Employees want more action to cut grey fleet usage in line with sustainability expectations, new research finds.

The new report features tips to reduce emissions from business travel

Businesses are relying on employees to use their own vehicles for work – the so-called grey fleet – more often than pre-Covid in a move to cut costs, according to the report from Europcar Mobility Group UK.

Its Greening the Grey Fleet study reveals that 81% of businesses rely on grey fleet for business travel, while more than half of employees use their own vehicles for business travel every week – and a quarter use them every day.

But this leaves businesses lagging behind where they and their employees want to be in terms of sustainability.

“Sustainability is on the agenda for most businesses,” commented Mark Newberry, commercial director and sustainability spokesperson at Europcar Mobility Group UK. “Cutting emissions from transport is a top priority as it is one of the biggest contributors and it is an area where organisations have the ability to make change through direct action.

“We are seeing more and more business customers shift their focus to greener vehicle options, however employee feedback suggests they are not going far enough. Those driving their own vehicles want to see more stringent policies put in place to reduce grey fleet emissions.”

The research found that a third (32%) of employees said their employer has no green travel options available while a quarter (27%) would like to be given access to zero-emission vehicles through a car sharing or pool fleet scheme, simultaneously reducing the use of their own vehicle and cutting emissions.

Mark Newberry continued: “Reducing the impact of a business fleet, whether company cars or grey fleet, does not have to mean providing electric vehicles to all employees required to travel for work. At Europcar we believe in supporting the transition in a way that suits the individual needs of the business and its employees.

“Renting a younger and therefore more fuel-efficient fleet is a good first step, with hybrid or fully electric vehicles included where viable. This will help businesses navigate the growing number of Low Emission and Clean Air Zones around the country, while cutting emissions and fuel costs compared to a typically older grey fleet.

“The pandemic has changed how people work and how much they travel. So flexibility is key to enable businesses to navigate the economic challenges while meeting environmental targets.”

Europcar advises five simple steps to reduce emissions from business travel

• Encourage vehicle sharing and reduce work journeys where appropriate
• Encourage a greater reliance on public transport
• Impose an upper emissions limit and a maximum engine capacity for grey fleet vehicles
• Install electric vehicle charging at business premises
• Support home charging for employees (installing home chargers, contributing to energy bills, etc)

Its Greening the Grey Fleet report, available to download here, also includes more tips and advice for businesses looking to reduce grey fleet emissions.