Finding Synergies
In Sustainability
A Journey Worth Taking
We know sustainability represents much more than just reducing, reusing, and recycling. It starts with a mindset, is carried forward with action, and reinforced through transparency, accountability, and responsibility.
While science will lead the way to a more sustainable future, we must first work together to take measured steps towards meaningful behavior change. Collectively, the corporate world has the power to make our planet more sustainable and therefore has a responsibility to pursue environmental stewardship. By learning from experts, raising awareness and sharing best practices, we can ensure all business functions and actions consider sustainability equally and thus make the impactful changes necessary to reduce our carbon footprint.
Through the products, services, and measurements it employs, Synergy is determined to do its part to contribute to the collective education and behaviors that better our environment. We believe the path to sustainability is as much about the journey as the destination. Join us, as we embark on a measured approach to ensure the changes we make have a global and local impact, are purposeful, and support our goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.
What We’re Doing to Reduce Our Environmental Impact
Transforming Business
Introduced SynergySMART app worldwide for apartment inspections saving 180,000 sheets of paper annually
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Plastic Free
Transitioning from single-use plastic water bottles to sustainable options like glass carafes and boxed water, saving 120,000 bottles annually
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Remote Work
Reduced our carbon footprint by expanding our remote work policy, decreasing the commute burden on employees
Travel Policies
Instituted business travel policies with minimum distance requirements, prioritization of purpose, and minimize quantity of trips per associate
Food Waste
Replaced 30% of food waste generated from unused welcome food packs with meal and grocery delivery vouchers
Evolving Ethos
"Little Things Matter" internal training initiative, developed to educate team members about Synergy’s sustainability goals and the positive impact every individual can make
Informed Choice
Created a “GreenLeaf” program to measure the environmental efficacy of our apartments to give travelers insight into sustainable accommodation options
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Industry Impact
Synergy is committed to providing time and resources in an effort to help our industry improve its sustainability practices
Synergy is committed to be a carbon neutral organization by 2030
Track, Measure & Calculate
Critical to meeting our carbon neutral goal is understanding the areas in which we need to improve. Through a partnership with leading-edge sustainability software company GreenFeet, we’re able to measure, track, and calculate our carbon emissions.
Synergy's sustainability goals include:
• Quarterly emissions measurement and tracking
• Annual reporting of GHG emissions
• Maintaining transparency and accountability
• Aligning to SBTI (Science Based Targets Initiative)
Major areas measured were the use of fossil fuels, electricity, vehicles and business travel, as well as real estate-related emissions. Key findings of our annual reports can be found here.
The reports include:
• Synergy’s overall emissions report
• Review of real estate emissions
• An organization-wide “per unit” intensity metric
Read Synergy’s GreenFeet Emission Report Announcement.
Sustainable Accommodation Options
Our Green Leaf Program is an initiative designed not only to support our supply chain partners by raising their awareness of sustainability practices but also to support the traveler's ability to make informed sustainable accommodation choices.
This program requires property partners to complete a questionnaire based specifically on their individual properties. With this information, the property will get a rating on our sustainability index. This number is translated to an easy-to-understand green leaf rating that will be displayed on the property profiles, allowing the end-user to see how the property scored and make an informed choice about where to stay.
Accountability and Transparency
Through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Synergy is committed to publicly declaring our target and commitment to reduce emissions worldwide. Science-based targets provide organizations with a clearly-defined path to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and most importantly, ensure transparency and accountability are upheld with our clients, partners, and team members.
SBTi commitment includes:
- Commit: submit a letter establishing your intent to set a science-based target
- Develop: work on an emissions reduction target in line with the SBTi’s criteria
- Submit: present your target to the SBTi for official validation
- Communicate: announce your target and inform your stakeholders
- Disclose: report company-wide emissions and track target progress annually
Read Synergy's SBTi press release
Industry Stewardship
Synergy is an active, leader in the business travel and global mobility industries’ approach to sustainability. Team members sit on the sustainability committees of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), Association Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), and Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA). Members of our sales, marketing, and operations team are actively involved in the development of tools and resources that educate the industry on how to build successful sustainability programs for the business travel/mobility community. We're determined to bring a new level of transparency to this effort, learn from experts, share best practices, develop industry standards, and raise awareness throughout the industry to support our industry partners on their sustainable journey.
“We recognize the need to update our sustainability policies and practices on a global scale to ensure we have the biggest impact possible while supporting our peers and the overall industry. It’s culture. It’s behavior. It’s passion. But most importantly, it’s necessary.”
- Debra Christopher, President