Preferred Travel Group Unveils Climate Action Plan: Aims to Cut Emissions in Half by 2030

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 10:45 PM ET, Thu December 5, 2024

Preferred Travel Group has unveiled a bold climate action plan that includes the company reducing its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero by no later than 2050.

The ambitious plan, developed in partnership with the Travel Foundation, marks a important step forward in the global company’s efforts to address climate change.

To achieve its climate action goals, the company will integrate climate action at all levels of operations and will focus on five key pathways to bring about change: Measure, decarbonize, regenerate, collaborate, and finances.

In a newly issued press release, Preferred Travel Group says the new climate action plan builds on the company’s signing of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.

“As someone who has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of travel, I have always believed in its ability to connect people and cultures. With this privilege comes the responsibility to ensure that travel contributes positively to our planet,” Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Preferred Travel Group, said in a statement.

“Our Climate Action Plan demonstrates that we are taking concrete steps toward building a more sustainable future,” Ueberroth added. “This is a commitment we are wholeheartedly invested in, and we invite our industry partners and guests to join us on this critical journey.”

Here’s a closer look at how Preferred Travel Group developed it’s new climate plan and what it entails.

The Path to Action

Preferred Travel Group developed its Climate Action Plan through what it called a structured, iterative, and data-driven approach, collaborating with experts at the Travel Foundation, a prominent international sustainable tourism organization, and ecollective, a carbon consultancy based in the United Kingdom.

“This process was grounded in thorough data analysis and input from internal stakeholders, ensuring the plan is both comprehensive and feasible within the company’s operational scope,” the company said in a statement today.

The Travel Foundation’s expertise in climate action in travel and tourism helped align Preferred Travel Group’s climate action plan with global climate frameworks.

The resulting plan addresses internal operations and focuses on creating a broader impact, emphasizing opportunities to foster scalable, industry-wide collaboration in the years to come.

The steps that were taken to guide the plan’s development and implementation included:

Baseline Emissions Inventory and Situation Analysis: Preferred Travel Group began by conducting a baseline emissions inventory led by ecollective, quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from various sources including direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company; indirect emissions from purchased electricity, and all other indirect emissions, such as business travel and employee commuting.

 Alongside this, the Travel Foundation conducted a situation analysis, gathering feedback from Preferred Travel Group associates to identify key opportunities for climate action within the company’s operations and across its broader stakeholder network.
Defining Objectives Aligned with Global Climate Frameworks: Using the baseline emissions inventory results and situation analysis, Preferred Travel Group established a set of objectives leading to 2030 that outline the strategic direction of the Climate Action Plan. The objectives were designed based on three guiding frameworks.

Paris Agreement Alignment: The company’s climate goals support global efforts to limit temperature rise to well below 2°C, with an aspirational target of 1.5°C. This involves achieving a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050.

Five Pathways of the Glasgow Declaration: Objectives were structured according to the five pathways of the Glasgow Declaration — Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance — to ensure a balanced, multi-faceted approach to climate action.
Internal operations and sphere of influence: Each objective was tailored to focus on key emissions sources and activities under the control of Preferred Travel Group, targeting areas where the company can scale positive impact through the company’s larger sphere of influence – including member hotels, suppliers, and wider tourism industry partners.

Identifying actions to achieve climate goals

In the coming year, Preferred Travel Group will focus on implementing its climate action plan by establishing effective systems, refining policies, and engaging associates, in order to create lasting impact.

“These efforts will provide a structured framework for reducing environmental impact and promoting a low-carbon future,” the company said in a statement.

Key priorities for 2025 will include enhancing emissions tracking and reporting systems for business travel and events, which contribute significantly to emissions, and refining travel and event policies to achieve emissions reduction across company operations.

“Associate engagement will be central to this effort, with training, workshops, and resources fostering a culture of climate action,” the statement continued.

Guided by the internal Climate Task Force and Climate Steering Committee, company associates will be empowered to integrate more sustainable practices into their roles to help drive innovative climate initiatives across departments.

“As evidenced by the publication of this plan, Preferred Travel Group is prepared to integrate climate action at all levels of the organization,” Nina Boys, vice president of sustainability for Preferred Travel Group, said in a statement.