New Sustainable Travel Education Org. Takes Shape

A group of veteran travel and sustainability executives will launch a new organization designed to bring together corporate travel managers, travel management companies and travel suppliers and offer tools and education around travel sustainability.

The Sustainable Travel & Transportation Network is expected to launch in mid-May as a networking platform and “clearinghouse” for environmental certifications, the company announced Thursday during a pre-launch media presentation. 

STTN is designed as a “community-based marketplace,” according to the company. 

The organization’s co-founders include Sara Richardson, previously the founder and president of non-profit business development association RAS International, alongside Patricia Charla, previous co-founder for environmental certification and consultancy Tech360. Other STTN team members and faculty, include sustainable travel consultancy TravelHorst founder Horst Bayer—a former corporate travel manager with Siemens and Hitachi Data Systems, IGManagement managing director Bernard Harrop and sustainability software GreenFeet founder Lisa McKelvey.

STTN will seek to assess sustainability certifications and authenticate sustainable travel partners, while weeding out greenwashing. It’s also looking to fill a support gap the founders have identified for small and midsize organization—on both the buyer and supplier sides—when it comes to navigating the complexities of sustainability initiatives.  

“Travel managers in big companies have sustainability managers to track everything for them,” Charla said. The network plans to serve as a supplemental tool for travel managers and buyers to help determine what sustainability policies should look like and how to source sustainable partners. “Buyers need tools to find out who these sustainable brands are. Most people don’t know if they are good, bad or indifferent,” she said, adding that STTN would serve as an education ground for buyers working toward sustainable purchasing. 

Travel suppliers will need different support and services. Charla pointed to one of the deeper governance concepts embedded in sustainability best practices for the supply side.  

“For the travel suppliers, sustainability also [includes] people,” she said. “What small travel provider is going to know how to write modern slavery policy, or that they even need to do it? STTN helps make the journey easier.”

Buyer Requirements and Support Services

STTN will require travel managers, travel management company members and non-travel industry members to complete the STTN sustainability pledge and a self-assessment. STTN certification for this member type will include completing the online training and certification courses in Sustainable Travel Management and Sustainable Travel Supply Chain Management. Additional services include sector-specific training, live and virtual events, workshops and seminars. Sustainability officers and sustainability program designers have access to the same offerings but are only required to pledge, not to self-assess. 

Supplier Requirements and Support Services 

Travel service provider memberships require a pledge and self-assessment. STTN certification for suppliers will require emissions tracking, reporting and verifying emissions data conducted by a third party, sector-specific sustainability data, online training, workshop participation and STTN Green Fleet certification, if applicable. STTN will offer sector-specific training, workshops, seminars, owner and manager training, live and virtual events and fleet-driver training. 

Pricing and Start Dates

Annual membership pricing ranges by organization and commitment level, beginning at $500 for sustainability officers and program designers, $750 for travel program managers and travel management companies, $950 for travel service providers and $1,500 for non-travel industry participants. Memberships and courses will be available approximately May 17, according to the company.