Climate change is the biggest issue facing our planet right now and thanks to Covid, COP 26 and activists like Greta Thunberg we feel more knowledgeable, accountable, responsible and inclined to act.

Sporting organisations are taking a leading role in sustainability. Travel typically accounts for between 50-80 per cent of the carbon emissions of a sports organisations*. The challenge sports face and accept is that travel is necessary to ensure athletes, teams and organisations arrive to their planned destination in order for sports events to take place. Now more than ever, it is crucial to select a sustainable travel programme that works for your organisation.

As a global specialist in sport travel, CTM Sport was an early adopter and recognised the need to put in place a strong sustainability strategy themselves. In 2022, CTM have become a pioneer in providing workshops and insight sessions on how to embed sustainable travel strategies, as well as offering industry leading solutions to their clients, placing sustainability at the top of their agenda.

While implementing a sustainable travel programme may have once felt like an overwhelmingly enormous commitment, it is no longer as time or cost-prohibitive, and this is also helping to drive a collective commitment to change.

CTM Sport understand and embrace their sustainability responsibilities as a partner (and an employer) and play an incredibly important role in helping athletes, teams, organisations and suppliers to make the right choices for the planet. Technology is proving to be a real game-changer in supporting their partners sustainability goals, whether that’s through carbon offsetting or reduction.

CTM Sport recognises the leading role that global sports is taking in the fight against climate changes and as such, offers a variety of initiatives to support a greener strategy, including:

Making the greener choice

CTM’s proprietary booking tool, Lightning, highlights ‘green choices’ within its search results, clearly displaying and encouraging bookings for the most carbon friendly option for the traveller’s journey.

Carbon budgets

A new development for CTM is tagging carbon allowances per organisation, department, or user; with the carbon impact for each booking being deducted from the user/ group allowance. Limits are flagged when reached and results on usage can be displayed within the portal and captured in reporting.

Considering routes

CTM will assess key routes and identify which destinations are the best for more environmentally friendly direct flights based on volume, cost, and frequency.

Embedding greener policy initiatives

Your account manager will provide an advisory service to improve environmental sustainability throughout your event travel. CTM will look at the possibility of utilising hybrid, electric, or active transport where available in all event locations.

Creating a culture of knowledge-based decisions

CTM’s SMART Data reporting tool provides visibility to your programme’s carbon footprint across air, hotel, car, and rail. Our at-a-glance summary snapshots can be dissected down to individual traveller, trip, and supplier level.

• Total CO2 emissions by month

• Average CO2 emissions per trip and per traveller

• CO2 emissions by service type (air/ hotel/ car/ rail) and by the service provider

• CO2 emissions by fare class

• Estimated CO2 offset costs per month, per trip and per traveller using the latest ACCU carbon credit pricing

Reaching neutrality together - CTM Climate+

Climate+ helps our customers understand the environmental impact of their travel, meet carbon neutrality goals and support environmental sustainability initiatives.

You are invited to offset your carbon footprint through CTM Climate+. CTM Climate+ enables clients to offset carbon emissions created by air, hotel, car rental, and rail travel by supporting a range of environmental sustainability initiatives including rainforest conservation, sustainable livelihood programmes, wildlife protection, and renewable energy.

If the sports industry is to achieve its carbon neutrality goals, then technology will always be key, but so will collaboration and we look forward to continuing to support athletes, teams, organisations and our partners to make the right greener choices.

| Reference: *Life Tackle, Birmingham County FA, Sustainability Workshop, February 2022.

About CTM Sport

CTM Sport is the specialist sports division of CTM, leveraging the corporate travel, group travel and event management expertise of the global CTM group to provide winning travel solutions to the sports industry.

For more information, visit www.travelctm.co.uk/sport