Helped by funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), the Energy Saving Trust offers a range of options to help businesses analyse how they use vehicles and identify ways to increase fuel efficiency.

Under the new partnership, Enterprise Rent-A-Car will provide its corporate and public sector customers with access to these services, focusing in particular on four key services.

• Grey fleet review – Across the public and private sectors, the use of unregulated private vehicles for business use – the “grey” fleet – poses a threat to sustainability. Energy Saving Trust consultants work with organisations to identify viable alternatives to grey fleet and introduce programmes that foster behavioural change.

• Green fleet consultancy – Bespoke programmes for larger organisations with complex mobility needs, from calculating the carbon footprint of a company’s car fleet to advice on issues such as company car policy, fuel management systems and processes, grey fleet management, data management and mileage reduction strategies.

• Plugged-in fleet – Organisations can apply for a review of how plug-in or electric vehicles can provide an effective solution, providing a whole life cost analysis and comparing existing vehicles with plug-in alternatives. Participating companies also receive regular updates, commentary and insight on the latest developments.

• Fleet health check – Ideally suited to smaller businesses and their transport requirements, the fleet health check is an online tool that provides organisations with an accurate business transport carbon footprint, as well as recommendations for next steps to help reduce costs and emissions.

Andrew Benfield, head of transport services at the Energy Saving Trust, said: ‘We know companies want help with car fleets and mobility, but they don’t always know where to turn. Many don’t realise the range of services that are available to them through the Energy Saving Trust and the impact these can have.

‘With a national network that is within a few miles of nearly everyone in the country, Enterprise is well placed to help us reach every business in the UK.’

One fleet operator that has benefited from the EST’s services is Woking Borough Council. Working with the Energy Saving Trust, GFleet and the Enterprise CarShare programme as early as 2010, the council identified grey fleet as a significant issue and introduced a “virtual” car pool near its head offices in Woking.

A recent Energy Saving Trust review of its fleet has shown that the CO2 footprint for employee business travel has dropped by 37% and grey fleet mileage has fallen by around 25%, while the council has saved thousands of pounds.

David Johnson, corporate strategy manager at Woking Borough Council, said: ‘We made a number of changes, in particular by introducing the Enterprise CarShare programme, and now we can see clear, measurable results. I believe most organisations could benefit from the services offered by the Energy Saving Trust.’