A PREVIOUS winner of the Best Sustainable Travel Initiative award is back to reclaim its title.

TYSY is a payment processing firm with an office with a data hall in York's Fulford Road with 350 team members on site, and a main UK Data Centre in Knaresborough, employing 110 team members,

The international company's UK Environmental Group was established in 2009 and is made up of 20 volunteers. It has led to initiatives such as establishing a car share scheme.

This year has seen a further 17 team members take advantage of the Cycle to Work scheme, taking the total uptake to almost 20 per cent versus the scheme average of four per cent, leading to a strong focus on cycling throughout the company, often working with the City of York Council Sustainable Transport team.

TSYS was runners-up in its category for the York BIG Challenge this year with an impressive 52 per cent participation rate, boosted by working with i-Travel York.

The company is also in the process of updating its cycle parking facilities in York, with a new shelter being installed for an additional 30 covered spaces, taking on site covered bike parking to more than 80, reflecting the interest in environmental and sustainability issues from team members.

As well as providing ample cycle parking, TSYS has added showers and drying rooms, available for cyclists to use in both York and Knaresborough. TSYS offers an additional two days holiday to team members who choose not to drive to work, and reimburses Park and Ride costs for York-based team members, encouraging them to use this option rather than adding to congestion on Fulford Road.

In 2014 the Environmental Group suggested an electric vehicle for grey-fleet use between the firm's York & Knaresborough offices.

TSYS undertook a trial which proved very successful and is nowin the process of leasing two vehicles which will be operational in Q3 this year 2015.