Expert Advice in 5 Minutes or Less: Kate Heiny, VP of Sustainability at Booking Holdings

Embark on a transformational journey with us as we navigate the future of travel through the lens of sustainability. This episode welcomes the visionary Kate Heiny, VP of Sustainability at Booking Holdings. Learn how embedding carbon emission data into the booking process, launching eco-conscious accommodations, and promoting accessible, inclusive travel options are more than corporate responsibilities—they're the building blocks of a sustainable future.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Welcome to today's episode of Expert Advice in 5 Minutes or Less, where we uncover the layers of sustainability in our world, drive meaningful conversations and inspire actionable change. I'm your host, ecovoice, and today listeners have the opportunity to step into the mind of Kate Heine, vp of Sustainability at Booking Holdings. Booking Holdings' mission is simple to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. Yet part of that mission also includes ensuring that there is always a world worth experiencing. That's why, after 25 years in the travel industry, kate and her team are more determined than ever to make the future of travel more sustainable, more accessible and more inclusive. At the heart of their work, they're building a culture that nurtures respect, compassion, diversity and inclusion, and a zeal for innovation. This approach embraces a shared value sustainability framework, considering social, environmental and economic impacts in all decision making.

Speaker 1: 1:10

Sustainability is integral at Booking Holdings. It encompasses sustainable operations, community engagement, governance, compliance, ethics and privacy, all to create long-term value for stakeholders and establish the company as a responsible travel platform and an inclusive employer. They've identified a huge opportunity in the travel industry. Research shows that 76% of consumers want to travel more sustainably, and Booking Holdings is innovating to meet that demand. They've expanded Bookingcom's travel sustainable program to over 500,000 accommodations, including Priceline, kayak and Agoda. That's also why they include emissions information when booking a flight, expanding ride capabilities to include electric taxis in 50 cities and added search filters for fully electric and hybrid rental cars. By taking important steps to make sustainable travel easier for both travelers and accommodation providers alike, the team is working to unlock key barriers and make sustainable travel the way to travel. Another part of their strategy is embedding sustainability in their corporate culture by empowering employees to make sustainable choices in their work and lives. This includes education on the climate crisis, carbon footprint impacts and the company's ambitious strategy. As an example, they've recently launched a climate awareness learning and development course for all employees. But the team at Booking Holdings knows that sustainable tourism relies on making real impact within the next decade. They're focusing on customers' entire journey, offering information that allows travelers to make more sustainable choices, from destination selection to transportation and accommodations. Kate and her team are committed to leading the way in sustainable travel, with the belief that with their scale and focus on research and standards development, they can help create a lower impact travel industry.

Speaker 1: 3:01

Stay tuned to Ecovoice for more insights from leaders like Kate Heiney driving change in our world. We'd love to hear your thoughts on today's topic and suggestions for future conversations. Please reach out to us at Sarah Washington Now. Environment Energy Leader. Come or visit our call for speakers page for an opportunity to participate. Your feedback is invaluable, so feel free to share it through our podcast feedback Environments Energy Leader link. Thank you for joining us on Sustainability Unveiled. Remember it's through understanding and action that we pave the way for a sustainable future. Subscribe to our podcast for more insightful conversations. Until next time, stay inspired and make sustainability a priority in your life and work.