SAN DIEGO—The Global Business Travel Assn. is fully embracing its mission to help the business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet at its upcoming GBTA Convention 2022, August 14 to17, at the San Diego Convention Center.
During the event, GBTA will unveil its first-ever Sustainability Pavilion as well as a new Sustainability Toolkit delivering insights, tools, and best practices to empower industry professionals to create sustainable business travel programs for their companies and the travelers they serve. Additionally, the Convention itself will be “going greener.” Onsite efforts include reducing waste and facilitating recycling and composting, encouraging climate-friendly transportation options, providing a plant-based lunch for thousands of attendees, and even eliminating 14,600 square yards of carpet.
“In 2021, we launched our GBTA Sustainability Program with the important objective to not only educate and advocate for a greener way forward for business travel, but also to make it a long-term goal and commitment for the association itself. There’s no better place to deliver on that than at the world’s largest gathering of the global business travel industry, the 2022 GBTA Convention,” said Delphine Millot, Senior Vice President-Sustainability, GBTA.
Sustainability on the GBTA Main Stage
Convention Main Stage sessions will feature expert speakers, panelists, and discussion on sustainability—for both people and the planet—and what it might mean for the future of business travel.
On Monday, August 15, Cynthia Marshall, CEO, Dallas Mavericks, will share her strategy for values-based leadership and why putting people first matters most, as well as the difference between diversity and inclusion and why both are important for success. On Tuesday, August 16, Ryan Panchadsaram, Technical Advisor to the Chairman, Kleiner Perkins, co-author of “Speed & Scale, An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now” will explore climate change, efforts to improve sustainability in the business travel sector, and everyday changes to contribute to a cleaner planet including in three key areas: buildings, food, and transportation.
Also on Monday, JoeBen Bevirt, CEO, Joby Aviation will present advances in aerial ridesharing and potential implications for business travel and clean air travel. The session also features research insights and a panel discussion with senior corporate travel buyers who will share their views on industry-specific travel recovery, changing travel needs in an increasingly hybrid environment, and the latest demand for new technology and tools.
Sustainability Pavilion at Convention
For four days at the Sustainability Pavilion, convention attendees can learn about sustainable initiatives and meet experts and exhibitors. The Pavilion will host engaging Green Talks and Roundtables on key sustainability topics for travel buyers and suppliers, featuring experts from GBTA’s Sustainability Leadership Council. The Green Village area will feature businesses and nonprofit exhibitors showcasing sustainability solutions.
GBTA to Unveil New Sustainability Toolkit
A big part of GBTA’s efforts in getting the industry to a greener future is providing business travel industry professionals with needed tools. At the convention, GBTA will unveil its newly revamped Sustainability Toolkit, making Part A (Modules 1 to 3) available. These introductory modules will help users better understand sustainability, manage and improve environmental performance and offsetting emissions, and put tracking and reporting into place. The Toolkit rollout will continue in phases, with GBTA launching Modules 4 to 7 in September, and Modules 8 to 12 to members only on November 8 at its Sustainability Summit in Brussels.
Convention attendees can try out the Toolkit in the Green Lounge of the Sustainability Pavilion and learn more at the education session on Tuesday August 16 entitled, “Sustainability Toolkit Relaunch: A Practical Guide to Sustainability.”
The toolkit is a collaborative effort driven by the GBTA Sustainability Committee, GBTA team, and public affairs consultancy, Grayling, with the support and high-level guidance of GBTA’s Sustainability Leadership Council.
Working with Thrust Carbon
GBTA has worked together with its suppliers, vendors, and partners to make the convention as sustainable as possible. Working with Thrust Carbon, for the first time ever GBTA will be calculating its emissions related to this annual event as a benchmark for ongoing progress. Attendees can learn more about this initiative via the GREEN GBTA Quiz while at the event, and four winners will receive prizes, including free registrations to GBTA Convention 2023 and GBTA Sustainability Summit in Brussels.
GBTA is also facilitating donations to Cool Effect, a nonprofit organization that is reducing carbon emissions, as part of the annual GBTA 5K Run/Walk.
As a venue, the San Diego Convention Center has an innovative, large-scale sustainability program, including center-to-table gardens, food donations, composted food waste, renewable energy resources, building efficiency, waste reduction, and recycling, among the other sustainability efforts.
For more information about the GBTA Sustainability Program, visit www.gbta.org/sustainability or e-mail sustainability@gbta.org.
