Blog by Sarah Barfield Marks – 10:10 Climate Action

If you would like to join our Climate Perks roundtable with 6heads and 10:10 Climate Action workshop on the 11th June at 6.00pm please follow registration link at the end of this blog

Over just a few months a perfect storm of events has managed to force climate change up the ladder of priorities for ordinary Brits. From climate activists shutting down parts of London, to local councils, cultural institutions and even parliament declaring a climate emergency, concern over climate change has never been higher. And as more people are looking to take action, here at 10:10 Climate Action, we’re working on innovative solutions to make that as easy as possible. Reducing the amount we fly is one of the most impactful behavioural changes we as regular travelers can make to cut carbon, but time is a huge barrier to opting for flight-free holidays.

Cue Climate Perks; our scheme enabling employers to offer paid ‘journey days’ to empower staff to choose low-carbon holiday travel. The perfect solution for those who love to travel the world and protect it too.

In research we commissioned late last year, we found 50% of people are ready to reduce the amount they fly in order to protect the environment, but only 3% of us do. Most of the time, travelling on holiday by train, coach or boat instead flying, takes a lot longer. And with time dwindling to stay below dangerous levels of global warming, the truth is we don’t have a low carbon plane waiting in the wings to zip us across the skies. Climate Perks works with employers to overcome this barrier and enables climate-conscious professionals and employers to act on their values. Working for a Climate Perks employer means you can choose clean travel without losing out on hard-earned leisure time, by being offered at least two paid ‘journey days’ annually to use for holiday travel without heading to the airport.

We are focusing this pilot on employee travel as we have found that while business travel in the UK is remaining static, whilst individual flights are on the rise.

Flying is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases globally, and carries a heavy climate cost: a single return flight to Berlin clocks up the same amount of carbon as eight return trips by train. Yet estimates suggest only 5% of the world’s population have ever flown. Government data shows that even within the UK 70% of all flights are taken by just 15% of Brits, and that these ‘frequent flyers’ are more likely to be professionals with disposable income. Helping to shift these travel habits is the quickest and smartest way to keep carbon emissions from planes in check, whilst ensuring those most responsible are most empowered to take action.

What about the adventure of the journey, not just the destination?

Clean travel is a chance to rediscover the magic of the journey- whether that’s winding through stunning scenery in the alps or waking up after a night journey in the heart of a new city. Europe is blessed with some of the best transport networks in the world, with several world-class high speed rail networks and a host of organisations dedicated to helping plan and book your journeys. Slow travel with an emphasis on the journey as well as the destination is bound to become more popular as concern over climate change grows. It’s already broken into the mainstream in Sweden as climate superstar Greta Thunberg kickstarted a “flygskam” (flight shame) movement with her train-trips around Europe.

Cutting carbon

Because there is no technological solution to flying on the horizon, behaviour change is key to cutting carbon from flights. With the workplace so central to modern life, employers can harness the social power of their staff to unlock this new way to cut carbon – pushing beyond more traditional business-focused environmental policies.

As action on climate change rises up the agenda, Climate Perks will help climate conscious companies speed up that action, protecting the future prosperity of staff and employers alike.

Building a reputation as a climate leader

As an employer, by coming onboard to Climate Perks, you’ll be a part of getting climate conscious travel off (or rather on) the ground in the UK. As we move into the 2020s, organisations will be expected to demonstrate more and more leadership around climate action. The workplace is central to modern life and by changing the behaviours of those with regular flying habits you can help initiate the shift away from our harmful jet-setting culture and towards a new carbon conscious society. Founder members of Climate Perks will be part of an innovative and timely employer-led intervention in one of the hardest areas to decarbonise.

All Climate Perks pioneers will be able to use the Climate Perks accredited stamp of recognition, be listed publicly on the Climate Perks website and be invited to benefit from public PR and press coverage.

How can you be involved?

If you’re interested in being a part of this pioneering scheme as either a Climate Perks employee or employer, join 10:10 and 6heads for an interactive workshop on the 11th June. The session will cover how you can champion this scheme with your employer/organisation and give you the opportunity to offer any insights you have about the project at this stage.

Places are strictly limited – please register here:

Or contact louisa.harris@6-heads.com if you would like to

• join future sessions
• find out more about adopting in your organisation
• For a social media pack to share with your network.