Only one in four can compare stay carbon data before booking

Roomex has published research showing that only 24% of UK business decision-makers can easily compare carbon data before booking workforce accommodation, pointing to limited visibility of emissions information at the point of purchase.

The survey of 510 UK-based decision-makers involved in workforce accommodation and 534 people who travel for work found that a further 33% can see carbon information for only some options. Another 38% receive the data only after booking or not at all, suggesting many organisations cannot use emissions information consistently when choosing where staff stay.

That matters for businesses with mobile workforces because accommodation is a routine part of operations. The research found that 71% of organisations consider workforce accommodation essential or important for getting employees to sites, projects and customers.

The results also indicate that carbon data is only one factor in booking decisions. In 85% of organisations, cost, location, availability and project urgency take priority over carbon impact at least some of the time.

Approval rules add another constraint. Nearly two-thirds, or 63%, said bookers need approval or cannot choose a lower-carbon option if it costs more, is further from the worksite, or both.

Data gap

The findings point to a broader issue in corporate travel workflows. Businesses may be tracking accommodation emissions after trips have taken place, but lack connected systems that present comparable data before a booking is made. In practice, that means companies can report emissions without being able to influence decisions in real time.

The gap sits between accommodation search, booking, approval and reporting processes. Without those steps linked together, carbon information may remain fragmented or arrive too late to affect the final choice.

Roomex provides a platform for workforce accommodation booking and reporting. Its partnership with SQUAKE supports CO2e estimates for accommodation, with the aim of letting organisations view carbon impact alongside the practical details already used to manage stays.

Booking pressures

The research highlights the tension between sustainability goals and day-to-day operating needs. Businesses often have to place workers near sites or customers at short notice, which can narrow the range of options and make lower-emission choices harder to secure.

This is particularly relevant in sectors that depend on travelling staff, where accommodation decisions are often made under time pressure and within tight spending controls. Even when emissions data is available, managers may still need to prioritise the closest room, the lowest price or immediate availability.

In those circumstances, comparable carbon data becomes one input among several rather than the deciding factor. The report suggests that clearer information would still allow companies to make lower-carbon choices where practical, even if it does not override every commercial requirement.

Keith Watson, President of Roomex, summarised the issue in the findings.

"Businesses are being asked to reduce the carbon impact of workforce travel without always having the information they need to do it. The research shows that carbon data is often missing, difficult to compare, or only available after accommodation has been booked. By that point, the decision has already been made.

Businesses need clear, comparable carbon information while they are weighing up cost, location and availability. That allows them to choose a lower-carbon option where it works for the job," Watson said.

Operational focus

The report argues that businesses need to connect accommodation search, booking, approval and reporting data so carbon can be considered before a room is reserved. That would move emissions information from a reporting exercise after travel to a factor in the decision itself.

For employers under pressure to measure and reduce travel emissions, the findings underline the practical limits of current systems. While many companies can quantify accommodation-related emissions after staff have travelled, fewer appear able to compare options in advance and steer bookings towards lower-carbon stays.

Only one in four UK business decision-makers can easily compare accommodation carbon data before booking workforce accommodation.