ESG is now a commercial reality – a regulatory direction of travel, and increasingly the lens through which corporate buyers choose their partners. The risk for TMCs that are not aligned is real: fragmentation, inconsistency, and the reputational cost of being seen to lag.

But the thing is, the ESG governance landscape is complex and ultimately needs simplifying. Take, for example, the ESG component of travel RFPs, a long procurement process that needs modernising.

TMCs are also in dire need of standardised data so that sustainability metrics are measured and reported consistently across the travel ecosystem – this is what makes ESG claims actually credible.

“The ESG governance landscape is complex and ultimately needs simplifying”

There’s no question that the industry needs to be held accountable, but the answers aren’t going to be found by publishing long white papers or complex pledges.

This is why the BTA created Planet Plan, a dedicated ESG board made up exclusively of BTA member organisations to cut through this complexity.

Governance is in place. A baseline ESG maturity assessment has been completed. Draft frameworks for ROI, data standards and policy guidance are now in consultation. A shared set of definitions and terminology is being embedded across the whole industry.

These are practical and usable frameworks that TMCs can put into play immediately.

Planet Plan gives BTA TMCs the infrastructure to lead rather than react. We hope the rest of the industry follows in our footsteps to make sustainable choices easier and more accessible for all.

thebta.org.uk