Amex GBT’s 2021 report documents achievements and commitments in environmental sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, and governance standards.
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) maintains a joint compliance program with their Travel Partner Network of approximately 100 independent travel agencies that function as licensees and form a critical component of their supply chain. This includes building capacity with respect to regulatory matters and ESG issues via dedicated training sessions, a website portal, and constant communication.
Environmental Strategy & Sustainability
In the company’s ESG Report 2021, Amex GBT outlines its commitment to operating its business in the most sustainable manner possible with respect to the environment and their local and global communities. Its environmental strategy, in particular, involves reducing its carbon footprint as well as developing greener solutions that benefits Amex GBT’s clients and the industry at large. Amex GBT’s targets on environmental sustainability include: establishing Amex GBT as the marketplace for green business travel; executing against its 2021 commitment to set science-based targets by the end of 2023; and driving aviation toward net-zero carbon by 2050.
To help achieve its science-based and net-zero targets, Amex GBT has announced a collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), setting the industry standard for green hotels. Amex GBT Global Business Consulting launched Green Compass™ to help clients reduce emissions while enabling travel. They also formed a strategic alliance with Shell Aviation to help scale the supply of and demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and Signed the World Economic Forum Clean Skies for Tomorrow ambition for 10% SAF by 2030. Additionally, Amex GBT has built upon marketplace for green business travel with carbon calculations and reporting, carbon offsets and insets, and Launched Green@GBT, an employee resource group dedicated to sustainability.
Procuring Sustainable Hotels
“As travel recovers, sustainability reemerges as a top priority for many of our clients – as it has been for Amex GBT too. By spotlighting suppliers that meet the GSTC Criteria and steering travelers toward greener choices, we are empowering our clients to make buying decisions that can help preserve this world and create a better reality for future generations to come.” – Vibhav Singh, Consulting Manager, Global Business Consulting, APAC
As part of its global plans to drive sustainability in contracting and booking decisions, Amex GBT is well positioned to increase the adoption of sustainable hotels together with GSTC. With millions of room nights booked annually through Amex GBT, our clients’ impact has great potential to influence change across the industry.
Promoting Sustainable Hotels
Amex GBT promotes the adoption of GSTC’s sustainable tourism principles: “We highlight hotels and other accommodation partners that satisfy GSTC’s standards. GSTC data is available to corporate buyers who are supported by our Global Business Consulting team for their hotel sourcing needs. In the future, GSTC analytics will be incorporated into our booking processes to enable travelers to identify and select qualified accommodation partners.”
Preferring Certified Sustainable Hotels
Amex GBT aims to preference hotels with sustainability standards (such as hotels certified to GSTC standards with a goal of 25% by 2025). We recognize the importance of third-party certification and GSTC accreditation in our long-term hotel strategy, in line with industry progress.
Read the full report
American Express Global Business Travel ESG Report 2021 (full report in pdf)
GSTC for corporate and business travel stakeholders
Using the GSTC Criteria as a reference point allows corporates and organizations interested in sustainable business travel to improve their commercial performance and enhance their reputation by adopting sustainable working policies and practices.
With the growing interest, GSTC has designated a page for Corporate and Business Travel and began offering Sustainable Business Travel courses. The 4-week online GSTC Sustainable Business Travel course uses the four pillars of sustainable management to look at how to create a new model for business travel that harnesses the real value of a pro-active and successful business travel program, respects the new needs of travel and creates a responsible, sustainable company. In other words, a balanced approach to sustainable business travel.
