Pollution, overtourism, and local residents displaced by tourists. These are just some of the concerns that have plagued destinations such as Venice, Barcelona, and Hat Maya, the bay made famous by the film, The Beach, in Thailand. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
In a world where travel has become an integral part of our lives, it's crucial to recognize that our choices impact the environment, communities, and destinations we visit. But that impact can also be a force for good.
Travelers are already clamoring for more sustainable travel options. In 2021,83% of global travelers told the World Travel and Tourism Council that sustainable travel is vital , and travel companies are responding – according torecent research by Amadeus , 46% of respondents will increase Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment in 2024 compared to 2023.
We believe that travel can lead to positive social and environmental change, and it’s our collective intention to protect and improve the world around us.
So how is Amadeus contributing to a more sustainable travel industry? Here are just some of the ways that we are transforming travel into a force for good.
Environmental impact:Paving the way to decarbonization
Amadeus is on a journey to be carbon neutral by 2025in relation with its emissions for scope 1 and scope 2 – five years earlier than originally planned.Our data center has been carbon neutral since 2019 thanks to the use improved energy efficiency and market-based mechanisms like Guarantees of Origin of renewable energy. Through our partnership with Microsoft, we are progressively migrating to public cloud technology which allows greater environmental efficiency, scalability, and flexibility.
Secondly, we support customers with solutions that allow travelers to prioritize more sustainable travel options or allow our customers to reduce CO2 emissions. Cytric Travel & Expense allows corporations to embed sustainable travel content and policy, and it provides clear actionable CO2 emissions reports. Altea DCS Flight Management helps airlines reduce fuel consumption, decreasing emissions, and costs; while Amadeus Airport Sequence Manager optimizes the planning of aircraft movement and slot assignment, as well as minimizing the time aircraft spend on the runway, which also lowers fuel consumption. Finally, Amadeus Common Use Services, which allows airports to host passenger processing applications on the cloud instead of on core airport infrastructure, also greatly reduces energy consumption.
Additionally, Amadeus also partners with companies likeVolantio to help carriers fly more passengers without flying more aircraft, optimizing capacity with the effect of rationalizing CO2 emissions per pax flown.
But driving change is a team effort, so we’re always looking for new partnerships to make a sustainable future a reality. In 2022, we joined forces withTravalyst,a not-for-profit organization founded by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, which works with global travel brands around the world to scale the provision of consistent sustainability information. In 2022, we also became the first travel company to join theGreen Software Foundation (GSF),which has the ambitious goal of developing green software to help reduce the information, communications and technology (ITC) sector’sgreenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030. And most recently, we invested inCAPHENIA, a future producer of sustainable aviation fuel.
Of course, we’re helping travelers too. Through our partnerships withCHOOOSEandCarbonClick, travelers can calculate the emissions for their journey and purchase offsets for their trip.
Social Impact:Empowering communities, purpose-driven businesses, and our talent through action
Now let's shift our focus to the heartbeat of our company – our employees. At Amadeus, our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we want to foster an inclusive and engaging culture where everyone can thrive. We encourage and promote a number of Employee Resource Groups, including Amadeus Women’s Network, Amadeus Proud, and the Digital accessibility community. We believe in equal opportunity and our development programs, cross-functional learning, and international mobility opportunities support us to achieve this goal.
As a global organization, we acknowledge our unique position and capacity to maximize the positive impact travel and tourism industry can create in society. An example of what we do in this space is Amadeus Volunteer Day. In last year’s edition, more than 3,200 employees across 80 sites worldwide dedicated their time to causes that matter. This isn't just about numbers; it's about the joy of making a difference, whether it's through education, mentoring programs, or environmental protection initiatives. To highlight a few, colleagues in Colombia inspired girls to pursue careers in technology in a school for children with socioeconomic challenges; in Stockholm, we hosted a job fair with our customers to provide internship opportunities for newly arrived immigrants with academic backgrounds; and in Germany, we raised funds for long-term NGO partners while cleaning up the environment.
Since 2010, Amadeus has implemented community support initiatives in collaboration with 500 social organizations and 100 educational institutions in the countries in which we operate, to benefit 5 million people.
Additionally, at an industry level, we engage with start-ups to create positive social change through initiatives such asTravel4Impact . Created in partnership with IE University in Madrid, Travel4Impact is designed to benefit small and medium-sized travel and tourism companies in their sustainability goals and beyond. This program is about creating a network of impact-driven entrepreneurs who believe in the power of positive change, and since 2021, it has been supporting over 60 members from across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific through 3 launchpad phases and continuous networking opportunities. According to a survey carried out by our partner IE, thanks to this program, 88% of participants have improved their understanding of how to integrate sustainability into their business strategy.
Governance: Upholding sustainability standards
Governance is the backbone of our journey towards a more sustainable future. In 2023,Amadeus proudly received a silver medal from EcoVadis ,placing us in the 92nd percentile of sustainability performers in the travel sector. Think of it as our way of ensuring that the journey we're on aligns with the highest standards of sustainability.
In the end, the story of sustainable travel isn't just about Amadeus; it's about our customers, our partners, and travelers. To make a real impact, all of us must make a collective effort to protect and improve the places we visit. So, as you plan your next adventure, remember – your journey can be more than a vacation; it can be a positive force for change. Let's embark together on this travel odyssey towards a more sustainable future.
For more info on how Amadeus can help you make travel work better, check out https://amadeus.com/en/about .
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