Net Zero Commitment

Knowing our numbers, and aiming for zero

We started by finding out what our carbon emissions have been since the Travalyst organisation’s inception². Given our small size and remote operating structure, we acknowledge that it may be simpler to measure the Travalyst organisation’s footprint compared with others. Nevertheless, we believe that every organisation, no matter how small, needs to know their footprint and ultimately reduce it. By knowing what emissions we put out, we can strive to lower them each year, and commit to reaching zero.

That’s why we are working with the sustainability consultancy ecollective to measure and reduce our footprint. By making small but effective changes, we believe that we can reduce the carbon emitted per employee each year in a financially responsible way.

To achieve this, we intend to take the following steps:

1. Measure our footprint: Supported by ecollective, we have designed a framework to measure Travalyst’s carbon footprint. The framework individually measures the footprint to a high degree of accuracy taking into account every element of the organisation, the quantity, the geographic location, etc. We have accounted for emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3 as per the latest guidance from the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Methodology with detail on scope, data and approach can be found below.
2. Set ambitious but achievable targets: In line with the SBTi guidance we have set targets that are aligned with limiting global temperatures to a 1.5°C increase. Travalyst is committed to measuring and reducing absolute emissions per employee by 8% each year. For any of the remaining emissions, we will remove them by investing the same amount in meaningful and credible offsets or carbon removal projects (see more information in the next step). The end result is that the Travalyst Secretariat will achieve net zero carbon emissions.
3. Deliver a meaningful action plan: To achieve our targets, Travalyst will align with SBTi guidance and will implement an abatement plan which prioritises avoidance and reduction over compensation. The steps we’ll take are:
   a. Avoid: As part of our collaboration with ecollective, we have developed a carbon reduction strategy which identifies areas in which the Travalyst Secretariat can reduce and, at times, avoid carbon emissions completely. There will be few areas where we can fully prevent emissions from being created in the first place, however, given that the Travalyst Secretariat operates with a predominant work from home structure, we have been able to avoid emissions from areas such as operating our own office, no staff commuting, priority on virtual events, etc. 
   b. Reduce: For each business decision we make, we will find ways to reduce the intensity and/or extent of resulting emissions that cannot be completely avoided. Some of the actions we will do include investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) (see this video for more information on what SAF is) to reduce the emissions of our travel footprint, prioritising running virtual events over in-person events wherever possible, and reducing air travel and prioritising train travel wherever possible.
   c. Restore: Along with the efforts we can take internally to improve our practices, we recognise the role that the Travalyst Secretariat must play in supporting measures taken to restore and protect vital ecosystems. These are the ecosystems that the tourism industry depends on and it is essential that efforts in resilience building, adaptation and disaster response are championed and driven forward. Travalyst’s mission is to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on people and destinations; unlocking the industry’s potential as a major contributor to a healthy and resilient planet. To start, Travalyst has brought together a global alliance of leading travel and tourism service providers to deliver unified sustainability reporting; making it easier for travellers and travel providers to make better choices – for themselves and the planet.
   d. Compensate: For any remaining emissions that cannot be avoided, reduced and/or restored, the Travalyst Secretariat commits to compensation measures in order to accelerate our transition to net-zero emissions. As a last resort, the Travalyst Secretariat will opt to compensate remaining emissions that are still being released into the atmosphere through a mixture of high quality offsets and carbon removal following guidance from the Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting. All offsetting in our abatement portfolio will be verifiable and correctly accounted for, have a low risk of non-additionality, reversal, and creating negative unintended consequences.
4. Align efforts and advocate for a just and fast transition to net zero: The climate emergency requires a coordinated approach to achieve the accelerated pace and scale necessary to tackle the crisis. Travalyst has aligned with industry-leading and global efforts, such as the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, with the aim to hold ourselves accountable, share learnings and champion consistent messaging, targets and approaches.