Launched in September, the scheme has been developed to support attraction and retention at the firm, which is behind some of the UK’s biggest dairy products, and sits alongside Danone’s existing company car plan.

The new initiative is available to all permanent UK employees, including the firm’s 350 dedicated car drivers.

Already the scheme has seen an 82% engagement rate amongst Danone employees. The success of the scheme has been attributed to the range of communication methods used to highlight the new scheme to staff, including tailored email communications, posters, desk drops, television screens and prominence on the company’s intranet site.

LeasePlan has also showcased the cars available through on-site road shows, with specialists on hand to answer any questions staff had about the scheme.

Sarah Mills, the science innovation manager at Danone, was the first beneficiary of the new salary sacrifice scheme, taking delivery of her new car within the first two weeks of the scheme launch.

Speaking about her experience so far, Mills said: “The car scheme is an amazing addition to Danone’s employee benefits offering, and gives excellent value and choice for those employees who are not entitled to a company car. The added benefit of 0% deposit, and an 'all-inclusive' package of insurance and road breakdown cover amongst others, means that the whole experience is seamless and stress-free.”

John Mayor, head of UK rewards at Danone, added: “We are hugely proud of the salary sacrifice for car scheme and the benefits that it provides for our employees. Together with LeasePlan, we are in a great position to negotiate the best rates for our employees, ensuring that they have access to the vehicles that best suit their needs, in terms of both style and cost.  

“We know that our employees are all busy people, so we have also worked hard to ensure that the all-inclusive package means that the whole process is as stress-free as possible.”