From Carbon Counting to Culture Change: Inside ATPI's Push for Sustainable Travel

When Pippa Ganderton talks about sustainability in corporate travel, she doesn't mince words. “Integrity demands that corporates should not look at carbon offsetting alone,” says the Director of ATPI Halo, the sustainability arm of the global travel management firm. It's a statement that cuts to the heart of an industry at a crossroads: businesses are under pressure to slash emissions, regulators are tightening the screws, and the era of easy “carbon neutral” claims is ending.

- By Gilbert Da Costa

ATPI's Sustainability Report 2025 provides a window into how one of the world's most established travel and events companies is grappling with this challenge. The document doesn't just tally carbon offsets—it lays out a philosophy that places measurement and reduction ahead of compensation, while also embedding social and governance priorities into the company's DNA.

Offsets Under Scrutiny

For years, carbon offsetting has been a convenient balm for companies eager to burnish their green credentials. By paying into projects that claim to sequester or avoid emissions elsewhere, businesses could declare their travel “net zero” without fundamentally changing how employees flew, drove, or stayed.

But cracks in that model are showing. Reports have cast doubt on the credibility of some offset schemes, while regulators in Europe and beyond are warning companies that they must prove real, measurable reductions. “Carbon offsetting remains an essential tool,” Ganderton concedes, “but only as part of a holistic strategy.”

ATPI Halo's approach is straightforward: measure travel emissions with precision, implement reductions wherever possible, and only then turn to offsets for what can't be avoided. The company's toolkit ranges from shifting short-haul trips from air to rail, to encouraging clients to book airlines operating fuel-efficient fleets. A growing emphasis is placed on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with ATPI partnering Neste, the world's largest SAF producer, to allow clients to immediately lower their Scope 3 emissions.

Global Projects, Local Impact