To help companies meet the rapidly growing demand to demonstrate social responsibility, the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the NBTA Foundation and the NBTA Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee today offered a preview of two new tools aimed at helping companies launch and effectively execute travel-related corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Both tools - the 2008 NBTA CSR Toolkit: A Primer on Responsible Travel Management and a new CSR Component of the NBTA Foundation"s Managed Travel Index(R) & Benchmarking Tool - were created with the support of Advito, the consulting division of BCD Travel. The tools will be unveiled at the NBTA International Convention & Exposition, to be held July 27-30 in Los Angeles.
The new NBTA tools are designed to help travel managers meet the practical challenges associated with launching and measuring the success of travel-related CSR initiatives.
A recent NBTA survey of nearly 200 travel managers showed that 29 percent manage travel within the context of corporate CSR programs that include an environmental focus. Another 47 percent report at least a partial focus on the environmental impact of doing business. More than two-thirds (67 percent) indicate they have travel risk management programs in place, while 25 percent note partial initiatives.
"NBTA has gone beyond rhetoric to provide practical tools to help travel managers develop, measure and improve travel-related corporate social responsibility efforts on behalf of their companies," said NBTA President & CEO Kevin Maguire, CCTE. "The NBTA study shows that 29 percent of travel managers will help their companies implement or improve environmental initiatives covering travel within the next six months, and an additional 36 percent may do so. Similarly, 16 percent will, and 26 percent may, implement or advance travel risk management initiatives in that timeframe. These new CSR resources will give travel managers the tools they need to advance their companies" goals and enhance their strategic positions within their organizations."
Mary Ellen George, Advito general manager and vice chair of the NBTA CSR Committee, agreed: "At this stage, most companies have already embraced CSR in principle, and these tools are designed to guide travel managers through the actual process of developing, implementing and improving travel CSR initiatives."
She continued, "The NBTA CSR Toolkit and the CSR Component of the NBTA Foundation Benchmarking Tool will be invaluable for those travel professionals exploring the next frontiers in business travel -- sustainability and duty of care. Advito is pleased to power these world-class resources."
CSR Toolkit
The 2008 NBTA CSR Toolkit offers users:
• An examination of CSR as it relates to travel management, including a five-step implementation plan.
• Detailed reference guides on calculating carbon emissions, managing travel demand, procuring sustainable travel services, offsetting travel-related emissions and incorporating duty of care into managed travel programs.
• Profiles of companies that have implemented responsible travel management initiatives.
The toolkit will be distributed on thumb drives to all buyer (Direct) attendees of the 2008 NBTA Convention, and will be made available to supplier (Allied) attendees at the booth of Advito parent company BCD Travel (#1925) and the Discover NBTA booth (#1625). The CSR Committee will offer a detailed look at the toolkit in Educational Session M10, The Triple Bottom Line & Travel - An Introduction to the NBTA CSR Toolkit, moderated by Robert Wade, CCTE, to be held Monday, July 28, 9:45 - 11:00 am in room 405 of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The toolkit will also be available on NBTA"s website: www.nbta.org.
Benchmarking
The addition of a CSR component to the NBTA Foundation"s Managed Travel Index(R) & Benchmarking Tool is meant to help travel managers measure the maturity of their companies" travel CSR initiatives. The user completes a self-assessment, answering 15 CSR questions measuring how their programs are structured to manage travel demand, procure sustainable travel services, offset travel-related emissions and incorporate duty of care initiatives. Based on the responses the tool assigns each program a CSR maturity level from zero (Non-existent) to 5 (Integrated). Detailed descriptions of each maturity level, along with the 2008 NBTA CSR Toolkit, will help users move their programs to higher CSR maturity.
This enhancement to the NBTA Foundation"s Managed Travel Index(R) & Benchmarking Tool will be unveiled along with other upgrades on Tuesday, July 29 in NBTA Convention Education Session TA9, Harnessing the Power of NBTA"s Benchmarking Tool, to be held 8:00 - 9:15 am in room 407 of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Maguire added, "I would like to thank the members of the CSR Committee - particularly Chair Lenora Kingston, CTE, and Vice Chair, Mary Ellen George - for their leadership, as well as Advito and the NBTA Foundation for the work they have done to make these important tools available for travel managers."
The NBTA Foundation"s Managed Travel Index(R) & Benchmarking Tool is at www.benchmarking.travel.
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