Business travel

There are two broad types of business travel:

  1. Fleet: Travel in business owed fleet vehicles.

  2. Grey fleet: travel in staff-owned vehicles, for which mileage is reimbursed.


In each case, encouraging the use of alternate modes of travel, including public transport, cycling and walking where practical will assist in reducing the carbon footprint. There are significant overlaps between the options you can pursue to reduce the impact of business travel and those for commuting, and there are a range of tips on that page regarding encouraging different mode choices.

Changing fleet choices

  • If the practice owns fleet vehicles for business travel, you can access free advice from the Energy Saving Trust on ways to minimise the environmental impact and cost through your purchasing or leasing choices.


Changing mode choices

Regardless of how business travel work within your practice, there are a range of initiatves you could consider:

  • Cycling – cycling should be encouraged where practical and business mileage offered.

  • Public transport - travel to urban locations using only public transport, particularly if your practice is also located in an urban location.

  • Teleconferencing - consider increasing the use of teleconferencing, including via simple  to use software such as Skype, Livemeeting and Webex. These software are free or low cost and require no specialist equipment (beyond a computer and webcam). Greater use of teleconferencing can reduce the need for business travel.

  • Flights: consider eliminating domestic flights, as most flight routes within mainland Great Britain can practically and easily be replaced with rail journeys. Not only are there savings in GHG emissions from business travel but there is also a strong case shown by Transform Scotland that productivity is increased by using the train rather than domestic air travel.[1]

[1] “The Railways Mean Business” Report Available from http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/resources.aspx


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