2023 U.S.-Booked Air Volume: $76 million
Consolidated Global TMC: BCD Travel
U.S.-booked air volume for Roche was unchanged in 2023 at $76 million, and the pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company could post the same figure again for 2024. Roche does not anticipate returning to pre-pandemic spend levels for several years, if ever.
Highlights of Roche’s travel management achievements in 2023 included implementing virtual payments for all candidate and other guest travel hotel bookings. This innovation proved the precursor to introducing a wider initiative in 2024 to streamline the guest traveler experience, from invitation through to expense reimbursement.
Roche also reviewed the online booking tool market and access to New Distribution Capability content during 2023. It has been following through in 2024 with a quest to find solutions for both to build a better booking experience for travelers.
Roche stated in its non-financial reporting for 2023 that CO2 emissions resulting from business travel amounted to 469,000 metric tons, up from 436,000 in 2022. Carbon intensity relating to business travel also increased from 4.07 tons per employee in 2022 to 4.24 in 2023.
The 2023 sustainability report for Roche’s diagnostics division stated that employees flew approximately 24 million kilometers in 2023. “This is yet another significant increase compared to the previous year, but it is still well below … before the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report said.