ITT Sustainability Committee 


ITT has established a new Sustainability Committee in response to the industry’s post-pandemic need to rebuild better and develop better strategies and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop travel and tourism experiences which aim to protect destinations, the natural environment and enhance local communities’ livelihoods. 

The Committee will be chaired by recently appointed ITT Board Member Fiona Jeffery OBE, a long-time champion of sustainability, Founder of World Responsible Tourism Day, and the International NGO Just a Drop. Committee members include Donna Allcock (Tourism Ireland), Lucia Rowe (A-ROSA River Cruises), Peter Robinson (Leeds Beckett University), Steve Endacott (Canny Finance) and Paul Cowley (The Trave Rep).

“The key purpose of the Sustainability Committee is to inspire ITT Members to embrace the sustainability agenda so it becomes embedded in their business philosophy and operations “said Fiona Jeffery OBE. 

“Many travel companies have already developed plans to reduce their carbon footprint and are building social and environmental responsibilities within their operations, but many others are still at the start of their journey. If we are to meet the need to reduce the impact of climate change to 1.5 degrees, then it is critical that we all play a role in achieving this as an industry. Actions speak louder than words is our simple philosophy. We hope to help Members develop plans and share the knowledge and expertise across the membership and elsewhere, to play our part in improving our performance and being better global citizens whist still ensuring people continue to enjoy wonderful holiday experiences.”

There will be four key pillars to the committees’ work with ITT and its membership:

1. Carbon Management

The measurement and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across travel businesses/operations, including places of work, direct operational activity, supply chains and recognised potential spheres of influence or impact.

2. Protecting Destinations

Recognising the valuable contribution and responsibility travel companies have in protecting the local environment and ensuring local community benefit from tourism.

3. Travel

Consideration of all modes of transportation involving cruise, car rental, aviation, coach operation to encourage and support more efficient modems of operandi through shared knowledge, industry intelligence and where feasible joint collaborative initiatives to aid progress.

4. Supply Chains

Tourism businesses rely heavily on their supply chains for delivery and can positively influence their engagement in the sustainability agenda generating the ripple effect. How this can be achieved and developing a broader sphere of influence and impact is part of this focus.

ITT will also be looking at how it can offset the travel impact of the 2022 ITT Conference as part of its own review of its operations.

Dr Steven Freudmann, Chair of ITT said “we believe ITT can make an important contribution in helping support the industry’s continuing journey to become a cleaner more responsible industry through shared knowledge, partnership, and education. It reinforces ITT’s raison d’etre to raise and maintain professional standards throughout the travel industry and we are excited to play a constructive and purposeful role within the sustainability agenda”

ITT Sustainability Committee

Fiona Jeffery OBE (Chair)

Donna Allcock

Steve Endacott

Peter Robinson

Lucia Rowe

Zina Bencheikh

Daniel Pearce

ITT Sustainability Committee