Continuing its drive for environmental sustainability, Johnson Controls issued a request for proposals that seeks airline commitments to honor specified emissions reduction targets. The company's partner on the initiative, Tri-Pen Management Corp., called the RFP a first of its kind.
Contracts would require airlines to disclose a carbon footprint at the opening of the contract term and commit to reducing it by a certain percentage before the end of the term. Shortfalls would result in penalties including mandatory offset purchases from the offset provider of the vendor's choice.
"Social responsibility and sustainability are very important to our company and we have made a substantial commitment and investment in the environment for generations to come," said Johnson Controls global travel services manager Michael Hall. "We believe our suppliers should participate in and support our efforts in this area. These are issues which are critical to the health of our planet and good for business in general."
The $38 billion maker of automotive, power and climate-control systems and products in 2007 produced 68,563 metric tons of carbon dioxide through business travel, according to its Carbon Disclosure Projectreport. The 124 year-old company has 140,000 employees in more than 1,300 locations serving customers in 125 countries, according to its Web site.
Johnson Controls uses a pre-trip approval system from Trondent Development Corp. that shows managers both the fares and emissions that planned flights would generate, based on external data about aircraft and airlines, Hall said.
Tri-Pen's role in the engagement is to manage the overall RFP and consult on the air program going forward, but also to help keep the airlines honest about their carbon reduction initiatives. "The airline's involvement is important and we wouldn't for a minute suggest they're not telling the truth, but you also have to have an uninterested third party to help with the assessment, to ensure we know the baseline and what the footprint looks like at the end of the agreement," said Tri-Pen COO Joe Monaghan.
"Johnson Controls invites travel managers at other companies worldwide to join in the effort to promote sustainability and challenges travel suppliers worldwide to commit to achievable environmentally friendly goals," according to the Tri-Pen press statement.
Hall said it's difficult to measure carbon emissions for lodging, but another initiative involves car rental.
"We have worked with our providers to reduce our percentage of unsolicited upgrades," he said. "That was one of the biggest impacts on our total car emissions." When travelers participating in loyalty programs reach the airport, Hall said, more often than not they get upgraded "sometimes to the next class or sometimes to a sport utility vehicle. Those free upgrades were driving up our CO2 costs." He said the topic was "something I bought up to the car rental companies in general. When they have small cars, they can be nice small cars. The BMW 318 is still a fairly compact car. The car rental companies tend to think that size equals value, and I don't believe that holds anymore. Comfort and safety? Yes. But not necessarily size."