to meet their 2030 sustainability goals. But what does the Belgian business traveller think about this? The Ipsos survey, commissioned by the Travel Smart Campaign, surveyed employees from three European countries, including 500 Belgians. Their answers are in line with those from the other countries and provide an encouraging signal for our "Business Travel Pioneers" coalition.
A sustainable travel policy please
69% of Belgian workers surveyed think companies have an important role to play in the fight against climate change. A similar proportion think a company should set itself targets and outline a travel policy. 71% say flying less on business is an important factor in reducing a company's climate impact.
A sustainable travel policy determines when not to travel, e.g. for 1-to-1 meetings, and for which destinations to take the train. KU Leuven, among others, is already setting a good example here. The impact of air travel that does take place can be reduced by flying economy class or avoiding stopovers. With Business Travel Pioneers, Bond Beter Leefmilieu already made an overview of Good Practices for a sustainable travel policy.
No greenwashing
Belgian workers prefer holding online meetings (43%), using a different means of transport (38%) and reducing frequent flying (32%) as ways to reduce the impact of business flying. Only 16% of employees see purchasing Sustainable Aviation Fuels as a good solution. Offsetting emissions generates even less enthusiasm (12%). Just as well, because Test Achats, along with about 20 other organisations, recently filed a complaint against European airlines for suggesting flying is too sustainable with these practices.
The right choices on track
Flying less as a company? According to the employees surveyed, the following factors are most decisive in this decision: better international rail connections (71%), a lower cost for sustainable travel options (67%) and investment in virtual communication technology (66%).
Making the most sustainable option the cheapest is only logical. This requires, first of all, that fair pricing for aviation is finally introduced, including through a frequent flyer tax. In addition, night trains, among other things, can be a lot cheaper: via a VAT exemption and a reduction of the trip fee, ticket prices can be cut by 20%. With the financial support for night trains, Minister Gilkinet is already setting a good example. And hopefully our country's call, along with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal, to study the potential of ambitious regulations for business flying at European level will also be heeded.
Flying less without sacrificing connectivity and jobs, it can be done!
The survey was conducted in April '23 by Ipsos on behalf of the Travel Smart Campaign among 1,500 employees in Belgium (500), Switzerland (500) and Poland (500). Only employees working full-time for an organisation with at least 50 employees were eligible. This survey is the follow-up to an earlier survey of employees in France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US, during October 2022.
