UK businesses going green but not getting on their bikes

Greenwise Staff

6th April 2010

More and more businesses across the UK are making green measures a priority in the workplace, but the vast majority still do not have a green travel plan in place, according to new research.

The survey, conducted by recruitment agency Spring Personnel, polled 100 UK businesses across a range of sectors and sizes. It found that most businesses (87 per cent) were taking action on the environment, with a further 12 per cent stating that they were beginning to do so. A further 81 per cent of respondents expressed an interest in making their business more environmentally friendly.

However, the poll revealed there was still a long way to go on travel-related initiatives, with only 22 per cent of businesses surveyed currently operating a ride to work scheme.

The survey seems to confirm findings from a report by the National Business Travel Network (NBTN), the Department for Transport initiative to promote sustainable business travel, conducted more than a year ago. It estimated only 1,200 of the UK’s two million companies had a travel plan in place, despite evidence that adopting travel planning at work helps recruit and retain staff, improves productivity and creates a better company image.

According to the Spring survey, the most popular environmental initiatives in the workplace, took the form of reducing office waste and recycling, including emailing over printing and posting (93 per cent); providing recycling bins at work (91 per cent); and cutting down on printing (84 per cent).

The study was conducted as part of a campaign by Spring Personnel to encourage environment changes within the workplace.

Steven Kirkpatrick, managing director of Spring Personnel, said: “Now that companies and corporations are beginning to develop a moral conscience, industries can make a real difference to the cause by implementing clear policies and procedures in order to streamline and support targeted efforts.”

Businesses interested in adopting green travel plans can sign up to the NBTN’s ‘Cycle To Work Guarantee’, in which firms have to pledge five guarantees such as bike parking and incentive programmes, thereby indicating their commitment to encouraging cycling to and from work and helping tehir workforce become healthier, fitter and greener.