BT4Europe has released a new paper calling on policymakers and industry leaders to place carbon emissions at the heart of business travel decisions.
Sustainable Business Travel – CO₂ Transparency and Global Comparability as Transformation Drivers presents a roadmap for transforming corporate travel into a more sustainable practice that aligns with environmental targets without compromising on business needs.
BT4Europe argues that without access to reliable and comparable carbon data, companies lack the tools to make meaningful changes.
The new paper calls for carbon emissions data to become as visible and actionable as price, comparable at every stage of booking and invoicing.
By making CO₂ data as prominent as cost across booking systems, invoices and reporting tools, it will empower travellers and travel managers to make more informed choices.
It also calls for calculation and reporting methods to be aligned globally and emissions data to be embedded into mandatory sustainability reporting.
The existing patchwork of emission calculators, certifications and labels creates confusion, undermines fair competition and burdens companies operating under stricter European rules.
A unified approach would allow organisations to benchmark performance, support smarter procurement and ensure emissions data aligns with international reporting frameworks like the CSRD.
Emissions data should be integrated into every step of the business travel process with travel platforms, TMCs and booking tools playing a central role by embedding data into everyday decision flows and corporate reporting systems.
BT4Europe points to the work of the Energy and Environment Alliance (EEA) as a model of effective, sector-wide standard-setting.
Mandated by the IFRS Foundation, the EEA is developing globally applicable sustainability metrics for the hospitality industry, proof that collaborative, investment-grade standards are possible and impactful.
Angela Lille, Leader of BT4Europe’s Sustainability Working Group, said: “Sustainability is no longer optional. Greener business travel must be managed with the same discipline we apply to cost control, duty of care and compliance. If emissions data isn’t visible, standardised and integrated into our systems, we can’t manage it, let alone reduce it.
“With shared CO₂ standards, companies can reduce emissions effectively, meet growing disclosure requirements and protect Europe’s position in a decarbonising global economy.”
