Sabre, Google Partner on Pilot Program to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Business Travel
Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology company powering the global travel industry, has announced its partnership with Google to apply the Travel Impact Model (TIM) for calculating past emissions from business travel. This pilot program marks the first time Google’s model has been used to assess historical corporate flight emissions, using Sabre’s 2023 business travel data.
The analysis, conducted by a team of Google experts, utilized detailed business travel data from last year to calculate flight-level emissions. The results will help Sabre set realistic reduction targets and optimize travel efficiency in the future. Jessica Matthias, Sabre's Global Sustainability Director, highlighted the company's commitment to reducing its own emissions as central to this innovative project.
One key finding from the study was that the most polluting routes, such as long-haul flights, offer significant opportunities for emissions reduction. TIM identified lower-emission alternatives for two-thirds of the flights analyzed, including common routes like Dallas-London and Dallas-Frankfurt, with a potential 10% reduction in CO2e emissions. This approach allows companies to make more informed decisions about their employees' travel.
Sabre has integrated these emissions data into its online booking tool, GetThere, enabling employees and customers to view accurate carbon estimates during the booking process. This tool is already available for Sabre’s corporate clients, and the company is exploring the possibility of expanding it to its agency and booking tools to provide even more detailed past travel emissions calculations.
The collaboration between Sabre and Google aligns with the growing need for companies to understand and report the environmental impact of their business travel. With regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) on the horizon, tools like this are increasingly crucial for measuring and managing emissions in the corporate space, helping companies meet their sustainability goals.
