Moving on: why flying less means more for business

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Moving on why flying less means more for business

• Jean Leston,
• Transport Policy, WWF-UK

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The strength of Londons economy depends on its
success as a world city and, for many business
sectors, that means being able to fly to meet
their customers, peers and suppliers. They need
to fly. Baroness Valentine, Chief Executive,
London First
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But business doesnt NEED to fly!
vs
What you might want
What you actually need
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Other reasons for flying

• Bragging rights
• Status
• Break from the office
• Escape from family duties

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WWFs Moving On research

• Discover how recession affecting business travel
  in FTSE 500 companies
• Understand future travel intentions, especially
  flying
• Provide data that can be used to fight back on
  business needs expansion

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Key findings

• 86 of companies reducing carbon footprint from
  business travel
• 47 have reduced their business flights in last 2
  years
• 63 of companies have a policy to reduce business
  flights
• Much greater use of conferencing technologies
• 85 do not expect to return to pre-recession
  levels of flying
• 92 agree it is possible to fly less and remain
  both profitable and competitive

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Changes to business travel (in last 2 years)
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Alternatives to flying
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Benefits of changing travel and meeting practices
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What WWF thinks the findings mean

• Conferencing technologies now mainstream
• Evidence of permanent change, BAU flying wont
  return
• Domestic/short haul flights most easily replaced
• Supports better not bigger airports
• Government needs to
• Roll out high speed broadband
• Improve rail network
• Reduce cost of rail travel vs air
• Offer tax incentives to business

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One in Five Challenge

• 20 cut in flying over five years
• Includes leading companies MS, Lloyds Bank,
  Balfour Beatty, BSkyB, Vodafone, Microsoft, BT
• In first year, on average members achieved
• 5,500 fewer flights
• 1 million in avoided costs
• 1,000 tonnes CO2 savings

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wwf.org.uk/movingon wwf.org.uk/oneinfive