Month: April 2023

At Expedia Group, we believe travel is a force for good. At the same time, we also recognize the environmental toll that today’s travel industry often has on the planet. Climate action is essential to preserving the many destinations our travelers are looking to experience. Sustainability is more than an accelerating trend for travel — it’s fundamental for the future of our industry.

Responsible travel is a key business imperative for Expedia Group. Among other motivations, our travelers are clearly demanding more sustainable options. In fact, terms related to sustainability and eco-friendliness were mentioned in traveler feedback twice as often last year as in previous years 1.

To meet our travelers’ demand and as part of our long-term sustainability efforts, last April, Expedia Group signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Travel and Tourism as one signal of our commitment. And in September, we launched our Open World™ social impact and sustainability strategy with the specific mission of advancing a travel ecosystem that is open, accessible, and responsible for all.

We are excited to share an update on our progress over the last year and outline our vision for what’s ahead.

BUILDING A PROSPEROUS PLANET

Our Open World framework places environmental sustainability alongside two other pillars of social impact — inclusive access and economic mobility — with all three driving toward a responsible future for tourism and for the people, places, and communities that make up global travel.

The Prosperous Planet pillar of our strategy is grounded in two commitments:

Aligning with a Net Zero Future – We will decarbonize our operations and take action to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change on our business.Powering Sustainable Journeys – We will innovate sustainable solutions for the future of travel, empowering travelers to act more sustainably and supporting partners in offering more sustainable travel options.

Expedia Group is committed to mobilizing its vast network of travelers, partners, and peers to empower more responsible choices.

SETTING A VISION

Over the past year, we’ve collected data and had critical conversations with many stakeholders as we create our first Climate Action Plan, set to be released later this year. Outlining our overall climate vision and strategy, the Climate Action Plan articulates six core elements that will guide our action over the coming years:

Reduce: Set and deliver science-aligned targets and decarbonization strategies for our operations.Prepare: Evaluate and integrate climate risk and opportunity to our business, including the outcomes of a scenario analysis, which describes how the physical and transition risks of climate change might impact our business.Adapt: Support community disaster response and climate adaptation to build resilience in the places where we work, and the destinations where we travel.Align: Advance industry standards to support clear, authentic, and consistent information on the sustainability of travel products.Recognize: Promote more sustainable travel options across our platforms and incentivize travelers to choose them.Accelerate: Support suppliers in providing more sustainable offerings, with a focus on the intersection of climate and equity.

GREENER OPTIONS FOR A GREENER TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Collaboration is critical to our progress as an industry, and we must work together to innovate and accelerate meaningful change. Expedia Group is committed to empowering both travelers and partners to make more responsible and sustainable travel choices by providing needed insights, tools, and resources.

DESTINATION COMMUNITIES

Travel is inherently place-based. That’s why our Open World strategy puts destination communities alongside travelers at its center – outstanding travel experiences require vibrant and resilient destinations. We are therefore proud to be partnering with the Travel Foundation to launch a first-of-its-kind capacity-building program for destination marketing and management organizations (DMOs), enabling them to lead the way on climate action in tourism and catalyze meaningful change at a local level. DMOs bridge the gap between the global and the local within the travel industry, and Expedia Group sees them as a key node for accelerating sustainable travel.

The program will offer practical training to DMO staff, creating “climate champions” that can apply a sustainability lens to strategic planning and decision-making. It will also support DMOs in creating their own climate action plans and offer peer-to-peer learning opportunities for destinations to share knowledge and insights with one another.

The program’s pilot cohort will launch over the summer. We’re excited to name Destination Vancouver as the first DMO to sign on as a participant and look forward to scaling this work in the years to come.

TRAVELERS

With operations in 70+ countries and across 200+ travel sites, we interact with millions of travelers. We want to provide credible and clear information, including on sustainability, whether they be carbon estimates or indications of other eco-friendly attributes and practices of travel providers.

Trends in travel evolve, and we know that travelers are seeking experiences that are more than just about relaxation or exploration. We increasingly hear that travelers expect options in line with their values, with more information about the environmental and community impacts of their choices.

A report by our Expedia Group Media Solutions team highlighted that 90% of consumers look for sustainable options when traveling, though 70% feel overwhelmed navigating available options and on starting the process of becoming a more sustainable traveler 2.

Expedia Group is working to build trusted sustainability information for travelers into our products that align with industry best practices, including methodologies developed collaboratively between our peers within the Travalyst Coalition.

Product features being tested include displaying estimates of flight emissions, the sustainability practices of hotels, and electric and hybrid vehicle filters for car rentals. Some of these features have never before been available on our sites, and we are excited to continue innovating, evolving, and enhancing the sustainability information we provide to travelers.

LOOKING AHEAD

Expedia Group is charting a course for a more sustainable travel industry. Our Open World social impact and sustainability strategy outlines our commitment, and our forthcoming Climate Action Plan will deepen our vision and roadmap for success. We will continue to collaborate with our peers, partners, travelers, and destinations across the industry to ensure responsible travel on a truly prosperous planet for generations to come.

Find more details on our plans and progress here.

Data Sources

1 Expedia Group, traveler reviews data, January 2021-January 2022

2 Expedia Group Media Solutions, Sustainable Travel Study, 2022

In the latest episode of ESG Talk, guest host Ernest Anunciacion shares how companies can build assurance into ESG reporting. A certified internal auditor, Ernest emphasizes the critical role GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) will play in complying with ESG regulation, including climate disclosure rules coming from the SEC.

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Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, and YouTube. 

More than 50 years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not exist, which meant there was no Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act, and no legal regulatory mechanism to protect our environment. That all changed in April 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force this issue onto the national agenda. Twenty million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities — and it worked. In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of the EPA, a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues. Now, each year on April 22, people all around the world come together on Earth Day to celebrate the planet’s environment and raise public awareness about pollution.

In honor of #EarthDay, America’s Charities is celebrating the following agents of change who we are proud to call our members:

The Conservation Fund: The Conservation Fund practices conservation to achieve environmental and economic outcomes. Every Fund program places conservation at its center, and our entrepreneurial staff create and implement innovative, practical ways to benefit the natural world and the well-being of Americans from every walk of life. Since 1985, The Conservation Fund has protected over 8 million acres of America’s most important, at-risk lands and waters. Click here to learn more about the Fund’s impact on the following focus areas: Land, Water, Wildlife, Finance, Food, Community Development, Cities, Partnerships, Climate, and Restoration.Feeding America: Many people think of ending hunger when they think of Feeding America – and they would be right. However, Feeding America is also an important ally in the work to end food waste. Each year, 108 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to 130 billion meals and more than $408 billion in food thrown away each year, while 38 million Americans struggle with hunger. Feeding America and its partner network rescues food every day — rescuing 4.7 billion pounds of groceries last year. Learn how you can fight food waste in your own kitchen and learn about one Feeding America’s newest innovations, MealConnect, which makes safe and quick food donations possible by matching food businesses directly to the Feeding America network. Local grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and more can use MealConnect to alert nearby food banks, food pantries or meal programs when they have food ready for immediate pick up, making more good food available and revolutionizing local food rescue.Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: The mission of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. For 30 years, RTC has been the leader in the national rail-trail movement and is the voice of more than 160,000 members and supporters. RTC has helped develop more than 1,600 pathways, transforming more than 30,000 miles of former rail corridors into beautiful paths for walking, biking, riding, and other outdoor activities. RTC partners with thousands of community organizations, trail groups, and local governments to create a nationwide network of trails – one community at a time. They support a healthier environment by making active transportation a viable transportation alternative. They contribute to healthier, more vibrant communities, connecting people of all ages and abilities to the places where they live, work and play. Each year on the fourth Saturday of April, you can Celebrate Trails Day (formerly Opening Day for Trails), an annual spring celebration of America’s trails. Started by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 2013, the celebration encourages people all across the country to get outside and enjoy the nation’s exceptional trails and trail systems. Learn more.

How to Join Us for Earth Day 2022: 

Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and let us know you are celebrating Earth Day. Be sure to include the hashtag #EarthDay in your posts to join the global conversation online.Subscribe to our CSR Newsletter as we share how our members’ programs protect our environment and communities around the world.Donate & raise money for these nonprofits. America’s Charities is proud of our member charities’ work on behalf of ecosystems, people, and communities all over the planet. One of the most cost-efficient ways you can support these nonprofits is to donate to them via payroll deduction through your employer’s workplace giving program (Don’t have a program? Click here to have your employer contact our team.) Click on each charity’s name above to learn more about their work, and to make a donation now!

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Joy Lyons, head of North America Operations for Elavon, the merchant processing business within U.S. Bank Payment Services, dedicates a meaningful amount of her time to volunteering with organizations that help women. She recently was recognized for her service with a Pay it Forward Star Award from the Electronic Transaction Association.

Lyons, who is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, said she follows three guidelines to help her incorporate community service – including work with domestic violence shelters, contributions to organizations benefiting children and supporting young women transition from student to successful businesswomen— into her life.

Follow your interests 
As a woman in the financial services industry, Lyons said it’s important to mentor other women in the sector.

“With any activity, we are more likely to have a positive outcome when our skills and interests are aligned with a need,” she said. “While I am incredibly passionate about the work I do at U.S. Bank, I am equally dedicated to giving back to other women in the industry and in my local community. I know how important it is to share our knowledge and experience with one another.”

That dedication motivates her to serve as an active member of the Women in Payments board and support its mission to connect, inspire and champion women in the payments industry. She serves as an executive advisor for the Elavon Women in Payments Atlanta chapter business resource group.

Lyons puts her talent for motivating groups of people to work by engaging with more than 750 students and active alumnae in community service projects through her role as the alumni liaison coordinator and mother’s club president for Alpha Delta Pi – University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Engage your network 
Lyons said she learned years ago while running a coat drive to help a nonprofit organization that when it comes to volunteer work, there’s great value in bringing people together.

“As an individual donor, I could give a few coats at most,” she said.

But by partnering with her daughter and mobilizing local schools, dance studios and her coworkers, Lyons and her network have been able to donate more than 7,000 coats and blankets over a 10-year span.

Lyons also volunteers alongside her Elavon colleagues to coordinate donation drives for toys, books and art supplies for the local children’s hospital and collect essential school supplies for local, underserved schools.

“Again, as individuals, we could help a few kids, but together we are able to fill entire SUVs with goodies and necessities,” she said.

Make helping a habit 
Commitment is key in forming good habits, Lyons said, and volunteerism is no exception.

“When you make community work a consistent part of your life, it ceases to be a grand gesture of charity and becomes an expected part of living in a community,” she said. “I give my time and energy now because I can. I know that any one of us may, at some point, need to receive assistance. We all need to recognize that giving and accepting help is part of our dedication to each other and our communities.”

“If someone is just starting out in volunteer work, it’s fine to start small but it’s important to be consistent,” Lyons said. “Twenty years ago, I began dedicating time to acts of service to show my daughter the important role each of us has in supporting our community. I started with just a few activities a year but quickly saw, and felt, the positive impact. I now dedicate five days a month to work in my community.”