A survey published this week by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives and travel and expense management solutions provider KDS shows that the number of travelers and companies embracing environmental awareness and corporate social responsibility initiatives has more than doubled over the past year.

The survey of 263 business travelers from around the world showed that 59 percent of respondents' companies now have a CSR charter, and that the same percentage of their travelers look to these charters in making environmentally sound travel decisions. Speaking at a joint ACTE/KDS press conference at the Business Travel Show in London, Susan Gurley, ACTE Global Executive Director said, "CSR is establishing new levels of what is environmentally acceptable to the global business travel industry. Ten years ago, this was the farthest thing from anyone's mind. That fact that it has become core business component for 59 percent of this survey respondents clearly indicates that a growing majority of organizations have incorporated CSR into their business DNA."

In 2005, less than seven percent of the association's membership supported CSR, Gurley said, adding: "Those figures grew to 14 percent the following year and now up to 20 percent for 2007. CSR has quickly become a fundamental in the business travel process."

"With an overwhelming majority or corporations now using a self-booking tool (69 percent) the communication of sustainable travel guidelines is facilitated. Travel managers now need to think of using online tools to not only control costs, but also to travel smarter and greener," said Stanislas Berteloot, marketing director of KDS, in an association release.

The joint survey revealed that cost reduction and traveler security were given an equally high priority for 2007. Yet corporate social responsibility climbed in priority to the top spot in for 29 percent of the respondents, up nine points from last year.

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