Feb. 13, 2009 - Despite a pronounced trend toward corporate social responsiblity, many companies are bypassing greener travel options in a bid to cut costs, according to a new survey by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and KDS.

The survey, which canvassed 300 travel managers and business travelers worldwide, finds that greener travel options such as high speed rail are suffering in the recession as organizations prioritize cost-saving over sustainability.

Four in five companies (79%) cite cost-cutting as their chief business travel concern, compared to 17% considering green travel a high priority. The bulk of companies rate green travel as a mid-level priority.

Currently, just 28% of corporate travel departments are required to report to management on carbon emissions performance, the survey finds.

"At this stage, green travel choices remain scarce and are usually more expensive," says Yves Weisselberger, CEO of KDS. "For example, European companies can send their staff by high-speed rail, which is low in emissions but often more expensive than a low-cost flight. However, in the current economy, paying a premium is hard to justify, so green business travel will lose out."

"Longer term, though, the picture is brighter," Weisselberger adds. "Companies clearly want to do the right thing through sustainability, so once the financial premium is erased, or the economy permits, we should expect to see green business travel become far more popular."

Ironically, cost-saving concerns may be driving some companies to pursue green alternatives to business travel. Web conferencing has been gaining traction over the past year, cited as one of the top sustainable business strategies in part due to its financial benefits.

Request a copy of the ACTE/KDS report here.