GBTA relaunches its charitable foundation

GBTA Foundation’s newly appointed board of global travel industry leaders will provide governance on climate action, DEI and workforce development initiatives

The Global Business Travel Association has re-established its charitable arm, the GBTA Foundation.

The GBTA Foundation will focus on the strategy and execution of GBTA’s global sustainability programmes, supporting initiatives related to climate action, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion and other talent-related topics via education, research, and advocacy.

GBTA Foundation’s newly appointed board of global travel industry leaders will provide governance on climate action, DEI and workforce development initiatives

“We are excited to re-establish the GBTA Foundation within a fine-tuned scope of ‘people and planet,’” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA. “It’s an important moment in GBTA’s 54-year history, as we renew our commitment to creating lasting, positive impact. The GBTA Foundation, along with its newly appointed Board of Directors, will focus on making a positive impact in our industry and beyond.”

GBTA’s Sustainability Program initiative, which launched in late 2021 to build a greener future for business travel and help reduce its climate impact, will now be managed under the Foundation, as well as GBTA’s existing people-related programmes, WINiT by GBTA and GBTA Ladders.

Paul Abbott, CEO of American Express Global Business Travel, will serve as the chairperson of the GBTA Foundation Board of Directors for the next two years.

Meanwhile, leaders from across the global travel industry with interests and strengths in key ESG (environmental, social and governance) areas will serve as the Board of Directors for the Foundation for staggered terms of one and two years:

  • Leslie Andrews, director of global travel category, JLL (two-year term)
  • Erica Gordon, senior vice president, global head of public affairs and ESG, Hilton (one-year term)
  • Scott Kirby, CEO, United Airlines (two-year term)
  • Darragh Ormsby, global travel manager, Google (one-year term)
  • Tyronne Stoudemire, senior vice president, global diversity, equity, & inclusion, Hyatt (one-year term)
  • Caroline Strachan, managing partner, Festive Road (two-year term)
  • Denise Truso, GBTA Board president (as per Foundation bylaws)
  • Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA (as per Foundation bylaws)
  • Delphine Millot, managing director, GBTA Foundation (ex-officio)

The Board held its first meeting in July 2022 and is prioritising Foundation governance, providing guidance on GBTA’s existing people and planet programme efforts, and determining strategic areas of focus and priorities within environmental and human sustainability initiatives for 2023.

The GBTA Foundation was originally formed in 1989 as a US 501c3 charitable arm of GBTA. Until early 2018 when it was put on hiatus, the GBTA Foundation was the centre of all GBTA education and research. The education and research areas of GBTA were subsequently moved to the core GBTA organisation’s 501c6 tradeshow arm where they will continue to reside when not related to the “sustainability of people + planet” focus of the Foundation.

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