Business travel represents a substantial force in the global economy. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it contributed to more than USD 1.2 trillion, about 25 percent of the travel and tourism sector’s overall economic impact, to the global GDP. Businesses had resumed spending on travel after substantial declines in 2008 and 2009.

A research by Global Business Travel Association Foundation had found that for every one percent change in business travel spending, the US economy typically gains or loses 74,000 jobs, USD 5.5 billion in GDP, USD 3.3 billion in wages and USD 1.3 billion in taxes. The report also stated that personal vehicle (35 percent) was the most popular mode of transportation among US business travellers in 2016, followed by airplane (28 percent) and rental cars (13 percent).

Internal travel encompasses trips taken for intracompany purposes, where employees participate in activities such as training, team building or inspection of field operations. External travel, on the other hand, refers to travel done by employees for engagements outside the company, including in-person meetings with clients and suppliers, trade conferences and customer sales calls.

"Obstacles to business travel, such as cumbersome visa protocols and long flight connections, constrain access to knowhow and limit growth opportunities, especially in developing countries," said Frank Neffke, research director at Harvard Kennedy School’s Growth Lab.

Benefits Of Business Travel

In the past, companies have experienced that, on average, 40 percent of customers would eventually be lost without in-person meetings and support.

Detailed statistical modelling over 18 years and 14 industries indicates that for every dollar invested in business travel, US companies make a USD 9.50 return in terms of revenue. The modelling also found that US business travel has yielded USD 2.90 in profits for every dollar spent.

There is a small segment of employees for whom travel is deemed essential for conducting business. This category accounted for around 15 percent of all corporate travel expenses in 2019 and includes decision makers in manufacturing companies with a wide distribution of factories and plants, and field-operation workers. For some corporate travellers, it is possible to move oversight responsibility to local personnel and/or utilise digital medium. This segment will see their business travel decline. A large segment of business travel is done to cultivate new or important client relationships. This segment will bounce back as soon as Covid-related restrictions are lifted.

A tiny portion of business travel comes from the public sector, professional associations and nonprofits. During the pandemic, many professional associations were able to hold virtual events to replace in-person conferences and will likely be more cautious in their return to travel.

Business Travel Catches The Virus!

Business travel has taken a big hit during the Covid-19 pandemic and its future is still up-in-the-air, waiting for the end of the pandemic and firming up the ‘New Normal’. In 2020, total global business travel expenses contracted by 52 percent, while managed corporate-travel spending in the United States alone plummeted by USD 94 billion (71 percent).

The World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest annual research shows that the global travel and tourism sector suffered a loss of almost USD 4.5 trillion to reach USD 4.7 trillion in 2020, with its contribution to GDP dropping by a staggering 49.1 percent compared to 2019. In 2020, sixty-two million jobs were lost, representing a drop of 18.5 percent, leaving just 272 million employed across this sector globally, compared to 334 million in 2019. The threat of job losses persists as many jobs are currently supported by government retention schemes and reduced hours, which could be lost without a full recovery of the travel and tourism sector.

Some business travellers expect to take at least as many business trips in 2022 as they had in the year before the Covid-19 pandemic was declared. While teleconferencing will reduce the need for some business travel, many survey respondents cited the need to meet in-person to rekindle relationships with customers, suppliers and business partners. Another frequent reason cited for the need to travel for business was a job change.

The countries most eager to travel for business once Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted seem to be China, US and Australia. Of course, the potential increase in Covid cases from the Delta and future variants of the virus may still cause further backsliding on rising confidence levels for resumption of business travel. (TT)

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Tyres Europe has joined 44 European organisations in backing a joint statement spearheaded by European Metals, which urges EU Member States to endorse a more rapid and robust application of the bloc’s trade defence arsenal. The statement advocates for extra personnel within DG TRADE’s trade defence units and greater reliance on existing instruments while pressing the Commission to introduce a fresh policy toolkit targeting state-driven market distortions.

For the tyre industry, these concerns carry direct consequences. European tyre production remains capital-intensive, encompassing over 70 plants, including retreading operations, alongside roughly 20 research and development centres. Of the 398 million tyres newly fitted across the EU in 2024, approximately 40 percent originated beyond the Union’s borders. In recent tyre proceedings, trade patterns evolved more swiftly than the EU could respond, both prior to and following the imposition of measures.

On 5 October, Tyres Europe published its position paper, ‘Towards a more effective EU Trade Defence Policy’, outlining its recommendations. Mirroring the joint statement, the paper requests additional resources for DG TRADE and advocates launching work on a new instrument designed to tackle systemic distortions.

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Sri Trang Group, the world’s largest fully integrated natural rubber company and the parent organisation of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA) and Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT), concluded its flagship ‘One Sri Trang CG Day 2026’ initiative, built on the premise that strong governance underpins sustainability. The hybrid programme combined online participation with interactive training, drawing over 1,070 attendees, including directors, executives, staff and factory workers nationwide. Artificial intelligence made the material more engaging and accessible. Topics spanned business ethics, anti-corruption compliance, conflict-of-interest management, inside information handling and complaint procedures – framed as the bedrock of transparent operations that earn stakeholder trust.

Direction came from STA Executive Director Vitchaphol Sincharoenkul and STGT Chief Executive Officer Jarinya Jirojkul, who outlined the Group's governance policies and strategic priorities. Those policies provide guardrails for transparency, risk prevention, traceability and sustainable expansion, consistent with the organisation's vision and commercial goals. Both stressed that a culture of integrity and responsibility, grounded in Sri Trang's core values, buffers against pressures ranging from economic and technological disruption to natural disasters and competitive threats.

Rather than conventional lectures, organisers chose edutainment. A two-part miniseries, ‘The Domino Effect’, walked participants through real-world dilemmas in procurement, gift-giving and business hospitality, illustrating how conflicts of interest, misuse of inside information and whistleblowing cascade into consequences. AI-generated content added another layer, with virtual characters and simulated videos addressing code-of-conduct compliance, corruption, whistleblowing and complaint investigations. These dramatised situations helped staff grasp the fallout of poor decisions and recognise the right course of action, showing how AI can strengthen governance culture and broaden learning participation.

An interactive live quiz and discussion segment gave participants room to unpack scenarios and draw lessons on ethical decision-making, tied to the Group's code of business conduct and anti-corruption policy. The session reinforced the expectation that gifts be declined on all festive occasions and highlighted whistleblowing channels designed to safeguard reporters and keep identities confidential. Beyond the event, Sri Trang Group plans to continue the programme via its online self-learning platform, targeting full completion of refresher training and knowledge assessments within a month.

The effort dovetails with external benchmarks, including requirements of Thailand's Private Sector Collective Action Against Corruption, notably its top three-star CAC Change Agent status, alongside domestic and international ESG assessment standards. By tying its internal training push to these frameworks, Sri Trang Group signals that governance is not a one-off exercise but an ongoing commitment woven into how the organisation operates.

Highlighting the importance of corporate governance in global trade, Sincharoenkul said, “Transparency and good corporate governance are fundamental to business credibility, particularly within global supply chains, where stakeholders increasingly priorities raw material origins, traceability and responsible operations. Sri Trang Group is therefore committed to raising operational standards across every process so that our business partners, customers and stakeholders worldwide can be confident that every product comes from a transparent, traceable supply chain that supports our shared sustainable growth.”

Elaborating on the importance of instilling ethical awareness among employees, Jirojkul said, “Building confidence among customers worldwide depends on more than product quality. It also depends on the integrity, responsibility and commitment of every employee to doing what is right. STGT therefore prioritises embedding a corporate governance mindset into everyday work, because every action we take affects the trust that customers and stakeholders place in our organisation. When everyone upholds the same principles, we can deliver both quality products and lasting confidence to customers around the world.”

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has joined forces with Wise in a newly announced partnership designed to reinforce the relationship between tyre safety, responsible workforce management and regulatory compliance. The collaboration draws on TyreSafe's specialised knowledge of tyre safety alongside Wise's track record in assisting organisations that manage compliant self-employed and subcontracted workforces.

The arrangement emerges amid continuing growth in last-mile delivery and subcontracted labour, where drivers often operate under demanding schedules, travel between numerous locations and face considerable time pressure. Those behind the partnership emphasise that safety needs to be embedded within everyday working practices, rather than treated as a matter to be resolved only after an incident or problem has already occurred.

Compliance for businesses engaging self-employed or subcontracted workers stretches from onboarding and verification through to ongoing workforce management. Nevertheless, responsible management involves considerably more than documentation and procedures. When vehicles are central to a worker's role, organisations must also establish whether those vehicles remain safe, roadworthy and adequately maintained. Tyres represent the sole point of contact between a vehicle and the road surface, making them vital to safety, yet they can be neglected when drivers and businesses concentrate on completing deliveries, attending appointments or meeting tight schedules.

Under TyreSafe's ACT framework, preventative checks are organised around three areas: air pressure, condition and tread. Wise serves sectors such as logistics, last-mile delivery and construction, having onboarded over 280,000 subcontractors, with more than 2,500 companies using its platform. Delivery drivers complete multiple drops and accumulate significant mileage, while construction subcontractors regularly meet kerbs, rough surfaces, debris and shifting site conditions, placing added strain on vehicles and their tyres. Both organisations believe problems are best tackled before they escalate into incidents, and the partnership will encourage businesses and drivers to view safe working conditions as an integral part of responsible workforce management.

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to be working with Wise because there is a natural connection between what we both want to achieve. Businesses have a responsibility to make sure the people working for them are properly supported, and that includes creating the conditions for them to work safely. For drivers, tyres are fundamental to that safety. We know that professional and last-mile drivers can be working under considerable time pressure, travelling between multiple locations and completing demanding delivery schedules. That makes preventative tyre checks even more important.

“A few minutes spent checking air pressure, condition and tread can identify a problem before it becomes a breakdown, a delay or, more seriously, a road safety risk. This partnership gives us an opportunity to connect tyre safety with the wider conversation about responsible workforce management and to reach businesses and drivers who have a vital role to play in keeping our roads safe.”

Trevor Ruane, Accounts Director, Wise, said, “At Wise, our mission is simple: we improve self-employment by taking away the unnecessary stress, paperwork and compliance risk that businesses and subcontractors face. But compliance is about more than documents and processes. For businesses operating mobile workforces, responsible management also means thinking about the safety of the people doing the work and the vehicles they rely on every day.

“That is why our partnership with TyreSafe is so important. Tyre safety is a practical, everyday issue for drivers and businesses, particularly in logistics, last-mile delivery and construction, where people are constantly on the move and working to demanding schedules. We are pleased to bring TyreSafe’s expertise into that wider conversation and help reinforce the message that prevention, preparation and responsible management should be part of the working day.”

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The Tire Industry Project (TIP), a voluntary CEO-driven initiative representing 10 of the world’s largest tyre manufacturers, has released its annual key performance indicators report. Titled ‘Sustainability Driven: Key Performance Indicators for TIP Members 2021–2025’, the publication tracks member progress between 2021 and 2025 against 16 environmental, social and governance measures. These indicators span seven pathways within TIP’s Sector SDG Roadmap, which outlines the tyre industry’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Decarbonisation efforts showed notable gains, with emissions intensity falling 4.9 percent since 2024 and 29.2 percent since 2021, while renewable electricity procurement rose to 60.5 percent, up 6.5 percent year-on-year. Water efficiency also improved, as total withdrawals dropped 5.7 percent from 2024 to 2025 and withdrawals from water-stressed areas fell 10.9 percent over the same period. Since 2021, these figures represent reductions of 18.4 percent and 35.2 percent, respectively. On responsible natural rubber sourcing, all members continued reporting their procurement efforts to the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) and 90 percent independently implemented responsible sourcing policies across all tyre production materials. The share of members holding validated science-based targets climbed to 90 percent from 80 percent in 2024.

The report further highlights TIP’s work strengthening the evidence base on tyre and road wear particles (TRWP). In 2025, TIP funded five new research projects and supported eight scientific paper publications, double the previous year’s total. By 2025, 36 TIP-supported TRWP research publications existed alongside 796 citations of TIP-supported research, a 14 percent increase from 2024. Grants totalling USD 2 million were committed through TIP’s first Open Call for Projects, a global initiative accelerating independent research. TIP also hosted its second Tire Emissions Research Conference with partner MIT in September 2025, with a third edition scheduled for Cambridge in December 2026.

Regarding tyre circularity, the report notes several developments, including publication of the ELT Toolkit 2.0, the Interactive ELT Data Map and ongoing PCR development work, all supporting stakeholders across the tyre value chain. TIP’s KPI reporting offers policymakers, regulators, industry partners and other stakeholders a transparent view of sector-level sustainability trends, priorities and areas requiring continued collaboration.

Dr How Yong Ng, Adjunct Professor at the National University of Singapore and a member of TIP’s Assurance Group, said, “Transparency and collaboration are at the heart of TIP’s efforts to foster sustainability innovation in the tyre sector. This KPI report demonstrates how TIP members are translating their commitments into measurable results and driving meaningful advancement across the tyre value chain. TIP has been monitoring progress against the SDGs for a decade, and it is encouraging to see how far members have come.”

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