ACTE/KDS Survey Illustrates CSR Acceptance Has Grown Exponentially In The Business Travel Industry

ACTE/KDS Survey Illustrates CSR Acceptance Has Grown Exponentially In The Business Travel Industry

London (Feb. 5 ) -- In just over two short years since the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) introduced corporate social responsibility as a major industry initiative, the number of travellers and companies embracing environmental awareness has more than doubled. A joint ACTE/KDS industrywide survey indicates that 58 percent of respondents companies now have a CSR charter, and that 56 percent of their travellers look to these charters in making environmentally sound travel decisions.

“This is a major industry shift that goes beyond a trend or a public relations campaign,” said ACTE’s Executive Director Susan Gurley. “This is a major behavioral change that clearly indicates companies and their travellers are support corporate social responsibility because it is the right thing to do.” Gurley pointed out that in 2005, less than 7 percent of the association’s membership supported CSR. Those figures grew to 14 percent the following year. “CSR has quickly become a fundamental in the business travel process.

Looking beyond the travel program, survey respondents were also familiar with their respective company’s overall approach to CSR. This included neighborhood educational activities, emission offsetting, and carbon reduction at production plants. Thirty-nine percent believed their company was doing the “right” thing, while 48 percent believed more could be done. (The remaining 13 percent was divided on their companys’ CSR performance, but rated it as insignificant.)

The survey also indicated that 34 percent of respondents felt their companies supported sustainable travel and that 35 percent were working on it. The fact that nearly a third of the survey’s participants fell into a more critical category could be attributed to several factors. Primary among these is the fact cost reduction is once again being rated as the primary concern for 77 percent of respondents, with only 31 percent citing CSR as a key objective.

The fact that the US economy (a key global economic factor) is slowing may be adding to the cost-reduction emphasis.

“This is a very good report card for the CSR concept,” said Gurley. “But I am not surprised. Interest in CSR as an educational topic has continued to build at five of ACTE’s global education conferences in the past two years.
The CSR movement is now becoming more sophisticated. Companies and travellers want to do more than just offset carbon. They want new methods of carbon reduction, alternate fuels, and more fuel efficient means of travel.” She added that these concerns have become part of an extended CSR initiative for ACTE, to be further explored in 2008.

Speaking at a joint ACTE/KDS press conference in the Business Travel Show in London, Gurley said, “CSR is establishing new levels of what is environmentally acceptable to the global business travel industry. Ten years ago, this was the farthest thing from anyone’s mind. That fact that it has become a fundamental issue for 58 percent of this survey respondents clearly indicates that a growing majority of people feel this is the right thing to do.”

Two CSR presentations detailing program implementation and regulation are scheduled for the ACTE/BTN “Super” Conference scheduled for 18-20 May 2008, in Washington, DC. ACTE will celebrate it’s 20th Anniversary as a travel industry leader in education, research, and advocacy in a joint international event with Business Travel News, featuring some of best known speakers and authorities from Europe and Asia.

About KDS
KDS on-demand travel & expense offers a completely integrated solution for travel and expense management, addressing essential needs ranging from travel policy definition and enforcement, to online travel self-booking, to automated travel expense processing and beyond. Every critical procedure can be completed through the KDS ASP offering, resulting in greater efficiencies and associated financial benefits. In addition, KDS offers the most extensive back-end connectivity to airline, car, rail and hotel providers in the industry, ensuring optimized pricing and up-to-the-minute inventory control.

About ACTE
The Association of Corporate Travel Executive (ACTE) is a nonprofit association established to provide executive-level global education and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. Membership spans all of business travel, from corporate buyers to agencies to suppliers, and accords all sectors equal membership. ACTE is represented in 83 countries.