In just over two short years since the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) introduced Corporate Social Responsibility as a major industry initiative, the number of travellers and companies embracing environmental awareness has more than doubled. A joint ACTE/KDS industry-wide survey indicates that 59 percent of respondents’ companies now have a CSR charter, and that the same percentage of their travellers (59%) looks to these charters in making environmentally sound travel decisions.

"This is a major industry shift that goes beyond a trend or a public relations campaign", said ACTE's Executive Director Susan Gurley. "It is the beginning of behavioral change that clearly indicates companies and their travellers support corporate social responsibility because it is the right thing to do."

Gurley pointed out that in 2005, less than 7 percent of the Association's membership supported CSR. Those figures grew to 14 percent the following year. "CSR has quickly become a fundamental in the business travel process."

"Travellers' are becoming increasingly eco-conscious as our study shows and their travel booking behaviour is starting to impact corporate travel management", says Stanislas Berteloot, marketing director of KDS. "With an overwhelming majority or corporations now using a self-booking tool (69 percent) the communication of sustainable travel guidelines is facilitated. Travel managers now need to think of using online tools not only to control costs, but also to travel smarter and greener."

Looking beyond the travel program, survey respondents were also familiar with their respective company's overall approach to CSR. This included neighbourhoods educational activities, emission offsetting, and carbon reduction at production plants. Fifty-one percent believed their company was doing the "right" thing, while 39 percent believed more could be done. (The remaining 10 percent was divided on their company’s CSR performance, but rated it as insignificant.)

The joint survey revealed that cost reduction and traveller security were given an equally high priority for 2007.

Yet corporate social responsibility climbed in priority to the top spot for 29 percent of the respondents, up nine points from last year.

"This is a very good report card for the CSR concept", said Gurley. "But I am not surprised. Interest in CSR as an educational topic has continued to build at five of ACTE's global education conferences in the past two years. The CSR movement is now becoming more sophisticated. Companies and travellers want to do more than just offset carbon. They want new methods of carbon reduction, alternate fuels, and more fuel-efficient means of travel."

She added that these concerns have become part of an extended CSR initiative for ACTE, to be further explored in 2008.

The ACTE/KDS survey also drew a much larger field of participants this year, with the number of respondents growing by 127 percent (263). Participants hailed from Africa, Asia Canada, Continental Europe, Eastern and Central Europe, Ireland, Middle East, Northern Europe, South America, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to Gurly, this increase indicates the significance the industry attaches to CSR and ACTE's efforts to promote it. The diversity of respondent origin reflects ACTE's global presence, which now extends to 82 countries.

Speaking at a joint ACTE/KDS press conference in the Business Travel Show in London, Gurley said, "CSR is establishing new levels of what is environmentally acceptable to the global business travel industry. Ten years ago, this was the farthest thing from anyone's mind. The fact that it has become a fundamental issue for 58 percent of this survey’s respondents clearly indicates that a growing majority of people feel this is the right thing to do."

Two CSR presentations detailing program implementation and regulation are scheduled for the ACTE/BTN "Super" Conference scheduled for 18-20 May 2008, in Washington, DC. ACTE will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in a joint international event with Business Travel News, featuring some of best known speakers and authorities from Europe and Asia.