More than half of UK organisations don't have a CSR or Environmental policy

More than half of UK organisations don't have a written travel policy or a CSR or environmental policy. And of those that do, only one third consider the environmental impact of the vehicles they provide.

These are the findings of a UK-wide study of company car use out today (Sunday 6 April).

Commissioned by independent environmental organisation the Energy Saving Trust, the study of 400 board-level executives at organisations across the UK forms part of the Energy Saving Trust's new report ñ Behind the Wheel II ñ launched today. The report also found that Britons could save almost 3bn by switching to greener company cars.

According to the study, when new Government tax breaks come in to force today (Sunday 6 April 2008) if UK companies all choose vehicles with 120g/km or fewer carbon dioxide emissions there could be:

- 250m saving for UK employers through reduced National Insurance contributions.

- 645m saving for UK employees through reduced Benefit in Kind (BIK) income tax contributions.

- 780m saving for UK employers through reduced fuel consumption.

- A saving of 1.2bn on the fuel bill of company cars driven privately.

- A reduction in transport emissions from UK company cars used on company business of around 1.9m tonnes per year.

- A reduction in emissions from UK business cars driven privately of around 3m tonnes per year.

Department for Transport figures show that every year more than half of new vehicles registered in Britain are company cars. And Nigel Underdown, head of transport advice at the Energy Saving Trust, is calling on organisations across Britain to act now and green their company car fleets.

He said: The reasons are there for all to see: running vehicles costs a lot of money and with fuel prices over 1 a litre it's not going to get cheaper any time soon. ë

From today, there will be tax breaks for driving cars that produce 120g/km of CO2 or fewer and if someone driving an average company car opts for a car in this category, they could see their tax burden cut in half.í

Giving your staff the option of choosing a vehicle that emits less than 120g of CO2 per km sends a powerful message, both internally and externally about your companyís environmental awareness, according to Phil Day, head of human resources at the Energy Saving Trust.

Offering choice sends a strong message to staff about the values of the organisation and so has a positive impact on how they perceive you as an employer ñ whether they decide to choose a more sustainable vehicle or not.

The organisation also benefits directly because more sustainable vehicles will generally cost less to run: implementing a green fleet policy could save a company with 50 cars up to 45,000 every year.

By calling the Energy Saving Trustís fleet advice helpline on 0845 602 4125 we can give you tailored advice from a green fleet expert on the best ways for your organisation to green its fleet and give your staff more environmentally sustainable transport options.

In addition to the Fleet advice hotline and regular e-bulletins, businesses in England and Wales with a fleet of 50 or more vehicles (20 or more in Scotland) can benefit from an Energy Saving Trust Green Fleet Review. A Green Fleet Review is a free, tailored, independent review of all aspects of a companyís fleet from an environmental perspective.

Free impartial advice on eco-driving (driving in an efficient manner), managing fuel and driver expenses reimbursement, driver training, mileage reduction, health and safety, low carbon fuels and vehicle choice can also be obtained.

The Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation providing free, impartial energy advice for all.



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