BTN Group Names Winners of the 2025 Business Travel Sustainability Awards

The winners of the BTN Group’s third annual Business Travel Sustainability Awards were unveiled today, on Earth Day, with suppliers, travel teams and individuals recognized for their achievements.

Winners were selected by an independent panel of more than 40 travel managers and consultants who sought to identify the organizations and individuals best advancing business travel sustainability internally and for the benefit of their clients.

Additionally, the BTN editorial team conducted a series of interviews to help determine the winner of the Achievement in Sustainability – Managed Travel Program category, which went to Zurich Insurance.

The company was praised for its comprehensive commitment to sustainability which integrates carbon budgets and makes sustainability objectives a component of travelers’ performance reviews.

Meanwhile, the BTN Group recognized Donna Collins of Meetings & Incentives Worldwide as this year’s Sustainability Champion for launching and scaling initiatives that go far beyond carbon reduction to address food waste, water conservation and community impact.

In the Sustainability Partner of the Year – Airline category, easyJet was triumphant for the second time in three years, while BCD Travel was named Sustainability Partner of the Year – TMC for the second consecutive year.

On the supplier side, Avanti West Coast, BCD Travel, Blacklane, Clarasight, easyJet and HRS took home the honors, while Arcadis, BDO and Key Travel each received Highly Commended recognition. 

For the full list of judges and 28 finalists, click here.

Winners of the BTN Group’s Business Travel Sustainability Awards 2025

Achievement in Sustainability – Managed Travel Program: Zurich Insurance
The company has achieved a 65 percent reduction in air travel emissions in the last two years compared to its 2019 baseline, in no small part due to the roll-out of carbon budgets. An internally built reporting dashboard and innovative CO2 transfer tool – which enables travelers to reassign trip emissions and was referred to by judges as a “standout capability” – allow the company to treat carbon as a currency, while travelers are incentivized by linking a portion of performance bonuses to sustainability goals. “With clear metrics, robust internal collaboration, and employee buy-in, Zurich has proven itself a leader in corporate travel sustainability, making it a well-deserved winner,” according to the BTN editorial team.

Highly Commended: Arcadis & BDO
Last year’s winner of this category, Arcadis, was praised for its strategic and data-driven approach to sustainability, including the adoption of a number of innovative tools and a Travel Sustainability Hub to engage and communicate with travelers. BDO, meanwhile, was recognized for its carbon pricing initiative and collaboration with travel partners to create a sustainable travel ecosystem.

Sustainability Champion: Donna Collins, Sustainability Champion, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide
Donna Collins is celebrated for her “deeply personal, impactful, and purpose-driven approach to advancing sustainability within the meetings and incentives space.”  Judges remarked especially on her ability to connect emotionally while delivering measurable change – balancing storytelling, data and action in a way that felt both attainable and inspiring. Donna’s approach of “meeting everyone where they’re at,” her commitment to education and advocacy and her relentless drive to make the world better for future generations have made her not just a leader in sustainability, but a true champion and changemaker in the industry, noted the judges.

Sustainability Partner of the Year – TMC: BCD Travel
BCD Travel impressed the judges with its enterprise-wide sustainability strategy that spans both internal operations and client-facing initiatives. The company’s carbon-fee invoicing mechanism and behavioral nudges at the point of booking were recognized as forward-thinking tools that support real-time decision-making and investment into decarbonization.

Highly commended: Key Travel
Key Travel’s submission stood out for its thorough documentation, third-party verification and tangible results. Highlights included their innovative Carbon Neutral Hotel Rooms program and supporting a customer in achieving a 137 percent increase in UK rail travel through updates to the online booking tool, introducing departmental carbon budgets and green booking guidance.

Sustainability Partner of the Year – Airline: easyJet
The low-cost carrier was praised by judges for its “holistic and proactive approach to sustainability, combining operational efficiency, digital innovation and creative collaboration with corporate clients.” Judges praised its corporate SAF program, new efficiencies in its Integrated Control Centre, and the electrification of ground operations.

Sustainability Partner of the Year – Ground Transportation Provider – Driver Hire: Blacklane
The judges were impressed by Blacklane’s strong commitment to electrifying ground transportation and reducing emissions, with its submission lauded for its transparency, client reporting and proven results, highlighting Blacklane as a scalable, data-informed model for sustainable business travel.

Sustainability Partner of the Year – Rail Operator: Avanti West Coast
Avanti West Coast was recognized for its ambitious and well-structured sustainability strategy, including a validated net-zero target by 2031 and strong collaboration with corporate clients to encourage modal shift from air to rail. Judges highlighted the operator’s effective commercial incentives, TMC and OBT integration, and clear operational targets backed by SBTi-aligned goals.

Sustainability Partner of the Year – Data and Reporting Provider: HRS
Judges were impressed by HRS’s Green Stay Initiative, which has “set a new industry benchmark by enabling measurable CO₂ reductions and integrating sustainability into hotel sourcing and booking processes.”. The platform’s advanced features empower travel managers to make data-driven, eco-conscious decisions while achieving both emissions and cost reductions.

Achievement in Sustainability Innovation: Clarasight
The judges appreciated Clarasight’s innovative, data-driven platform that empowers organizations to centralize and forecast emissions across travel, finance and HR systems using existing infrastructure. By filling a critical market gap, the solution introduces customizable scenario planning and real-time carbon tracking, offering a forward-looking approach that goes beyond post-booking reporting.