Jan 11, 2025 06:09 PM IST
Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG urged staff to limit business trips and prioritise virtual meetings to cut costs and reduce carbon footprints.
The Big Four consultancy giants—Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG—have advised their employees to limit work-related travel as part of efforts “to reduce costs and curb their carbon footprints,” Money Control reported.
These firms are increasingly encouraging staff to minimise business trips, including client visits, and to prioritise virtual meetings whenever possible. For essential travel, employees are being urged to opt for public transportation, such as trains, whenever feasible. These measures have been implemented gradually over the past two to three months.
In one instance, a Big Four firm secured a major global client in Japan. Typically, such engagements involve two partners and four employees travelling to the client’s location. However, the firm decided that only one partner needed to travel, with the rest participating virtually, according to sources.
Partners in these firms hold senior positions, sharing in the firm’s profits and making strategic decisions.
Another example involved an internal event organised by a Big Four firm at a location a few hours from Delhi. While air travel was approved for employees travelling from Mumbai, Bengaluru, and other cities, Delhi-based staff were instructed to take a train to the venue.
“In the professional services industry, travel is often necessary, but through our net-zero program, we are encouraging our teams to adopt greener, more conscious choices,” said Asha Ramanathan, chief operating officer at PwC India told Money Control.
“We promote virtual collaboration, consolidate meetings, and reduce unnecessary travel. We advocate for public and low-emission transport like inter-city rail overflights and electric vehicles over fuel-based cabs for local travel,” she said.
‘Work-related travel is a key expense for the firms’
The shift holds significant implications, as work-related travel is a major expense for the Big Four consultancy firms. “For partners, some travel is unavoidable when cultivating client relationships,” noted a source. “However, most internal meetings will now be conducted virtually.”
According to the Money Control report, emails sent to Deloitte, EY, and KPMG remained unanswered at the time of publication.
Another major factor driving this shift is the firms’ environmental commitment. The consultancies prioritise their net-zero goals as a key reason for reducing travel.
A partner at one of the firms explained, “In consulting, human connections are critical. Spending time with clients in person helps build long-term relationships. While some trips may not yield immediate business results, they are vital for fostering trust and rapport.”
Separately, Money Control had reported in January last year that Deloitte asked 35 senior partners to retire early as part of an extensive organisational restructuring. The company offered a “golden handshake” program to senior leaders across its audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, and tax divisions in India.
