News item | 07-01-2026 | 10:58
Business trips account for a large part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ emissions. On the way to a more sustainable future, and 40% less CO2 in 2030, there is profit to be made here. BZ does this, for example, with the Travel Smart campaign and use of data.
Taking a critical look at travel behavior
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With the Travel Smart campaign, sustainability program Mission Sustainable (see box) challenges the departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dutch representations worldwide to take a critical look at their travel behavior.
Stopping flying completely is not realistic, but traveling less and more sustainably is. For example, by combining appointments abroad, traveling with fewer large delegations, opting for economy class on long-haul flights, and traveling by train within Europe as much as possible.
Sustainable travel starts with insight
At the end of 2025, Mission Sustainable launched a dashboard that shows how much CO2 BZ emissions with business trips. This shows the number of flights and train journeys, the kilometers traveled and the total CO₂ emissions of each management or post on a quarterly basis. This way you can see at a glance what the travel patterns are and where there is room for improvement.
The dashboard helps to better understand where emissions come from and to discuss this. “The great thing about this dashboard is that for the first time we can really manage behavior and results,” says Ilse Marsman, sustainable travel project leader at Mission Sustainable. “Not by checking, but by providing insight into what works. Traveling is part of our job; that will not change, but we can make smart choices when and how.” Small adjustments such as flying premium economy instead of business class, better planning, or meeting online more often, make a big difference.
With the dashboard, every management and post has the tool to travel more consciously and work together on CO2-reduction.
How IGG saved almost 40% CO2 with insight and planning
Inclusive Green Growth – a department of the Foreign Affairs – managed to reduce its travel emissions by almost 40% in the first half of this year, while the number of trips remained the same. IGG did this with a CO₂ budget per department and an Excel file in which future trips are recorded. “A CO₂ budget works just like a financial budget,” says Ivo Walsmit, one of the driving forces in the field of sustainable travel within IGG. “It makes choices visible, and is concrete and honest. This works well for IGG: you immediately see what is left and automatically plan smarter.” The initial goal was 10% fewer emissions. Each department received its own budget, based on the average emissions per employee minus 10%. After two quarters, there were already 38% fewer emissions, with the expectation that this trend will continue in the second half of the year. Remarkably, the number of trips remained the same. The biggest difference? There were more (premium) economy booked tickets instead of business class. “The strength is that travel choices lie with the departments themselves,” says Ivo. “The substantive considerations are also made there. Everything is possible, including business class on night flights, as long as you consciously choose it and do not exceed the total budget. We focus on results, not on rules.” The approach worked: conversations about travel became more open, planning was more thoughtful and trips were combined more often. And without complicated systems: with Excel, Travelpoint and the CO₂ dashboard you have enough for targeted management. Ivo: “It’s really not rocket science.” Tips from Ivo: “Reduce to one budget per department. Let the management team guide the budget and set a good example. Plan ahead where possible: discuss travel on an annual basis and every six months. Be prepared to make choices. Celebrate successes – at IGG we celebrated our milestone of a 38% reduction with cake.” |
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About Mission Sustainable
Mission Sustainable is the sustainability program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With the program, BZ contributes to the sustainability objectives that BZ encourages other governments, companies and organizations to achieve. The motto is ‘Walk our Talk’. Mission Sustainable focuses on 3 important areas: climate, circular economy and social responsibility in the chain. To reduce CO₂ emissions, BZ uses the CO₂ Performance Ladder of the Climate-Friendly Procurement and Entrepreneurship Foundation (SKAO). For more information about BZ’s progress on the climate objectives, see CO₂ emissions from the Ministry of BZ.