Consulting Firms Push to Reduce Work Travel to Cut Emissions
Deloitte, PWC, EY, and KPMG are urging employees to minimise travel, focusing on sustainability and reducing carbon footprints through virtual meetings and public transport
By : Sangeetha G
Update: 2025-01-11 14:14 GMT
Chennai: While the social media was busy criticising Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman S N Subrahmanyan’s comments on working long hours around the weekend, the big four companies in consultancy services asked their employees to go slow on work-related travels to reduce carbon footprints. Both these developments drive attention towards the need to reduce long commuting hours to cut emissions and improve productivity.
Deloitte, PWC, EY and KPMG have asked their employees to go slow on work-related travels to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprints. They are nudging their employees to minimise work trips, including client visits, and asking them to conduct such meetings virtually as much as possible.
In cases where travel is mandatory, the consultancy firms are encouraging their employees to use public transport systems like trains.
While long working hours are further elongated by the hours employees spent in traffic snarls for commuting to office, the need to cut unnecessary travel is an important step towards cutting emissions and achieving net zero.
In 2023, the average Bengaluru commuter spent 257 hours on road during peak hours, 132 of these were due to acute congestion. In the bustling city of Mumbai, employees commute between 2 to 4 hours daily in crowded local trains to reach offices.
As per studies, employee computing accounts for 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. During the pandemic the world had realised that reduced commuting can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. Remote working reduced commuting emissions by 43 per cent in 2019 and 97 per cent in 2020.
Working remotely and encouraging sustainable transportation options such as public transportation, carpooling, biking, and walking can make a huge impact in reducing emissions from employee commuting.
A 10 per cent increase in people working remotely could reduce carbon emissions by 192 million metric tons a year, according to a study published in the journal Nature Cities. That would cut emissions from the country’s most polluting sector, transportation, by 10 per cent. Further, switching to remote work can cut a person’s carbon footprint by 54 per cent.
Several businesses are adopting a hybrid working structure, in which teams no longer need to travel to their workspace frequently. They schedule meetings around off-peak travel times to reduce congestion, switch to online meetings and virtual events whenever possible, add public transport options, and choose hybrid or electric taxi and car services.
Avoiding unnecessary travel also saves time and improves productivity. A study by the University of California found that employees who commute longer than 30 minutes each way reported lower productivity levels and higher frustration, which are detrimental to performance and workplace morale.
Long commute times are a fundamental reason why employees leave their jobs and seek positions closer to their homes. To combat the discontent linked to long commutes and increase retention rates, many organizations are embracing flexible work arrangements, remote work or hybrid models.
Deloitte, PWC, EY and KPMG have asked their employees to go slow on work-related travels to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprints. They are nudging their employees to minimise work trips, including client visits, and asking them to conduct such meetings virtually as much as possible.
In cases where travel is mandatory, the consultancy firms are encouraging their employees to use public transport systems like trains.
While long working hours are further elongated by the hours employees spent in traffic snarls for commuting to office, the need to cut unnecessary travel is an important step towards cutting emissions and achieving net zero.
In 2023, the average Bengaluru commuter spent 257 hours on road during peak hours, 132 of these were due to acute congestion. In the bustling city of Mumbai, employees commute between 2 to 4 hours daily in crowded local trains to reach offices.
As per studies, employee computing accounts for 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. During the pandemic the world had realised that reduced commuting can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. Remote working reduced commuting emissions by 43 per cent in 2019 and 97 per cent in 2020.
Working remotely and encouraging sustainable transportation options such as public transportation, carpooling, biking, and walking can make a huge impact in reducing emissions from employee commuting.
A 10 per cent increase in people working remotely could reduce carbon emissions by 192 million metric tons a year, according to a study published in the journal Nature Cities. That would cut emissions from the country’s most polluting sector, transportation, by 10 per cent. Further, switching to remote work can cut a person’s carbon footprint by 54 per cent.
Several businesses are adopting a hybrid working structure, in which teams no longer need to travel to their workspace frequently. They schedule meetings around off-peak travel times to reduce congestion, switch to online meetings and virtual events whenever possible, add public transport options, and choose hybrid or electric taxi and car services.
Avoiding unnecessary travel also saves time and improves productivity. A study by the University of California found that employees who commute longer than 30 minutes each way reported lower productivity levels and higher frustration, which are detrimental to performance and workplace morale.
Long commute times are a fundamental reason why employees leave their jobs and seek positions closer to their homes. To combat the discontent linked to long commutes and increase retention rates, many organizations are embracing flexible work arrangements, remote work or hybrid models.