Do you need to travel for work? The employee web now has new information which, along with new travel guidelines and a decision tree, will make it easier to understand what to do and how to reduce the university’s carbon footprint.

Emissions from the university’s business travel have risen sharply over the past year. Preliminary figures show that carbon emissions from air travel rose in 2025 compared with 2024 and 2019. This is contrary to the university’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from air travel by 30 per cent between 2019 and the end of 2025. With this as a background, the new travel guidelines provide important support.

Support and inspiration

The university’s new travel guidelines were introduced in November 2025. Along with the new webpages, they will make it easier for you and your manager to do everything from considering and deciding on travel, through planning, booking, undertaking the trip and returning home.
The new webpages have all the information you need about what to do – before, during and after your trip. There is also a decision tree that takes you through the options and helps you choose the most climate-friendly mode of transport if you do need to travel.

“Cutting down on long intercontinental flights is where we can make a real difference and reduce our carbon emissions from travel,” says Maria Vallström, adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on sustainability. "One idea if you have to travel is to try to combine activities to reduce the number of journeys – this means taking the chance to do more things and stay away for longer if you have to fly. Your trip must also be justified on the basis of the organisation’s needs. You may need to discuss what these needs are in your unit – who should be prioritised: early-career researchers, researchers conducting fieldwork, or another group?"

Before you travel, you must always consider whether the trip could be replaced by digital meetings. If you have to travel, choose transportation that produces the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing public transport over cars and trains over planes are examples of how to choose transportation with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. Making long train journeys easier is important, so the new webpages include information that can make train travel in Europe more convenient and more inspiring.

Remember: obtain your manager’s approval and book via the travel agency

Other important rules are that you must inform your manager and obtain their approval before you book your trip, and that all travel must be booked through the university’s procured travel agency, Stureplans Affärsresebyrå.

“We are looking into whether we can simplify travel approval by processing it within the payroll system,” says Karin Borner, director of HR. “Travel must be booked through the travel agency to comply with public procurement legislation, but also because booking via the agency provides extended travel insurance and helps ensure safety and security. Through the travel agency, we know where you are and can provide help if anything happens.”

Where to find information

For information on how to travel in an environmentally friendly way and everything you need to know about booking a trip:

Contact

reseochutlaggsgranskning@sh.se