A Pathway to Positive Impact: How Automated T&E Supports Business Sustainability

Why is business sustainability so important?

Sustainability is not something you can put off until tomorrow. You might already have a strategy in development that delivers on some of your business sustainability goals, but if there is anything stopping you from implementing all your actions – and the regulations and expectations are always shifting so it’s likely – it’s now time to get it done.

In the European Union, for example, Scope 3 emissions regulations will require organisations to report on business travel emissions. There’s a clear opportunity to prove your strategy and results to your employees, the wider business community and regulatory boards.

So, before we look at how an automated T&E platform can help you deliver tangible, measurable and demonstrable sustainability in business, let’s ask why you need to act now.

Why is it important to act on business sustainability NOW?

The business world has been talking about sustainability for some time but with Net Zero goals approaching, the clock is ticking. Some of the factors for acting now include:

• The growing need to improve efficiencies due to macro-economic pressures such as inflation, geopolitical instability, a tighter talent market and the rising cost of capital.

• Travel and in-person meetings are still crucial to creativity, trust, collaboration, customer satisfaction, cross-selling and upselling. The last few years haven’t changed this. In fact, 77% of decision-makers expect demand for travel to grow due to remote work and events that were postponed due to the Covid pandemic.

• Sustainability is no longer a token effort or a nice to have. It’s essential to business survival. 65% of decision-makers say visibility into sustainability metrics is very critical or important.

The current economic pressures and the drive for sustainability are not in conflict, they are in fact complementary. An automated T&E platform helps make this relationship even stronger.

What is the connection between business sustainability and profitability?

A well-designed sustainability strategy can create a positive feedback loop where cost savings, market differentiation and stakeholder support contribute to increased profitability over time.

Sustainable practices often lead to:

• Lower operational costs due to more efficient resource use, reduced waste and lower energy consumption

• Socially and environmentally conscious customers, investors and employees staying loyal to your business

• Resilient and ethical supply chains, with fewer disruptions due to climate events, geopolitical issues or social conflicts

• Minimised financial losses associated with regulatory fines, reputational damage or supply chain disruptions

With 80% of CEOs expecting sustainability investments to deliver business results within five years, there’s a strong realisation that sustainability is about business performance as well as the planet.

AI-driven, automated T&E platforms can play a key role in making these predictions a reality, with 48% of decision-makers saying increasing sustainability is a priority or high priority of T&E.

Are you on course to reach your sustainability goals? Do you know where you’re heading or need help in finding the right areas to focus on?

How do you make business travel sustainable?

Embarking on sustainable travel is a substantial and continuous effort. With SAP Concur you can drive sustainability at your preferred pace, allowing you to establish distinct configurations for each country, region or user group.

The ultimate goal is to make sustainability integral to your organisation’s mission and business strategy. This means using data, innovation and ecosystem partners to execute sustainability efforts at every level. You’ll also be utilising AI to expedite your journey and accelerate business objectives.

Are you a trailblazer or lagging? Some questions you can ask to determine how you measure up include:

• Do your employees understand the environmental impact of their travel decisions and your sustainability strategy?

• Do you have change management strategies in place to support sustainability?

• Are your C-suite on board with sustainability initiatives?

• Are sustainability initiatives collaborative and standard across your organisation?

To get advice on how to set your sustainability objectives depending on where you are on the journey, read our ‘No More Promises - Building tangible Sustainability into Your Business’ eBook.

How can you create sustainable travel and expense policies?

Let’s get down to basics. Whichever stage your business is at, your policies will need regular monitoring and updating to ensure they meet the following criteria:

• Clear, easily comprehensible and accessible from any device

• The inclusion of workflows directly integrated into your system, ensuring smooth processing and quick resolution of situations

• Simplification of the travel experience for employees, alleviating common friction points associated with being on the road

• Increased flexibility by offering more choices in their travel arrangements

For a rundown of some of the latest regulations, and a guide to how to embed sustainability into business policies, read our Sustainability Policy Template entitled  Simpler Sustainability: Building an Eco-Strategy into Your Travel Policy.

How does automated T&E improve sustainability efforts?

Once your policies are set, you need tools that support specific, tangible, repeatable actions. Business travellers need to make quick decisions at every stage of the business travel process ¬– while they are actively booking accommodation, travelling city to city, tracking expenses or researching their next trip.

And it’s not just about the physical act of travelling. It’s also about cutting down on paper processes, protecting employee’s safety and wellbeing and being able to make continuous improvements to sustainability efforts through rigorous, accurate metrics and reporting.

An integrated, AI-driven T&E expense platform unlocks employee value, saves money and helps you reach sustainability goals by offering:

1.           Smarter decision-making: Sustainable options at time of booking

2.           Safety and wellbeing: Location-based sustainability on the move

3.           Paperless processes. Improving workflows at every stage of the expense process

4.           Advanced reporting: For long-term sustainability

To find out more about these four steps to better business sustainability, read our infographic.

Your pathway to positive impact

Now is the time to prioritise and integrate sustainable practices into your core strategies, moving beyond token efforts. SAP Concur solutions help drive tangible, measurable action for lasting positive impact on the environment, operational efficiency and your bottom line.

Don't forget you can learn how to set the best sustainability objectives for your organisation in our 'No More Promises - Building tangible Sustainability into Your Business' eBook.