Going green isn’t a ‘quick-fix’ but if we start now, the whole world benefits

There is a global push for zero exhaust emissions by 2030. Why? Because transport is the fastest growing contributor to climate change. Road transport accounts for approximately 20% of carbon dioxide emission in the EU and a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the USA.

Making your fleet more environmentally friendly

As fleet managers, there is a wide range of sustainable fleet management measures that can have a real impact.

In fact, SG Fleet believes organisations can reduce their CO₂ emissions by as much as 40% over a four-year period.

How? By implementing these simple changes to your fleet strategy:

• Reassess your eligibility criteria for allocating company cars. Ensure only staff who truly need a vehicle for business purposes should be allocated one. Staff requiring ad-hoc use of a car for business should be encouraged to use Public Transport or book a pool-car (preferably electric or hybrid).
• Allow employees to opt for hybrid vehicles or full electric vehicles.
• Offer vehicles that run on alternative fuels such as carbon natural gas (CNG lowers CO₂ emissions by 20% compared to petrol and 15% compared to diesel).
• Ensure the vehicle fits the purpose and choose models that suit size, weight, torque and play-load requirements whilst offering efficient fuel consumption.
• Introduce a fuel card system so you can monitor and communicate actual fuel consumption, electricity consumption for EVs, mileage as well as total CO₂ emissions on individual vehicles.
• Educate your drivers so they can make changes to their driving style, vehicle loads, tyre pressures and journey planning that can have a positive effect on emission levels.
• Explore ways you can capitalise on public transport infrastructure. If you are a long way from a bus or train station, considered a shuttle bus from the office to these locations.

By implementing these sustainable measures, you can effectively reduce your corporate footprint by up to 40%.  None of the suggestions above are ‘big’ or costly, and can be rolled out with a change-management communications plan in place.

 Getting serious

 If you’re interested in how to start chipping away at the remaining 60%, the answer is simple. You offset your emissions.  For now, and some years to come, corporate fleets will still produce vehicle emissions.

A carbon offset is a reduction in the emission of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for an emission made elsewhere in your business.  They typically take the form of financial support for a project designed to reduce emission of greenhouse gas, such as wind farms, renewable energy projects, forestry schemes, agricultural by-products, destruction of industrial pollutants ventures.

As a fleet manager, there are three key measures that will significantly reduce your fleet’s footprint:

• Define stricter car allocation criteria
• Offer a vehicle selection that is green as possible and fit for purpose
• Encourage emission-conscious driver behaviour and optimised fuel consumption.

Whether you’re looking at simply introducing greener operations or you’re planning a complete overhaul, progressive transition and organisation wide communication is essential.

Read our free Making moves towards sustainable mobility paper to learn more about:

• What a good sustainable business looks like
• How mobility fits into the sustainability mix
• The 5 key planning stages
• Making the move to sustainable mobility

Download the eBook, below.

Driving Insights