Business Travelers need to drive? It doesn’t have to increase your company’s carbon footprint substantially. There are car services and car rental agencies out there that have proven to be among the industry’s sustainable leaders in travel.
Yes, the idea of being able to reach all of your business meetings solely via public transportation is a nice one. However, it’s typically not a reality for many business Travelers. Public transportation infrastructure is lacking in many portions of the world. As such, getting from the home office to the client’s office can require multiple forms of transportation. Still, that doesn’t mean throwing up your hands. Don’t allow your carbon footprint to rise above your current business sustainability goals. Instead, look for sustainable leadership in-car services and car rental agencies. Then, adopt best practices for Travelers who need to drive.
You’ll enjoy a smaller carbon footprint than you might otherwise. Additionally, you may just find that it’s something your Travelers thank you for.
As an example, a 2023 U.K. study found that, on average, U.K. workers can only conduct about 25% of their business travel via public transport alone. But, nearly half say they’d like to adopt multi-modal travel (including the use of rental cars) for their business trips. Twenty-two percent said this is because it could be more environmentally friendly, as opposed to other options. Enterprise’s Head of Mobility at the time said of the study that “Companies may be missing out on opportunities to reduce costs, risk and environmental impact while improving employee retention by giving more flexible, accessible and affordable mobility options.”
So, where can you start?
Here are some examples of eye-catching sustainable leadership in travel, specifically in the car services and car rental agencies sector. Some of these leaders might be unfamiliar. This is especially true given that some of the household name rental companies, like Hertz, have recently sold off a portion of their EV fleet, replacing them with gas-powered vehicles (via Reuters). However, you’ll be glad to know these brands once you meet them.
1. Turo
Turo brings a crowd-sharing approach to the rental car industry. The brand allows your Travelers to book cars for their business trips directly from private owners or “hosts.” Service is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. Turo is the world’s largest car-sharing marketplace and the most sustainable.
Last year, the brand announced that it is Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services. This means that, in 2022, Turo offset 100% of its year’s greenhouse gas emissions. The brand also commits to doing so every year moving forward. As part of its certification, Turo additionally announced plans to increase the number of electric and hybrid vehicles that it rents out on the platform. It also plans to support more rentals made possible via EV financing partnerships. According to the release, Turo is also a part of the “J.B. Hunt Transportation Efficiency Project, which reduces the number of semi-trucks on US highways from coast to coast, resulting in lower air emissions, improved highway safety, and less wear and tear on overall roads and infrastructure. This project is anticipated to reduce GHG emissions from the transport of goods by 50%.”
2. Bluedot
Bluedot is an excellent sustainability partner for those organizations that provide company cars to get their business Travelers from Point A to Point B. With a mission of promoting greater usage of electric vehicles among businesses with their own fleets of vehicles, Bluedot could be a boon for Travel Arrangers, hoping to decrease their teams’ carbon footprints while also getting a better handle on travel spending.
Bluedot allows Travel Managers to track and manage all of the business’s electric vehicles. They can also automatically pay for the team’s necessary electric vehicle charging. They can likewise provide reimbursement to employees who might happen to charge the business’s electric vehicle at their home.
3. Sixt
Of course, while some traditional car rental companies are offloading their EVs, others are still pushing for sustainability. This is the case with Sixt.
Sixt was the first major car rental company to offer app-integrated EV charging features. These features include the ability to charge an EV rental at more than 400,000 charge points just in the brand’s European market, all from the app.
The brand additionally expects to grow its number of electric vehicles in Europe to the point that EV vehicles account for up to 90% of the brand’s entire fleet. Meanwhile, the brand is working to achieve site and branch carbon neutrality as quickly as possible. It has also expanded the number of EV models available to its clientele.
Sustainable Leadership in Travel Aside, You Still May Come Across Hurdles
It is worth noting that, even with the above examples of sustainable leadership available to you and your team, there are still hurdles when it comes to adopting more sustainable rental car practices on the individual employee level.
As Business Travel News reported in early 2024, more than 80% of surveyed business Travelers do not rent electric vehicles for business travel. Meanwhile, 13% “rarely” rent elective vehicles. This is due to a variety of factors, but among them is the fact that some company travel policies do not permit renting electric vehicles. (This means it’s worth looking at your travel policy and revising it if electric vehicles are currently not permitted!)
Need More Help Making Your Business Travel More Sustainable?
Whether you’re trying to cut down on your Travelers’ carbon footprint by limiting business trips or exploring new modes of travel and new potential travel partnerships, a trusted partner within the travel industry can help.
That’s where JTB Business Travel comes in, as your expert resource for all things sustainable travel. From initial travel planning and formulating travel policies to ensuring sustainability goals are met, JTB Business Travel can help along every step in the travel process. Get in touch and learn more today.
