Brisbane, Australia (January 31, 2024) - Australian-based Kudos Travel Technology has partnered with Sustainable Travel International to enhance its sustainable travel solutions and make it easier for users to engage in climate action. Kudos' integration with Sustainable Travel International's API allows companies and individual employees to seamlessly offset their business travel carbon footprint from within the Kudos Travel Platform.

The new carbon offsetting feature works hand-in-hand with Kudos' existing carbon calculation functionality, giving users a streamlined, tangible way to mitigate the environmental impact of their travel. By offsetting their travel carbon footprint, users support Sustainable Travel International's Climate Impact Portfolio.

This portfolio approach allows users to support a diverse, global mix of projects that address climate change from multiple angles – all for a stable, affordable price point. For instance, projects might protect the Amazon from deforestation, restore mangroves in coastal areas, generate clean energy in place of fossil fuels, or deploy innovative technologies that permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere. These projects are verified by reputable third-party standards to ensure their integrity and are carefully curated by Sustainable Travel International to maximize the buyer’s positive impact.

Key features of the Kudos user experience include:

1. Travel Emissions Calculation: Travellers can quickly assess their personal carbon footprint of air, hotel, and car travel. Additionally, companies can view and compare their organisation’s emissions to industry averages and use this data to reduce their footprint by factoring sustainability into their travel decisions.
2. Carbon Offsetting: After viewing their footprint, companies can elect to neutralize it in just a few clicks. Users simply click a link next to their carbon footprint and complete the offset purchase directly through the platform, receiving a certificate from Sustainable Travel International upon completion. The platform enables users to track their impact over time by displaying how much CO2 they’ve neutralized to date.
3. Climate Impact Portfolio Allocation: During the carbon offsetting process, users are presented with a breakdown of Sustainable Travel International’s current Climate Impact Portfolio which their purchase will support. This details the allocation between the four project types: forestry, energy, blue/teal carbon, and innovative climate tech, as well as the specific projects included in the portfolio.
4. Transparent Reporting & Communications: Users who offset their emissions will receive an impact report and marketing toolkit from Sustainable Travel International. This provides additional information about each project the user supported as well as resources to help them communicate their positive impact.

According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), nearly two-thirds (64%) of travel buyers are currently tracking emissions from their business travel program, while less than a quarter (23%) are offsetting them. The carbon offsetting feature makes the Kudos Travel Platform a valuable tool for travel managers to take their sustainability efforts a step further and keep up with surging expectations around climate and ESG commitments.

“Business travel is vital to innovation, human connection, and economic growth, but the reality is that it currently comes at a cost to the planet,” said said Paloma Zapata, CEO of Sustainable Travel International. “By helping the corporate travel sector understand their emissions and mitigate their footprint, Kudos Travel Technology is taking a pivotal step towards lessening this impact and making responsible travel the new standard.”

Our partnership with Sustainable Travel International marks a step towards responsible corporate travel. By blending eco-friendly practices with corporate needs, we create a journey that is both sustainable and beneficial for businesses, delivering cost-effectiveness and well-being. Together, we redefine corporate travel for a brighter, greener future." Phil Rasmussen, Managing Director for Kudos Travel Technology