Best practice examples for business travel at universities

The following potential advantages and disadvantages may result from the measures taken by the best-practice universities:

Due to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions in connection with business travel following the coronavirus pandemic, the business travel policy at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG) was updated in January 2023 [1].

Best practice business travel measures [1, 2] 

• Business trips should be limited to what is absolutely necessary
• Rail instead of air travel for business trips with a travel distance of less than 800 km and a travel time of up to 9 hours
• If the journey time by train is not longer than the flight, the train must be chosen
• Rail journey map and decision tree as support 

Further reduction targets in connection with business travel [2]

• Offsetting 100% of air travel by 2026

• From 16 % greenhouse gas emissions from air travel in 2019 to 10 % in 2026 (30 % reduction)

Sources:

 [1]  Sustainable business travel policy. University of Groningen. (2023, March 9). https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/profile/facts-and-figures/duurzaamheid/projecten/nieuw-zakelijk-reisbeleid

[2] Mobility. University of Groningen. (2023a, June 16). https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/profile/facts-and-figures/duurzaamheid/beleid/mobiliteit

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2024 [1]. As business trips account for more than a quarter of emissions, these are to be significantly reduced by the travel policy established in 2022. 

Best practice business travel measures  [2]

• Travelling by train instead of air for business trips with a travel distance of less than 700 km and a travel time of up to 8 hours
• If the distance travelled is more than 700 km or the duration of the journey is longer than 8 hours, the means of travel can be freely selected
• When travelling by air, direct flights should be chosen unless the price difference is too great (1.5 x ticket price)
• Bussiness travel by plane is always offset
• Train zone map as support

Sources:

 [1]  Interview about the new sustainable travel policy of our university. Erasmus University Rotterdam. (n.d.). https://www.eur.nl/en/news/train-more-relaxing-way-travel-less-stress-less-rushing-around-and-better-environment-too

[2] Sustainable mobility of students and employees. Erasmus University Rotterdam. (n.d.-b). https://www.eur.nl/en/about-eur/sustainability/operations/sustainable-mobility

In 2022, the University of Zurich (UHZ) set flight-related GHG emissions at a maximum of 60 per cent of the pre-pandemic level [1]. These emissions are now to be further reduced by at least 3 per cent annually compared to the previous year, with each faculty setting itself different reduction targets.

Best practice business travel measures (complete business travel policy here) 

• Virtual exchanges are favoured over business trips, and public transport must always be used
• Reimbursement of 1st class tickets for business trips outside the area of the Zurich public transport network
• Limit air travel to the bare essentials and use the train for journeys of up to 6 hours
• Compensation for additional overnight stays due to travelling by train instead of by air

Previous reductions in GHG emissions [2]

• Reduction target of 3% was not achieved in 2023 (5391 t CO2e in 2022 vs. 6601 t CO2e in 2023)
• 3173 t CO2e emitted for air travel in the first half of 2024 to date

Sources:

[1]  Sustainability Hub der UZH. (n.d.). Flugreisen. Sustainability UHZ. https://www.sustainability.uzh.ch/de/betrieb/flugreisen.html

[2]  Sustainability Hub der UZH. (2024). (rep.). Sustainability UHZ. Retrieved December 17, 2024, from https://www.sustainability.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:a7884521-6f32-401c-8f17-584c433b16be/2024-11-11_Reduktion%20von%20Flugemissionen_Hinweise%20zur%20Datengrundlage-fin.pdf.

Since 2018, KU Leuven has been working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions caused by business travel [1]. This strategy has three fields of action: Avoiding business travel, switching to sustainable travel alternatives and offsetting.

Best practice business travel measures [1]

• No air travel if the place of business travel can be reached by train within 8 hours
• No business trips for individual appointments lasting less than 4 hours
• Support with the purchase of video equipment 
• Compensation of all flights based on the ETS price in an internal climate fund from which measures to reduce emissions, reforestation projects and investments in research and video conferencing are financed

Sources:

 [1]  Sustainable travel policy. (2024). KU Leuven. https://www.kuleuven.be/duurzaamheid/sustainability/sustainable-travel-policy/index

Since 2020, the Université de Genève (UNIGE) has been gradually introducing guidelines to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with air travel by 50 per cent [1]. The measures relate to three fields of action: Inform, Replace and Compensate [2].

Best practice business travel measures (complete business travel policy here) 

• Recording and communicating of GHG emissions in connection with air travel
• Awareness-raising measures on GHG emissions caused by air travel and opportunities for online communication
• No air travel without justification if the business trip destination can be reached in 4 hours by train
• Offsetting of all air travel

Sources:

 [1]  UNIGE Air travel policy. (2021, December 14). https://www.unige.ch/avions/en

[2] University of Geneva. (2019). Policy governing business travels by air within the UNIGE. https://www.unige.ch/avions/application/files/6515/6742/6105/Politique_avions_UNIGE_eng.pdf

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2035 [1]. In order to achieve this goal, a guideline for environmentally friendly business trips was established in January 2023.

Best practice business travel measures (complete travel policy for sustainable bussines travel here) 

• Business travel should be limited to what is absolutely necessary and climate protection should be included as a criterion when choosing the means of transport
• Air travel for business trips within a radius of 500 km and the continent of Europe is generally prohibited (there are exceptions)
• Reimbursement of any higher costs due to rail travel is possible
• Offsetting of air travel via a university climate protection fund (€100 for intercontinental flights and €30 for all others)
  • This fund is used to finance projects that contribute to CO2 reduction at HHU and that are not already financed by budget or other funds.

Sources:  

[1] Klimafreundliche Dienstreisen. (n.d.). https://www.hcsd.hhu.de/environment/dienstreisen

In April 2024, Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) introduced a guideline for more environmentally friendly business travel, which aims, among other things, to reduce mobility-related CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the baseline year 2019 [1].

Best practice business travel measures (complete travel policy for sustainable bussines travel here) [2]

• Business travel should be limited to what is absolutely necessary and climate protection should be included as a criterion when choosing the means of transport

• Travelling by air to places that can be reached by train with reasonable effort is prohibited (there are exceptions); this applies to
  
  • Destinations in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland
  • The following destinations in France: Amiens, Besançon, Lille, Mulhouse, Paris, Reims and Strasbourg
  • The following destinations in Austria: Innsbruck, Linz and Salzburg

• Introduction of flat-rate charges on CO2 emissions from unavoidable air travel from January 2025 onwards (€25 for short and medium-haul routes, €85 for long-haul routes and €115 for long-haul routes)
  
  • Taxes are channelled into the university's own climate fund, which is used to finance sustainability projects/measures at JLU

Sources: 

[1] Neue Richtlinie für umweltfreundlichere Dienstreisen ab 2024. (n.d.). Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen. https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/org/admin/stab/bfn/ressourcensparen/dienstreisen/reiserichtlinie

[2] FAQ Dienstreisen. Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen. (2024, November 22). https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/org/admin/stab/bfn/ressourcensparen/dienstreisen/faqinfos

To achieve university climate neutrality, the University of Bern has adopted several measures to reduce GHG emissions from business trips [1]. 

Best practice business travel measures (complete business travel policy here)  [1]

• Business trips should be limited to what is absolutely necessary
• Recording of air travel in university travel platform
• Traffic light system that determines whether air travel is permitted or rail travel must be chosen
  • Green: Train journey is compulsory
  • Yellow: In principle, the train should be used, but there are exceptions
  • Red: Air travel is permitted

Sources: 

[1] Reiseplattform der Universität Bern. (n.d.). Universität Bern. https://www.klimaneutral.unibe.ch/reduktion/mobilitaet/reiseplattform/index_ger.html

The ‘Mobility’ sub-working group at the University of Konstanz aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions [1]. The three fields of action of raising awareness of the issue, creating guidelines and developing an internal incentive system have been identified. A carbon tax was also implemented. 

Best practice business travel measures [1, 2]

• Emissions monitoring since 2019
• Expansion of infrastructure for digital communication formats
• Voluntary target of reducing CO2 emissions from air travel by one third compared to the reference year 2019 achieved in 2023

Core elements of the carbon tax [3]

• Payment of 200€ for scientists and 100€ for young scientists per tonne of CO2 equivalent emitted into an escrow account
• In the following year, the trust account is paid out to scientists, with working groups that fly less anyway and working groups that have reduced air travel being rewarded

Sources:

[1] Mobilität - Nachhaltige Entwicklung. (2024, November 18). https://www.uni-konstanz.de/universitaet/nachhaltige-entwicklung/institutionelle-verankerung/arbeitsgruppe-nachhaltige-entwicklung/mobilitaet-1/ 

[2] Bewusster Fliegen: Leitlinien für Nachhaltiges Reisen. Universität Konstanz. (2024, November 18). https://www.uni-konstanz.de/universitaet/nachhaltige-entwicklung/institutionelle-verankerung/arbeitsgruppe-nachhaltige-entwicklung/mobilitaet/bewusster-fliegen-leitlinien-fuer-nachhaltiges-reisen-1/ 

[3] Ein Anreizmodell zur Reduktion von Flugreisen. Universität Konstanz. (2024b, February 5). https://www.uni-konstanz.de/universitaet/aktuelles-und-medien/aktuelle-meldungen/aktuelles-1/ein-anreizmodell-zur-reduktion-von-flugreisen/

In 2017, TU Graz drew up its greenhouse gas balance and found that air travel causes 6,200 tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalents (CO2e) [1]. The goal was therefore set to reduce CO2e emissions from air travel by 50% by 2030. 

Best practice business travel measures (complete business travel policy here) [2,3]

• Mandatory recording of GHG emissions for all stages of business trips using the CO2e app
• Recommendation to avoid air travel for short and medium-haul journeys with supporting information material
• General authorisation to use 1st class for rail journeys over 3 hours and use of the single compartment sleeping car category for journeys on night trains
• Expansion of the teleconferencing infrastructure and recording of usage
• Since 2024, paying a climate contribution for business travel (50% of the ticket price for rail or long-distance bus travel and €100 for air travel within Europe and €200 for air travel outside Europe), which then supports 1st class train journeys of over 3 hours and the use of night trains

 Previous reductions in GHG emissions [2]

• Constant use of webex and maintenance of hybrid structure
• Flight emissions of 5,360 t CO2e in 2023 slightly higher than target of 5,208 t CO2e

Sources: 

[1] Klimafreundlich Reisen an der TU Graz. (2022). https://www.tugraz.at/fileadmin/user_upload/tugrazInternal/TU_Graz/Universitaet/Klimaneutral/Klimafreundliche_Reisen_Konzept_TU_Graz.pdf

[2] Häller, F., Yang, L., & Getzinger, G. (2024). Klimaneutrale TU Graz 2030 - Dritter Fortschrittsbericht an das Rektorat der TU Graz. https://www.tugraz.at/fileadmin/user_upload/tugrazInternal/TU_Graz/Universitaet/Klimaneutral/Klimaneutrale_TU_Graz_Fortschrittsbericht-2024-07.pdf.   

[3] Getzinger, G. (2024, 25. November). Maßnahmen österreichischer Universitäten zur Reduktion des Reisens mit dem Flugzeug. Abschlussveranstaltung des Projekts FlyingLess. https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Bilder/Mobilit%C3%A4t/FlyingLess_Abschlussveranstaltung_Praesentationen/FlyingLess_Abschlussveranstaltung_Keynote_Getzinger_TU_Graz.pdf

As RWTH Aachen University has committed itself in its sustainability mission statement to considering sustainability in all fields of action, processes and decisions, business trips are also becoming a focal point [1]. The ‘Internal Climate Fund’ pilot project was launched for this purpose, among others. 

Best practice business travel measures (more information on responsible business trips here) 

• Climate protection to be taken into account as a criterion when choosing a means of transport
• Train journeys always possible, even if more costs are incurred, and train journeys in 1st class reimbursable from 2 hours travelling time
• Decision tree and graphic with travel resource comparison as support

Core elements of the climate fund [1, 2]

• Implemented in the workflow of RWTH Aachen University employees
  
• Voluntary contribution (10€ for domestic flights, 18.50€ for continental flights and 68.50€ for intercontinental flights) and co-financing of the individual contribution through central funds
• Investment in climate-friendly measures at the RWTH

Sources:

[1]  RWTH Aachen. (n.d.). Dienstreisen und Klimafonds. https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/Die-RWTH/Nachhaltigkeit/Nachhaltigkeit-im-Betrieb/~sausa/Dienstreisen-und-Klimafonds/

[2]  RWTH Aachen. (n.d.).  Verantwortungsvolles Dienstreisen: Klimafonds der RWTH. https://www.rwth-aachen.de/global/show_document.asp?id=aaaaaaaabrtmaeq

In order to make business trips more sustainable, the Senate of Osnabrück University (UOS) decided in 2020, among other measures, to offset CO2 emissions from business trips in the form of a climate protection fund [1]. The climate protection fund project runs until 2028. 

Best practice business travel measures [2, 3] 

• Recommendation to minimise business trips as much as possible
• Recommendation to join the Scientists for Future declaration of commitment to avoid flying less than 1,000 km travelling distance
• Public transport should have priority when choosing a means of transport

 Core elements of the climate fund [1]

• Voluntary compensation amount of a maximum of 140€ per flight and car journey
• Compensation can be calculated via travel kilometres (flights: €0.007/km & cars: €0.0035/km) or via CO2 emissions (with atmosfair)
• In 2022, the fund was used to plant a chestnut tree and in 2023 to expand a solar thermal system

Sources:

[1]  Klimaschutzfonds - Universität Osnabrück. (n.d.). https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/profil/nachhaltigkeit/umweltschutz/klimaschutzfonds/ 

[2] Umweltkoordinatorin Jutta Essl. (n.d.). Dienstreisen nachhaltig gestalten. https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/fileadmin/documents/public/1_universitaet/1.1_profil/nachhaltigkeit/umweltschutz/mobilitaet/TU_WAS_Dienstreisen_nachhaltig.pdf 

[3] Mobilität - Universität Osnabrück. (n.d.). https://www.uni-osnabrueck.de/universitaet/profil/nachhaltigkeit/umweltschutz/mobilitaet/#c280048

The University of Potsdam is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with air travel by 40 per cent by 2025. To this end, the Climate Protection Fund was developed in 2021 and a cooperation with the Ifeu Institute was launched as part of the FlyingLess project [1]. In 2019, 316 university employees also committed to avoiding short-haul flights. 

Best practice business travel measures (complete business travel policy here) 

• Reimbursement of air travel only for business or economic reasons, and the reason must be stated
• No refund for 1st class of air travel within Germany and Europe

Core elements of the climate fund [1]

• Climate protection measures are financed through voluntary offsetting for unavoidable business flights (90€ for intercontinental flights, 40€ for all others)
• In particular, digital science communication and projects that effectively remove emissions from the atmosphere are supported

Savings potential for business travel [2]

• By purchasing conference technology, potential savings of 10 per cent of long-haul flights (300 t/a)
• By switching to rail travel for medium distances (800 - 2,00 km), potential savings of 20 per cent (67 t CO2)
• Savings potential of 80 per cent (170 t CO2) by avoiding rail journeys over short distances

Sources:

 [1] Klimafreundliche Dienstreisen. Universität Potsdam. (n.d.). https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/umweltportal/handlungsfelder/mobilitaet/dienstreisen

[2] Liebe, S., & Hasse, F. (2020). (rep.). Klimaschutzkonzept der Universität Potsdam. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.uni-potsdam.de/fileadmin/projects/umweltportal/200123_Klimaschutzkonzept_der_UP.pdf.

Based on an analysis, it was determined that employees of TH Wildau have been travelling in a very climate-conscious manner for some time [1]. In order to further support this, a guideline on business trips was adopted, but this is only a recommendation and not a criterion for the authorisation procedure for business trips. 

Core elements of the guideline [1]

• Recommendation for online participation if this does not restrict the scientific or operational quality of the exchange
• Recommendation to bundle events
• Recommendation to choose the train if the journey takes 6 hours 
• Recommendation to choose direct flights
  

Sources: 

[1] Reiserichtlinien. (2024, November 30). Technische Hochschule Wildau. https://www.th-wildau.de/hochschule/ueber-uns/nachhaltigkeit/ideen-massnahmen-ergebnisse/reiserichtlinien

In order to make business trips more sustainable, the University of Hildesheim has compiled guidelines and other information material [1].

Best practice business travel measures [1]

• Guideline summarising the sustainable business travel policy and providing instructions for action
• Collection of links to assist with cross-border rail travel bookings  

Sources: 

[1] Kuse, K. (2023, February 6). Dienstreisen: Klimafreundlich Unterwegs. Universität Hildesheim. https://www.uni-hildesheim.de/greenoffice/klimaschutzmanagement/mobilitaet/dienstreisen-klimafreundlich-unterwegs/