The report shows that the number of buyers relying on TMCs to manage sustainable travel programmes has risen from 22% in 2024 to 32% in 2025. This growth coincides with new national and international emissions reporting directives, prompting organisations to adopt more structured approaches to sustainability within their travel management frameworks.
The findings also reveal a rise in the number of companies informing employees about the carbon impact of travel. This proportion increased from around 25% in 2022–2023 to 35% in 2024–2025, suggesting both travellers and corporates are seeking more transparent carbon emissions data as reporting tools evolve.
In addition to environmental considerations, the study highlights the increasing importance of employee wellbeing as part of sustainable travel strategies. In 2022, just 23% of buyers included health and wellbeing policies in their travel programmes; this figure has now reached 33%, signalling growing awareness of traveller welfare alongside environmental responsibility.
How sustainable is your travel programme? | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
We consider its impact on the environment and make choices to limit this | 46% | 39% | 39% | 39% |
We offer travellers information on their carbon footprint | 35% | 35% | 25% | 26% |
We include policies designed to improve our travellers’ health and wellbeing | 33% | 27% | 23% | 23% |
We rely on our TMC for that | 32% | 22% | 21% | 21% |
We are / will be actively reducing internal travel | 29% | 21% | 25% | |
We are conscious of the human rights impact of our travel programme and make choices to limit this | – | – | 31% | – |
We provide employees with a safe space to discuss the impact of travel on their mental health | – | – | 23% | – |
We do / will restrict trips that are not 100% necessary to the sustainability of the business | – | – | – | 26% |
Commenting on the trends BTN Group Executive Vice President Louis Magliaro said: “It is encouraging to see buyers increasingly turn their attention towards planning and delivering more sustainable travel programmes despite ongoing pressure to manage – and often cut – costs. Of course, some of this behaviour change has been driven by incoming legislation, but anecdotal evidence also shows more employees want to travel sustainably and are influencing corporate directives.
“The increase in available data sets and tools is certainly helping travel managers to strategise. And what’s really interesting is how many of them are turning to their TMCs for help. This may be due to several factors – a lack of internal resource, for example, or because TMC technology is so much more sophisticated in allowing corporates to set, budget, track, report and offset carbon emissions as well as integrate nudges to encourage more environmentally ethical behaviour from travellers. Likelihood it’s a mix of factors. Either way, it’s great news for corporates, travellers and the planet.”
The findings are released ahead of the inaugural Business Travel Show America, taking place 15–16 October at the Javits Center in New York. The event will include a dedicated session on Sustainable Business Travel, focusing on current challenges and practical solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of corporate travel.
