DR5. Detailed Reference 5 Guide to Technology Solutions. GBTA Corporate Social Responsibility Toolkit An Introduction to Responsible Travel Management

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1 1 Detailed Reference 5 Guide to Technology Solutions The purpose of this section of the GBTA CSR Toolkit is to provide travel executives with background information on deploying technology solutions that can assist in integrating corporate social and environmental responsibility into managed travel programs. In today s competitive and challenging environment, it is essential that companies continue to manage their travel programs with sophisticated and integrated technology solutions and that these systems be integrated with their overarching company systems. Travel managers need solid information and data upon which to base travel policies and decisions, and increasingly corporate sustainability officers depend on detailed travel data in order to complete their overall environmental footprint and carbon reporting analysis for the corporation. Case Studies Calculating the Carbon Footprint Demand Management According to Margaret Hansen, A.T. Kearney s Global Procurement Director, increasingly travel managers responsibilities include carbon footprint analysis and travel security. In working through these newer areas, travel managers need to interface with HR, IT and Corporate Sustainability departments in order to successfully apply appropriate new technologies to travel management. Today there are numerous technology solutions that can assist in integrating corporate social and environmental responsibility into a managed travel program. These tools can incorporate the following functions into a managed travel program: Calculating the CO2 footprint o Influencing decisions around the booking process o Reporting and forecasting process Demand management o Virtual meetings and technology o Influencing traveler behavior during the booking process Procurement highlighting sustainable suppliers in the booking process Paperless travel management Risk and security Awards and Recognitions Risk Management Responsible Travel Management Offsetting Emissions Technology Solutions Responsible Procurement Groups and Meetings Return to index

2 2 Utilization of a company s online booking tool is one primary tool to influence traveler behavior Enabling the carbon calculator in an online booking tool can increase employee awareness of their carbon footprint and lead to more informed purchasing decisions. Encourage responsible travel by including green traveler tips at various points within the tool. For example, taking public transport instead of renting a car or adjusting the thermostat in the hotel room. A supervisor pre-authorization or a notification process within the tool encourages dialogue between employees and supervisors on the most productive way to achieve the travel goal. It may be possible to combine two trips into one or eliminate the trip entirely by placing a call. Highlighting traveler partners that are dedicated to CSR principles and have adopted green practices. Please refer to Detailed Reference 3: Guide to Responsible Procurement for more ideas on how to bring responsible travel practices into your purchasing process.

3 3 Tools and Services The following list (Figure 1) provides a simple overview of the tools currently available to integrate corporate social and environmental responsibility into a managed travel program. This list is not exhaustive, and future versions of this toolkit will aim to provide a more detailed analysis and feature/function comparison of these tools and services. Figure 1 An overview of the tools currently available to integrate corporate social and environmental responsibility into a managed travel program CSR Attribute Function Examples CO2 calculation during the booking process 1 CO2 and environmental reporting 2 Sustainable procurement and supplier highlighting Dynamic Messaging The ability for the traveler to calculate the CO2 footprint of the travel itinerary before selecting mode of travel or travel supplier The ability to run reports on the environmental footprint and carbon footprint of all travel-related activities including but not limited to: air travel emissions, car emissions, hotel nights, rail travel and groups/meetings The ability to highlight and provide preference suggestions for specific suppliers based upon a pre-determined evaluation of their superior sustainability attributes The ability to influence traveler behavior during all phases of the booking process including demand management, travel alternatives, vendor selection, carpooling, multi-modal transportation selection, etc Concur Green GetThere Green American Express Business Intelligence Reporting GetThere Carbon Reporting Sabre Traveler Security and Data Suite CO2 emissions reporting Concur Green Green Ride Global, Green Hotel Global GetThere Green Concur Configurable Message Boards GetThere Dynamic Messaging Virtual Meetings See detail below American Express Virtual Meeting Expert Cisco WebEx Microsoft Live Meeting Go2Meeting Microsoft Communicator Skype VOIP Vonage Telepresence See detail below HP Halo Cisco Telepresence Polycom Global Security & Duty of Care The ability to track travelers worldwide and target communications to them at any given moment to work through crisis situations and manage security situations before they occur 1&2 For detail on methodology, see Detailed Reference 1: Calculating the Carbon Footprint American Express Global Security ijet Intelliguide Sabre Traveler Security and Data Suite ConTgo isos

4 4 Audio conferencing, online meetings and video conferencing: three alternatives to physical meetings No technology can replace all physical meetings or business travel, but recent technological developments have improved the ability to communicate and share information over long distances. Below is an overview of some of the technologies that are impacting business with features and constraints of each option to help determine under which circumstances it can be used and how it can be deployed effectively: Alternatives Audio conferencing; conference calls Considerations Audio conferencing is phone-based communication between multiple participants in multiple locations. This is the lowest-cost solution for conducting virtual meetings but is also considered to be the least effective. While audio conferencing cannot replace in-person meetings, conference calls can reduce the frequency of meetings by replacing the recurring need for updates, e.g., project reviews or progress reports. 3 For agenda points that require substantial discussion, audio-conferencing is not the right means, especially with larger teams. Also to be avoided are lengthy conference calls (several hours) as the attention of participants decreases over time. A quarter of survey respondents admitted working on other tasks or checking their s while being on a conference call. 4 Conference calls typically can be used at the workspace without additional hardware or set-up costs. They require less planning for the host and are especially well-suited for short updates or ad hoc briefings with an existing team that knows each other well. As costs are only incurred if the service is used, it is recommended to equip as many employees as possible with dial-in details upfront and to inform them about the features. 3 Business Travel World, April 2007, Make that call to avoid travel and save wads of cash 4 Successful Meetings, October 2007, The next best thing

5 5 Alternatives Online and Web Meetings Considerations Audio conferences can be combined with technology-enabled meeting features like presentations, whiteboards, sharing of documents, applications and polling all via the Internet. As with conference calls there are limited set-up costs but Web meetings (such as WebEx or Live Meeting) do require slightly more preparation. Online meetings have been found very effective at improving communications because multiple users can collaborate on a shared document in real time. This improved communication can reduce the need for face-to-face meetings. The content of meetings be it training or top management briefings can be recorded and made available for future reference or use for those who missed the session. Effective Web meetings require a certain level of consistency in the systems, otherwise some participants might not be able to join. Attendees and hosts should get trained in using the technology and features to avoid wasting precious meeting time on using technology (most providers offer online courses). Web meetings can be used for several meeting types mainly due to their additional features when compared to audio conferencing: 5 Documents, applications and even one s own desktop can be presented and shared with the participants. These features can be used for update presentations, e.g., staff briefings, trainings that need to quickly reach a major audience and product demonstrations for participants in multiple geographic locations. Even meetings with the purpose of collaborating on document development can be conducted virtually. Online meetings allow obtaining feedback from all participants without any social pressure through anonymous polling. The content of meetings can be recorded and made available for future use for people who missed the session or as a refresher. Newer technologies (e.g., MS Office Communications Server) allow a combination of traditional online meetings with video transmission. This service allows communication both internally as well as with business partners. Because of its flexibility, integrated Web and video meetings can be conducted in almost any work set-up. The requirements are: Computer Headset Camera, webcam or round table Access to a stable high-speed Internet line One can easily set-up such a meeting and invite attendees using MS Outlook. For individual employees and smaller teams, a portable 360-degree camera, such as the Polycom Roundtable, is a cost-effective alternative to a full-blown video conference that can include the entire meeting room into a Web meeting. As with other technologies, it is crucial that both host and participants familiarize themselves with the features to ensure an effective meeting ahead of time. These meetings are most effective for internal meetings and for follow-up meetings with customers, partners, etc. 5 Selling, November 2004, Web Conferencing: When to tap into the Net s power

6 6 Alternatives Web meetings with integrated video transmission Considerations Newer technologies (e.g., MS Office Communications Server) allow a combination of traditional online meetings with video transmission. This service allows communication both internally as well as with business partners. Because of its flexibility, integrated Web and video meetings can be conducted in almost any work set-up. The requirements are: Computer Headset Camera, webcam or round table Access to a stable high-speed Internet line One can easily set-up such a meeting and invite attendees using MS Outlook. For individual employees and smaller teams, a portable 360-degree camera, such as the Polycom Roundtable, is a cost-effective alternative to a full-blown video conference that can include the entire meeting room into a Web meeting. Video conferencing and telepresence systems Video conferencing is the most interactive form of virtual communication and has the highest potential to reduce face-to-face business trips. Video conferencing can be used for regular meetings across corporate locations provided they have meeting rooms with adequate facilities. They can also be used for client meetings if the technology can be connected; this could be in the client s own facilities or at a nearby company site that can be used by the client or a third-party service. For professional services and other sectors that charge their travel expenses to their clients, video conferencing can be an attractive way to reduce costs and increase productivity of teams. In the 1990 s, video conferencing was introduced with high expectations but never reached its full potential: Technical difficulties due to system incompatibilities, slow connection speeds and poor display quality combined with high set-up costs deterred many companies from pursuing further implementations. 6 Recently, however, telepresence technology has advanced so far that, according to a study conducted on behalf of Tandberg, a provider of video conferencing technology, 63 percent of respondents perceive video conferencing to be as interactive as physical meetings. 7 Telepresence rooms (such as Cisco and HP Halo) have made connections even better. These high-end set-ups suit internal and external meetings but require speciallyequipped rooms, with the right illumination, cameras, microphones, screens and software. Telepresence requires: Dedicated rooms Dedicated equipment Dedicated broadband connections Up to $300,000 per room plus $100,000 per year for support. Companies that cannot justify the investment in the top-end video conferencing or telepresence systems can benefit from the services available from office providers and hotels that rent meeting rooms with the latest technology in various locations. Hotels have recently begun offering these rooms at a cost of up to $500 per hour per room. 6 Successful Meetings, October 2007, The next best thing 7 Presentations, February 2004, Videoconferencing Survey

7 7 Discipline and clear rules are critical for effective virtual meetings. These are a couple of practical tips for the employees to achieve the discipline: Prepare virtual meetings as thoroughly as traditional meetings Send the agenda to all participants well in advance and define a clear outcome of what is expected Familiarize yourself with the technology especially with features that go beyond traditional meetings, e.g., polling and whiteboards in Web meetings or the handling of the camera in the case of video conferencing Arrive on time and ensure everything works. Start on time do not wait for late arrivals Stop all other activities and switch off s and phones In video conferences try to act as normal as possible. Use gesture but avoid background noises and remain seated during the conversation Ask all participants in the beginning to introduce themselves and to provide a brief statement on the expected topics and outcomes for the meeting Avoid meandering dialogue and long monologues that do not serve the purpose of the team Build in enough time to wrap-up, to clarify the next steps and ensure that all participants understand their assigned tasks Virtual meeting technology integrated into managed travel Some travel management systems, such as pre-trip authorization tools or online booking tools, feature a recommended virtual option for the traveler, thus influencing decision prior to booking a trip. This means: Effective use of technology requires a shift in mindset and integration into the way an organization operates The opportunity to incorporate corporate social and environmental sustainability into a managed travel program needs to be assessed for each company individually. Steps such as replacing trips with virtual meetings, pre-selecting suppliers based on sustainability attributes or selecting a trip based upon carbon footprint must reflect the corporations overall goals and objectives around CSR, and the role they have decided that travel should play in those goals. Many corporations have committed to bold carbon reduction goals through programs such as The Carbon Disclosure Project 8, Climate Leaders 9, CERES 10 and others, and reducing the carbon footprint of their corporate travel programs is part and parcel of those reduction goals, compelling corporate travel managers to find creative ways to implement new policies and practices. While technology can play an important role in the facilitation and integration of these goals and initiatives into a managed travel program, a shift in mindset is equally important given that these changes can affect existing systems, supplier relations and preferences and travel policy. The GBTA CSR Toolkit has provided an extensive look at best practices employed by global companies in the Case Studies section, providing concrete examples of the balance between demand management, influencing traveler behavior and the integration of technology to successfully integrate CSR into managed travel. The travel manager shares responsibility or has a high influence on the demand side of travel and strives to reduce the number of trips at least in relation to corporate indicators, e.g., number of employees or revenue The travel policy promotes the use of travel substitutes or even mandates it for specific meeting types The usage of virtual meeting facilities is tracked as part of the travel management spends, and is reviewed with the department budget holder Employee education around travel management includes travel avoidance as well as traditional travel management components