BrazilSimon-Kucher named frontrunner in shift to sustainable travel
Simon-Kucher has been recognised as a frontrunner among businesses looking to decarbonise their transport impact. The global consulting firm was highlighted as a leading example of a company that has successfully shifted its travel from airlines to railways as a means of curbing emissions.
As pressure mounts on the corporate world to do more to combat climate change, the travel intensity of the consulting industry has come under intense scrutiny. Prior to the pandemic, the movement of consultants accounted for as much as 80% of a management consultancy’s carbon footprint.
While the coronavirus lockdown shifted much work to the virtual sphere, firms are steadily sending their consultants back out to client sites – but the sector is determined not to see its emissions creep back up in to previous levels.
Exemplifying what can be done to combat this, Simon-Kucher has been lauded by Travel Smart – a global campaign led by Transport & Environment, Europe’s top NGO for cleaner transport. The firm was named as a ‘frontrunner’ in Travel Smart’s 2023 Travel Smart report, which conducted an extensive survey involving 322 companies worldwide, and delved into their travel policy practices.
The award celebrated Simon-Kucher’s commitment to sustainable practices as a whole, but the report particularly picked out the firm’s Global Travel Guidelines for praise. In 2021, the German-origin firm sent the guideline to all its staff worldwide, stating employees had to use the train instead of plane for trips below a certain amount of hours or kilometres, among other policies.
Speaking on the recognition of the firm’s sustainability efforts, Simon-Kucher’s Global Director of ESG, Anne Rupp, stated, “We're at the initial stages of realising our objective for Science-Based Targets Initiative by 2030 and eventual net zero status. Being recognised as a frontrunner is a testament to our commitment, underscoring the considerable impact of our travel guidelines in reducing our carbon footprint. This acknowledgment reinforces the integral role each team member plays in propelling positive change.”
That drive also includes plans to switch to 100% renewable energy, and reducing its carbon footprint and compensating for remaining emissions with carbon offset credits. Corporate purchases of carbon offsets typically support projects that reduce greenhouse gases, such as renewable energy or forestry projects.
Alongside Simon-Kucher, six other frontrunners were identified by Travel Smart: Swiss Re, Steelcase, ABN Amro, Mapfre, Publicis Group, Ante Group.
