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Sign upLeveraging Digital Communication Technologies for Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs
Leveraging Digital Communication Technologies for Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs
Virtual communication tools have increasingly proven to be the perfect backup plan for certain situations by making collaboration possible from anywhere in the world. But what if it becomes the communication method by default? Embracing virtual communication over business travel is a smart, sustainable, and modern shift with multiple benefits for companies. With today’s digital tools, business trips for short meetings are often unnecessary and do more harm than good. Replacing travel with virtual alternatives like video conferencing, online workshops, and virtual collaboration tools not only cuts indirect carbon emissions of companies but also reduces operational costs considerably. Business trips are usually even more expensive than holidays, including business class, restaurants, and hotel stays, and the bill is generally charged to the company. According to a 2020 study, meetings and conferences accounted for 18% of hotel gross bookings in 2019 (3). New technologies can, hence, save time and improve work-life balance, flexibility, and productivity. Transitioning away from unnecessary travel is, therefore, a strategic and sustainable move for companies to set new communication standards for efficient and responsible business practices.
Business trips account for a significant portion of global travel, representing nearly 20 percent of the global tourism expenditure in 2023, or 1.3 trillion USD, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (1). With a growth rate of worldwide business travel spending of 11.1% (1), companies are consequently responsible for substantial indirect carbon emissions and costs linked to travel. According to the ADEME simulator, a short-haul flight emits, on average, 126g CO₂ per passenger per kilometer, and 83.06g CO₂ for a long-haul flight (6). Moreover, these trips are often short-term and routine for most of them, with 4.7 nights being the average length of business trips abroad made by the French in 2017 (2). They frequently involve activities that can now easily and effectively be replaced by new digital communication tools. In today’s digital era, technological advancements allow us to meet with people virtually almost as efficiently as if it were face to face. Through virtual meeting technologies, collaborative platforms, and real-time communication, it is increasingly feasible to conduct business without the need to physically travel. These communication alternatives primarily help companies to reduce their carbon footprint, given that business travelers make up 12% of airline passengers (4), with business class passengers emitting up to three times more than economy (5). Alternatives also lower companies' operational costs associated with business expenses, with daily costs for business travel averaging 444 USD in Tokyo (1), while the average video conferencing software cost for business plans equals 18.83 USD (7, 8, 9, 10). Other benefits include enhanced flexibility and minimized productivity loss associated with travel.
The information presented above, is solely for the purposes of information. The Solar Impulse Foundation does not assert to possess the definitive answer but aims to present intriguing facts deemed important for consideration in our daily choices and discussions related to climate action. It does not intend to function as a moralizing entity but rather seeks to showcase societal norms that may not always be logical, while also offering better, more environmentally friendly alternatives, catered to improving the overall well-being of individuals andsociety in general.
