As public pressure grows for businesses to reduce their carbon footprints, consulting firms has sought to lead by example for their clients, and reassure investors about their ESG credentials. A new study has highlighted 17 firms leading the way in the sector by downsizing their business travel, and its environmental impact.
According to the fourth edition of the Travel Smart Ranking, business travel by the world’s biggest companies fell by 34% between 2019 and 2023. Global multinationals are now flying less, but a main obstacle to progress remains: 44% of the 326 companies in the ranking still have no target applying to business travel, putting overall progress at risk.
The researchers found that companies who put targets in place, generally achieve on average more significant reductions in business travel emissions. Businesses who have set targets specifically for air travel reduced their emissions by 48% since 2019 – but those with no targets addressing business travel at all only reduced their emissions by 28%.
Denise Auclair, head of Travel Smart, commented, “The shift towards purposeful travel and flying less is clear. Many companies are doing it successfully while remaining competitive. However, some laggards are putting overall progress at risk. It’s time for high polluters that don’t have a target to follow the lead set by others. Keeping business flying emissions low is one of the fastest and simplest solutions for corporations to meet sustainability goals and be attractive places to work.”
Looking ahead, Travel Smart picked out a number of leaders across each industry, to offer up best practices for those willing – but so far unable – to rapidly decrease their travel emissions. Evaluating companies worldwide on their ambition and action to curb emissions from air travel, some 320 companies from the US, Europe, and Asia were included in the analysis, which spanned 11 indicators related to air travel emissions, reduction targets, and reporting.
Top performers
The consulting sector featured 17 times in the study’s top two tiers. Ranking firms from A to D, four of those resided in the absolute highest bracket.
Illustrating Travel Smart’s findings about targets, PwC set a goal to reduce its business travel emissions by 50% for 2030. When comparing its 2019 to 2023 figures, it has already achieved a 49% reduction.
Working on the same timeframe, fellow A-tier firm Wipro targeted a 55% reduction in business travel emissions before 2030. And as of 2023’s figures, it surpassed that to realise a 71% fall.
LTIMindtre set more targeted goals, but on a shorter timetable. Aiming for a 25% fall in air travel emissions by 2025, the firm had already achieved a 27% fall by 2023 – leaving room for new plans to build on this momentum.
Meanwhile, Publicis Sapient parent Publicis Group aimed for a 50% reduction of business travel by 2030 – and has made similar progress. While there is still some way to go, by 2023 the firm had reported a 23% fall in air travel emissions, and a 29% reduction in general business travel.
In Travel Smart’s second-highest tier, the trend continued. Jacobs – a consulting group which includes PA Consulting – had plans for a 50% business travel reduction by 2030, and managed 37% by 2023. EY meanwhile surpassed its air travel target of a 35% emissions cut by 2025 – hitting 59% two years ahead of time. And Capgemini – which includes Capgemini Invent – almost met its 2030 aim of a 55% fall in business travel emissions, hitting 48% by 2023.
Deloitte is aiming for a 55% fall in business travel by the end of the decade, and had achieved 38% by 2023. Global sustainability firm ERM targeted a 30% reduction in business travel by 2025, and achieved 22% of that by 2023. And AFRY – which includes AFRY Management Consulting came close to meeting its 2027 aim of a 36% business travel fall – hitting 34% four years before time.
The MBB strategy giants performed similarly. Boston Consulting Group, aimed for a 49% business travel fall, and managed 29%, two years before its 2025 deadline. McKinsey & Company managed 33% of its 35% business travel emissions reduction as of 2023 – with an end date of 2025. Meanwhile, Bain & Company aimed for and achieved a 36% cut, ahead of its 2026 deadline.
Meanwhile, Sopra Steria exceeded its 43% business travel targets for 2025 by 3%. SGS (including SGS Maine Pointe) hit the half-way point for its 46% reduction of business travel seven years ahead of its 2030 deadline. And Simon Kucher was also lauded for its fresh targets – as while its emissions could not be compared from 2019, it has since set a 2030 target to reduce business travel by 25%, using 2023 as a baseline. Roland Berger similarly rated highly for its target of a 50% business travel target by 2028.
Joerg Kruetten, Co-CEO of Simon-Kucher, commented on his firm’s rating, “A sustainable approach to business is essential to achieving better growth. By putting ESG at the core of our strategy, we’re creating positive impact while actively working towards our climate commitments and supporting long-term success – for our clients, our people, and the planet.”
Many other consulting firms in the Travel Smart ranking also placed outside the top two brackets. These are firms that have signalled the right intent, and are beginning to forge ahead with their plans, but are too early on their journey to fully commend. Among that cohort were Artur D Little, HCLTech, Marsh & McLennan (which includes Mercer and Oliver Wyman), Tech Mahindra, KPMG, Accenture, Cognizant, Infosys, Atos, IBM, and Aon.
While it might seem disappointing to them not to be in the upper echelons of the list, it is worth keeping in mind that the world has thousands upon thousands of consulting firms. The ones listed by Travel Smart – even in the lower tiers – have at least earned recognition for their willingness to try and adapt their business travel emissions – ahead of the vast majority of the industry.