Travel management company Travel Places has achieved a B Corp certification following investments in reducing its carbon footprint and meeting ‘rigorous’ standards of accountability to verify its social and environmental performance.
The UK-based sports and media travel specialist is among just a handful of travel management companies with the certification, which evaluates products and services and assesses a company's overall social and environmental impact. These include COCO+, Atlas Travel and Technology Group, which has operations in the US and UK, Bizaway in Italy, and Australia-based Reho Travel.
Matthew Warren, joint managing director of Travel Places, described the certification as “an incredible milestone”.
“We’ve always been passionate about balancing profit and purpose but by becoming a certified B Corporation we now have a globally-recognised stamp of these efforts that further strengthens our commitment to contribute to a better, more sustainable future,” he said.
The TMC in February created a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) fund in partnership with British Airways to help clients reduce their carbon footprint from air travel. Travel Places has also installed solar panels at its head office in Sussex, switched to electric vehicles and is on the path to become carbon neutral by offsetting emissions that “were impossible to avoid”.
The company said it has increased its community involvement by partnering with local charities to fundraise, support and raise awareness and has launched a training academy to provide opportunities for those looking to begin a career in travel.
“We accept the impact that travel and events programmes can have on our resources, society and the environment. But we also strongly believe that they can be a powerful force for good and we have embraced our responsibility in facilitating that,” Warren added.
“Becoming B Corp marks the start of the next phase of our journey. We’re committed to a path of continual improvement and will keep pushing forward, identifying more ways to support our community of staff, local suppliers and charities, and always striving to make the right decisions to increase our positive impact on the world.”
To maintain the B Corp certification companies must reassess and reverify commitments and outcomes every three years.