TRAVELLER SAFETY

Airport Laptop Losses Put Sensitive Corporate Data at Risk

Every day, business travellers are putting their organisations’ sensitive and confidential data at risk, according to research conducted by the Ponemon Institute.

Airport Insecurity: The Case of Missing & Lost Laptops surveyed 3,034 business travellers and captured data at 106 airports in the US, seven in Europe and one in the UAE. The results show that thousands of laptops are lost or stolen every week at airports around the world, while only a minority are reclaimed.

To limit the risks associated with laptop loss, the report recommends actions such as labelling laptops with contact details, encrypting and backing up data, and limiting the information carried on a trip.

This advice may be particularly relevant for travellers passing US borders, where officials have the right to search and seize laptops or digital storage devices.

Over the past two years, ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) has been campaigning for safeguards to protect data privacy. In September last year, the “Travellers’ Privacy Protection Act of 2008” was introduced in the US Congress. If passed, this bill will require officials to demonstrate reasonable suspicion and obtain a warrant before seizing a device. It also limits the time data can be kept and provides for compensation in the event of damage to a computer. ACTE immediately endorsed the bill and appealed to industry players to support it. Article courtesy of CWT Vision, Global Edition (November 2008 issue, published by the CWT Travel Management Institute)

• More than 16,000 laptops per week are lost, stolen or reported missing at 114 major US and EMEA airports
• 1,200 laptops go missing every week on average at LAX Los Angeles International, vs. 900 at London Heathrow
• In the US, 40% of these laptops go missing at security checkpoints
• 67% of laptops handed to lost property desks are not reclaimed in the US
• 57% of surveyed US travellers say their laptop contains confidential or sensitive information
• 65% of US travellers and 55% of European travellers do not take any steps to protect this information
• 42% of all travellers do not back up the data on their laptop

Source: Airport Insecurity: The Case of Missing & Lost Laptops, a Ponemon Institute research study sponsored by Dell, June 2008 and The Business Impact of Data Breach, Ponemon Institute, May 2007

AWARDS

CSR and Environmental Awards for CWT

ACTE’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award was presented to Mike Bezer, vice president global sales Asia Pacific, CWT. This is the first time this award has been given in the region. A well-known and respected leader in both industry and ACTE circles, Mike is the former ACTE Asia- Pacific regional chair and a driving force behind the planning and execution of the association’s programmes.

Mike and CWT were honoured for their award for the second consecutive year, in the 2008-09 ICARUS Environmental Awards.

The awards are judged by a panel of UK academics, environmental/business travel experts, and corporate/government stakeholders. They recognise those firms that have shown serious commitment to reducing emissions from their corporate travel and meetings management programmes. The winner was chosen based on their ability to demonstrate leadership and their approach to changing traveller behaviour and emissions reduction. CWT received this award in recognition of its global CWT Sustainable Solutions offering.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

CWT Signs Global Agreement with The CarbonNeutral Company

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has signed a global agreement with The CarbonNeutral Company, one of the world’s leading carbon offset and climate consulting firms, to provide emissions management services to CWT clients. As a result of this agreement, CWT has enhanced its CWT Sustainable Solutions offering (the company’s commitment to help clients address environmental concerns related to their corporate travel programme), which now consists of a pre-trip carbon calculator, post- trip emissions management reporting, and a range of services designed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The emissions management services provided by The CarbonNeutral Company include greenhouse gas assessment, independently verified carbon footprint analysis, internal emissions reduction programmes, continuously audited carbon offsetting projects on six continents, and CarbonNeutral® certification of corporate travel programmes (i.e. CO2 emissions are reduced to net zero through an offsetting programme in accordance with The CarbonNeutral® Protocol). Companies that reach this level can use the CarbonNeutral® registered trademark in their internal and external communications.

Commenting on the agreement, David Tibbles, CWT global product director – Environment, said, “CO2 emissions from travel account for 25% of a company’s carbon footprint on average.
Consequently, more and more CWT clients around the world are seeking ways to reduce travel’s impact on the environment. The CarbonNeutral Company offers a variety of auditable, world-class programmes and services that enable companies to travel more responsibly. Their sustainable practices help mitigate damage to the environment and make good business sense.”

CWT Meetings & Events offer discounted conference tickets through Conference Bay

CWT Meetings & Events in Asia Pacific has launched a new conference ticket service in partnership with Conference Bay, an Internet company specialised in procuring conference tickets at discounted rates.

With this exclusive value-add service, CWT clients can state the maximum price they want to pay for a conference ticket for conferences worldwide and CWT will work with Conference Bay to negotiate and secure the best price.

This service makes it easier to control and reduce costs related to corporate conferences – imperative at a time when budgets are tight.

To book a conference ticket, go to www.carlsonwagonlit.com, select the country page for where you are based and contact a CWT Meetings & Events team representative.

This service is currently available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand and Singapore.

CWT Acquires Irish Travel Agency, Executive Travel

CWT acquired Executive Travel Group, a leading supplier of corporate travel management in the Irish market, last December. The company has been CWT’s partner in Ireland for 13 years and has Business Travel Centres in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, with annual traffic of US$49m.

As a result of the acquisition, CWT will for the first time operate a wholly owned service in Ireland. Executive Travel’s Managing Director Arthur Harrow and his team will continue to run the business, reporting to Andrew Waller, Executive Vice President UK and Ireland.

Commenting on the move, Andrew Waller said, “CWT’s acquisition of Executive Travel is a natural progression of the longstanding successful relationship between the two companies. Our businesses share a common ethos and provide high-quality and cost-effective travel management services to clients regardless of their size.”

Arthur Harrow said, “I am certain that the acquisition … is in the best long term interests of both our clients and our staff and will result in the business developing and growing further in the Irish market. I very much look forward to working more closely with my colleagues at CWT.”