Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of WERC.
As evolving consumer behavior, shifting company goals, and political reforms shift our industry’s approach to environmental sustainability, mobility managers are under more pressure than ever to reduce the carbon impact of global mobility programs.
While employee relocation has been highlighted as a notable contributor to carbon emissions, these long-term projects remain essential for advancing organizational goals, fostering associate development and retention, and driving profitability. This balancing act makes it critical for companies to leverage data to optimize mobility programs in line with evolving internal objectives and external macroeconomic shifts.
To explore how emissions data can be harnessed to drive decarbonization and maximize ROI, we sat down with Cara Lingle, vice president of global supply chain and sales for the Americas at Synergy, who shared her insights on how organizations can turn data into action.
Environmental Data in Global Mobility
Global mobility managers today have access to a range of emissions data that can help them better understand and reduce the environmental impact of their programs. This typically includes, but isn’t limited to, travel-related emissions data such as air and ground transportation, and accommodation-related emissions, including energy use, water consumption, and waste management.
“Having access to a wide range of environmental data changes the game when it comes to increased program oversight and control,” Lingle says. “By analyzing and optimizing this information, managers can achieve a long list of benefits from enhanced visibility to performance benchmarking, program optimization and spend ROI.”
Speaking on the importance of access to data, Lingle also highlighted the supplier selection process and supplier access to meaningful data as a key differentiator. She did, however, caution against prioritizing leveraging accurate data for maximum impact.
Using Data to Drive Decarbonization
As the use of data becomes more prevalent, knowing where to start, which types of data to use, and how to drive impact can be a minefield. The key message Lingle shared throughout our discussion was to avoid letting perfection get in the way of starting. She highlighted the value of leveraging one’s industry network to learn, share best practices, and collaborate.
Below, we have compiled five key considerations mobility managers should contemplate when using data to drive decarbonization.
1. Establish a Baseline
At a minimum, organizations should be calculating and reporting on their Scope 1 emissions, which provide a baseline to track year-on-year impact. Establishing a baseline allows organizations to understand where they are today, identify high-impact areas, and establish clear long-term reduction goals that can be measured against future data.
Taking this approach not only helps companies align with evolving sustainability goals but also provides valuable insights to engage stakeholders, optimize supplier selection, and build more resilient, responsible policies for the future.
2. Engage Suppliers
Managing emissions in global mobility is often heavily impacted by a program’s supply chain, otherwise known as a company’s Scope 3 emissions. We referred to this earlier as including elements such as flight emissions, the energy usage from a stay in an apartment, etc.
Recognizing the difficulty associated with tracking Scope 3 emissions, Lingle shared the importance of collaborating with a partner who not only reports on their suppliers’ sustainability activities but who also takes steps at the time of booking to enhance visibility and support travelers in making informed, eco-conscious decisions.
Lingle recommends bringing suppliers with you on your journey. This starts with clearly communicating your objectives and fostering a spirit of collaboration. Taking this approach will ensure suppliers can actively tailor data capture, tracking, and reporting suited to your short or long-term goals.
3. Consider Carbon Budgets
Alongside traditional fiscal budgets, many organizations are now introducing carbon budgets as a means to indicate performance and mitigate overconsumption. Much like financial budgets, carbon budgets set clear, tangible caps on the number of emissions a program can generate and provide the ability to clearly track and report such data.
“Shifting decarbonization goals into core business planning ensures reduction targets are treated with the same rigor and accountability as financial performance,” Lingle says. “It’s about setting meaningful KPIs which are complemented by cultural and behavioral change from the top down.”
Here, Lingle reinforced the importance of empowering mobility managers and travelers to stay within these caps by providing visibility and tools to drive informed decision-making at the time of booking.
4. Leverage Technology and Real-Time Reporting
Celebrating the evolution of online booking solutions, Lingle notes the role such platforms play in delivering business intelligence in a more efficient and streamlined manner.
“Leveraging data through technology enables mobility managers to slice and dice metrics tailored to their specific program needs, and more efficiently,” Lingle says. “In the accommodation world. measurements might include tangible metrics such as emissions data, to more intangible insights such as the use of eco-friendly cleaning products, bike storage options, or reduced linen changes. We can even go as far as being able to differentiate what percent of suppliers offset emissions versus taking steps to decrease carbon consumption.”
While proximity and price remain the leading decision-making factors today in serviced accommodation, the industry is evolving toward a future where carbon impact will play an equally critical role. Having the ability to use technology to filter and compare by both location, price, and emissions makes sustainable choices more accessible and empowers bookers to make better decisions in line with policy.
5. Review and Optimize Regularly
Leveraging data review strategies to target program optimization is fundamental to a successful decarbonization program. As companies have more access to data, the most critical task is how to use that data to inform next steps and make impactful changes to policy. Eventually, such data usage will provide companies with the opportunity to demonstrate the year over year success—or gaps—within a decarbonization program.
“A great example is how managers can use data to lower carbon budgets over the long term,” Lingle says. “When travelers have access to more carbon data at the time of booking, they will likely choose sustainably conscious, low-carbon choices. Suppliers see that these options convert better, which motivates them to improve their own sustainability efforts. This cycle creates a ripple effect across the industry, with more conscious, low-carbon options available. leading to a decrease in overall emissions. As this ecosystem strengthens, managers can confidently reduce carbon budgets even further.”
By regularly reassessing the accuracy of this data, mobility managers can also ensure they are making decisions based on the most reliable insights available. This ongoing process helps identify gaps, uncover new opportunities to prevent program leakage, while tracking progress against KPIs.
Looking Ahead
As advances in environmental sustainability and data evolve, it’s important to step away from the noise and remain focused on the prize: to maximize program ROI. The key to balancing cost with sustainability remains staying clear on your objectives, collaborating with supportive partners, and continuously refining policy based on intuitive business intelligence. Transparency and visibility drive empowerment across the board and it is imperative we remain open to change, embrace the challenges, and champion opportunities as our industry evolves.