Global
Business travel generated more than 20 percent of German bank WestLB's overall 2006 carbon emissions
, according to its 2007 "Sustainability Report." Since 2005, the bank "significantly" cut air travel--which now represents about 75 percent of total kilometers traveled--while slightly increasing rail travel. "Our travel guidelines encourage employees to travel by train instead of taking a plane," according to the report. "Given that many flights are attributable to the growing internationalization of our business, the optimization potential is limited, though. With a view to further reducing the emissions from business trips, WestLB will make growing use of videoconferences going forward."