Is it Train vs. plane? Videoconference vs. in-person? Electric vs. petrol powered car – or public transit instead? The sustainability policy your company seeks should cover those kinds of questions and guide business travellers as to the choices they have and what your Company mandates.

Just launched is SAP Concur’s Sustainability Policy Template that draws on their 25 years of experience helping businesses manage travel and make decisions that meet their goals. It can serve as a roadmap for the process, with suggestions on where to begin as well as specific content areas to include.

Build a policy foundation: Deepen your understanding of regulations affecting travel, articulate the company’s priorities and how they align with broader goals, looking closely at the environmental commitments of suppliers, gather data and establish metrics, consider DEI implications, involve senior leadership, and engage employees through the process.

Dig into policy specifics: With pre-approvals and “should I stay, or should I go?” decision trees, a policy at its core should determine whether a trip is essential. Supporting that are limits on short trips, choosing rail over flight whenever possible, encouraging public transit, and selecting greener hotels and meeting locations.

Get the Sustainability Policy Template and start developing a policy that helps your business measure and reduce its impact on the planet as well as helping your company to meet it’s net zero carbon emissions.