As someone who has been lucky enough to work on several continents throughout my career with Concur, I am passionate about taking the integrated travel and expense message out to audiences across the globe. For that reason, I was excited to present at the ACTE's Executive Forum in Johannesburg on last Thursday 18th November. The whole session was an opportunity for attendees from organizations of all sizes to learn about streamlining processes, managing expenses and tracking travelers. 
 

Whether it’s the Harvest Festival in Britain, the Moon Festival in China, or Thanksgiving Day in the United States and Canada, a number of cultures around the world have a special day where they express their gratitude and thankfulness for friends and family. It’s no different here at Concur. We’ve been reflecting on what we’re thankful for this Thanksgiving and wanted to share some of the answers with you.

Business travelers across the UK were faced with another challenge a couple of weeks ago as the UK government announced that air passenger duty will rise for the second time in as many years. But this is no small rise; the minimum increase will be nine percent, whilst some long-haul destinations will see a 55 percent increase in the levy. What has been a challenging couple of years for business travelers in the UK appears to facing a new hurdle. But what can be done to cope with the new charges?

In a business climate that demands companies do more with fewer resources, solutions that actually reduce costs have never been more important.

Concur recently commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact (TEI) study on Concur’s travel and expense management solution. Exploring the potential ROI realized by organizations implementing our solutions, four of our clients were interviewed as a basis for determining the potential financial impact. The Total Economic Impact of Concur Travel And Expense Management revealed that not only are Concur clients achieving amazing ROI numbers, but they are realizing these savings very quickly.

In light of the recent European travel alert issued by the U.S. government, we have created a two-part series on what you should know and tips for traveling internationally.

International business travel is on the upswing as corporations look to global markets for growth. With that increase also comes a heightened concern for travelers, not only as they navigate unfamiliar cities and cultures abroad—but also as civil unrest, terror threats and extreme environmental conditions touch nearly every major and emerging business market.

Author: Nancy Lyons Callahan

Where did that receipt go? You invited a client out to dinner, grabbed the receipt, tucked it in a safe place. But now that you’re ready to do your expense report, you can’t find that pesky receipt anywhere...and your company really, really needs that receipt to manage and track expenses.

In part I and part II of our three-part series we discussed specific greener travel and carbon offsetting options to decrease your travel program’s ecological footprint. In today’s post, we talk about what actions other organizations are taking to enhance their corporate social responsibility. Read on…

Corporate social responsibility

Corporations are becoming increasingly aware of climate change and their environmental footprint. Through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, organizations are taking their environmental impact into their own hands not only to address climate change, but also to realize cost savings. According to Elizabeth Baer from Conservation International, "being a good global citizen is smart business sense! Although it sometimes requires upfront investment, in many cases, businesses can achieve cost savings over the long term when they implement sustainability measures. Cutting energy use, reducing travel miles, increasing recycling, and other initiatives can save companies money and improve their standing in the eyes of consumers."

Read part I of our three-part series discussing ways some organizations are decreasing their ecological footprint.

Have you ever considered what impact business travel has on the environment? Truth is, more and more individuals are taking their environmental footprint into consideration when it comes to their travel decisions. A recent survey conducted by travel research firm PhoCusWright discovered that almost half of all travelers try to be environmentally friendly when they travel. And, one third of travelers don't mind paying more for green rental cars, hotels and resorts. The study also indicated that this trend remains strong, even in the face of current economic conditions.