WWF scheme helps leading UK companies cut flights by 41% in 2 years

New figures from WWF UK show that some of the UK’s leading companies, including Lloyds TSB, BSkyB, and Marks & Spencer have reduced their business flights by 41%, as part of WWF’s One in Five Challenge scheme. The scheme aims to help companies and government departments to cut 20% of flights within 5 years, reduce their reliance on business flying and transform the way they meet and travel. Member companies have used a variety of measures such as questioning the need for travel, including flights in corporate carbon reporting and increasing their use of rail travel as well as video and audio conferencing. Members say less time is being spent out of the office, and there have been benefits of productivity gains and increased collaboration.  

 



 14.6.2012 (WWF UK)

One in Five Challenge   One in Five Challenge

New figures released today show that some of the UK’s leading companies, including Lloyds TSB, BSkyB, and Marks & Spencer have reduced their business flights by 41%, as part of a WWF run scheme.

WWF’s One in Five Challenge, a five year programme designed to help companies reduce their reliance on business flying and transform the way they meet and travel, has just produced its latest set of results, showing that member companies have, on average, cut their flights:

  • by 19% in the first year, saving £1.5 million and reducing emissions by 1,500 tonnes CO2
  • by 41% over two years, saving £2.4 million  and reducing emissions by 3,600 tonnes CO2

Companies have achieved these results by using a variety of measures including questioning the need for travel, including flights in corporate carbon reporting and increasing their use of rail, video and audio conferencing. Members say that lower carbon ways of staying connected are actually helping them to increase their efficiency, citing less time spent out of the office, faster decision making, productivity gains and increased collaboration to be the main benefits from using technology to replace the need to travel.

The One in Five Challenge aims to help companies and government departments to cut 20% of flights within 5 years. Members include some of the UK’s leading companies representing over 300,000 employees and taking over half a million flights. Within two years, more than half of members have already achieved the Challenge and are remaining in the programme in order to make further flight reductions. Lloyds TSB is the latest to achieve the Challenge, cutting 26% of their flights in a single year.

Jean Leston, Senior Transport Policy Advisor for WWF-UK, said: “Our members have discovered significant commercial and environmental benefits from flying less. If these progressive companies can cut their flights by 41%, others can too. Members say that lower carbon ways of staying connected are actually helping them to increase their efficiency, citing less time spent out of the office, faster decision making, productivity gains and increased collaboration to be the main benefits from using technology to replace the need to travel.”

Paul Baker, Group Property Director for Lloyds TSB, responsible also for the Group’s travel and entertainment spend, said: “This is a great achievement for the Group.  By focusing on reducing our travel and choosing alternative options we have reduced costs, significantly improved work life balance for our staff and now achieved this recognition from the WWF.  A win win win!”


Notes to editors:

1.    WWF-UK’s second One in Five Challenge annual report 2010/11 is available here: http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/second_one_in_five_challenge_annual_report_2010_11_1.pdf

2.    Current members of the One in Five Challenge are Balfour Beatty, BSkyB, BT, Capgemini, Lloyds TSB, Marks & Spencer, Microsoft, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Government, Skanska, Vodafone UK and WWF-UK. So far, 7 of these 12 members have achieved the Challenge.

 

For more information:

George Smeeton, Senior Press Officer WWF-UK

Tel: 01483 412 388, Mob: 07917 052 948, email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk


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Earlier:
October 2008

Business wakes up to the benefits of curbing travel

Some major firms are starting to control rapidly growing business travel by their
staff to save money in tough times and reduce carbon emissions. An ENDS survey
finds that the leaders in this field are well ahead of government and the air
miles culture is under threat. Of 132 UK-based firms that responded to the Carbon
Disclosure Project’s FTSE Global 500 survey, 45 cited business travel as one of the biggest sources of their emissions. 

28.10.2008  (ENDS)

Some major firms are starting to control rapidly growing business travel by their
staff to save money in tough times and reduce carbon emissions. An ENDS (Environmental Data Services)  survey finds that the leaders in this field are well ahead of government and the air miles culture is under threat. Of 132 UK-based firms that responded to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s FTSE Global 500 survey, 45 cited business travel as one of the biggest sources of their emissions.

Key points:

– Business travel is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for some firms.

– One third of UK firms in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s FTSE Global 500 survey
cited it as their biggest source of ‘scope 3’ emissions.

– High oil prices and the economic downturn are encouraging businesses to take
action.

– A successful travel reduction strategy integrates many parts of a business
that might not have traditionally cooperated.

– However, tax rules, air mile schemes and corporate culture that sees travel
as a perk of the job are proving to be barriers.

– Green groups are urging firms to use technology such as video-conferencing
as an alternative to flying and have criticised the government for not leading
by example.

 —-

Long article   – see the full thing at   Link  (only available online for subscription holders)

http://www.ends.co.uk/

One excerpt:

Pressure to act is mounting. WWF will launch a high-profile drive next year urging
firms to pledge to cut one in five flights.   It claims that if European firms
cut business travel by 20% it would save the equivalent carbon to taking one third
of UK cars off the road.   The charity will provide firms with advice on finding
alternatives to flying, especially use of video-conferencing.   It will independently
audit each company’s progress and offer an annual report rating its progress compared
with other participants.

It is clear that firms need help in this area. One question they face is how
to measure carbon from flights to form a baseline, says Trucost managing director
Richard Mattison.   In the absence of hard and fast measurement tools, most firms
calculate carbon emissions based on distances travelled. But the type of aircraft
and its age are also factors that should be included in any calculation, he says.

and

But Mr Mattison believes firms are picking up on this aspect of their environmental
impact.   The high price of oil pushing up air fares combined with tight economic
conditions is compelling them to look for savings in new areas, he says.   This
is reflected in a recent survey from WWF (ENDS Report 401, pp 10-11), which found
that 60% of the 100 FTSE 350 firms covered claimed to have already stabilised
or reduced flights.

Almost 89% expect to cut flights over the next ten years, with a 3% cut on average
from next year. Use of short-haul flights is predicted to fall by 3% and long-haul
by 1%.     However, only 30% provided detailed information to back up their claims.

The ITM’s Paul Tilstone predicts travel will soon become a major efficiency point
for business.     Firms that act will be more competitive than those that do not.
“Innovation in managing travel has not been dramatic,” he reports. “Travel buyers
know that they should be doing something but they don’t know what.     The realisation
that this is going to change business practice for good has yet to set in.” He
forecasts big changes within the next 18 months.