Travel Sustainability
Extreme weather events. Resource scarcity. Changing regulations.
In today’s climate-conscious and uncertain world, the lines between sustainability and risk management are increasingly blurred, especially in business travel. Not-for-profit organisations and companies who are committed to creating positive social and environmental impact alongside financial performance are uniquely positioned to lead by example. Why? Because travel is often essential to achieving your mission, and when travelling in complex or unpredictable environments, safeguarding your people and the planet becomes a shared imperative.
A comprehensive travel programme that integrates both travel sustainability and risk management not only enhances traveller safety but also sets a benchmark for others to follow. While no single organisation can resolve climate change alone, your commitment to responsible travel can act as a powerful catalyst for systemic change.
This blog explores the vital relationship between sustainable travel and travel risk management (TRM), using ISO 31030 as a guiding framework.
ISO 31030: A Foundation for Safer Travel
The ISO 31030 standard offers robust guidance for organisations to manage travel-related risks effectively. It provides a framework to assess risk from the organisation-wide level right down to individual trip policies, helping you align your programme with international best practice.
Why Travel Sustainability Belongs in Your Risk Strategy
Although ISO 31030 focuses on risk, it’s crucial to broaden the lens: environmental unsustainability itself is a growing travel risk.
From extreme weather events to regulatory shifts and resource scarcity, climate-related issues can cause major disruptions to travel plans. By adopting sustainable travel practices, you can actively contribute to reducing these risks for the future, while strengthening resilience today.
In addition, travel sustainability is not just about reducing carbon emissions, it also involves protecting the wellbeing of those travelling on your behalf, whether staff, students or volunteers.
How to Get Started: A Four-Step Roadmap
If your organisation is ready to lead with a travel programme that integrates travel risk and travel sustainability, here’s a practical approach:
1. Conduct a Risk Assessment
Our customers are able to use our RiskyReady™ Travel Risk Management Readiness Framework, developed by Key Travel and aligned with ISO 31030 to evaluate their current programme and identify areas for improvement.
2. Assess Your Carbon Footprint
KT Insights, our advanced carbon reporting tool provides real-time data and analytics, it provides essential reports, empowering you to make decisions on your travel programme. helps you analyse emissions and pinpoint opportunities to reduce your environmental impact.
3. Refine Your Travel Policies
Based on your risk assessment, update your travel policies to include carbon-saving strategies alongside enhanced safety protocols. Our Account Management team can provide a template and will work in partnership to build a policy that meets all your needs and then, we can fully integrate it into both our online and offline booking processes to ensure compliance.
4. Educate Your Travellers
Ensure your staff understand how their choices affect both safety and sustainability. Provide training that encourages responsible decision-making before, during, and after travel. Our Account Management team are able to run in-person and remote training sessions on how this can be achieved.
The Benefits of a Safer, More Sustainable Programme
By aligning your travel strategy with ISO 31030 and sustainability best practices, you can:
• Enhance duty of care: Protect your travellers while meeting your moral and legal obligations.
• Reduce your carbon footprint: Make meaningful progress towards environmental goals.
• Strengthen your reputation: Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability and responsible governance.
• Mitigate risk: Avoid disruptions, penalties, and reputational harm by staying ahead of emerging risks.
How Key Travel Can Help
Travel Risk Management Solutions
• RiskyReady™ Framework: A streamlined path to Travel Risk Management excellence, aligned with ISO 31030.
• KT Safety: Destination risk assessments, real-time alerts, and traveller tracking.
• Mobile App: A centralised itinerary with real-time risk notifications and alerts.
• 24/7 Emergency Support: Immediate help, wherever your travellers are.
Travel Sustainability-Driven Tools
• KT Insights: Real-time carbon tracking and emissions reporting.
• Climate Action Plan (CAP) Template: Designed to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• KT Online Booking Tool: Prioritise rail-first journeys, search by lowest carbon option, enhanced carbon.
• Carbon Neutral Hotel Rooms: Where the cost of offsetting the emissions of a qualifying hotel room is included, at no incremental cost to you.
• Bespoke Sustainable Travel Policies: Tap into 40+ years of expertise to create impactful, safe, and eco-conscious travel programmes.
Conclusion: A Commitment to the Future
Integrating travel sustainability and travel risk management in business travel is more than a strategic advantage, it’s a moral imperative. By embracing ISO 31030 and embedding environmentally responsible practices into your travel programme, your organisation becomes a leader in building a better, safer world.
Join the Movement
Ready to elevate your travel strategy? Let Key Travel help you design a safer, more sustainable programme.