Business travel

Our academic strategy for the next 10 years is rooted in our desire to make a difference in the world, and our strategy of Universal Values, Global Change will deliver this. Collaboration with international partners and delivering global impacts from research are key activities at the University of Leeds that help us to deliver the University Strategy and shape a better future.

Certain travel is essential for staff and students to meet these goals, be it for research, innovation or other learning opportunities. However, travel for business and research is one of the principal sources of carbon emissions at the University of Leeds.

As part of the University’s Climate Plan, a key tenet of the University Strategy, we have committed to delivering net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In 2018/2019, business travel by University of Leeds staff was responsible for over 13,000 tonnes of CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions, making it our second highest source of measured greenhouse gas emissions after the energy used to operate our buildings and estate.

We are striving to be sector-leading, to create a strategy which incentivises sustainable travel. We believe that it will be through collaboration that we will deliver creative and long-lasting approaches to reduce our travel emissions.  

To help meet the University’s net-zero target, we aim to significantly reduce the impact of business and commuting travel, with a goal to achieve and maintain emissions at 50% of 2018-19 levels. This commitment to sustainability will be balanced with our dedication to academic excellence. 

In support of this initiative, the University of Leeds launched its Climate Conscious Business Travel Policy pilot in October 2024. Four departments within the University are participating, allowing us to collect detailed data and gauge attitudes toward sustainable business travel. This data will help us better understand the potential impacts of implementing a full-scale sustainable business travel policy across the institution. 

If you have any questions regarding the pilot, please email climatepricipleprogramme@leeds.ac.uk. Further information on how the pilot progresses and outcomes will be shared in due course. 

In September 2022, we published interim guidance to help staff and students across the University make informed choices when travelling for business or academic purposes.  We ask that you consider the guidance when booking or planning business or academic travel.

For more information, contact sustainability@leeds.ac.uk.

We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on business travel is linked to the following SDGs:

• Goal 4: Quality education
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
• Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• Goal 13: Climate action

Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.