Nestlé (From York Press)

Nestlé

11:58am Friday 27th August 2010 in

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A LOT has happened to get Nestlé staff at York saddled up and pedalling since Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton visited the chocolate factory in Haxby Road, York last year.

Victoria was taking part in Nestlé’s first “cycle to work day”, endorsing the findings of an employee survey which called for a greater emphasis on environmental issues and sparked the formation of a team to look at sustainable transport.

Inspired by the fact that 70 per cent of the 1,500 employees at the York plant said they would consider cycling to work if facilities were improved, tens of thousands of pounds have been invested in the past 18 months to achieve those conditions.

And the results have been inspiring enough for Nestlé to enter the new Best Sustainable Travel Initiative category in The Press Business Awards 2010.

Cyclists at the Wigginton Road factory now have male and female changing rooms, featuring showers and hair dryers.

There is covered secure cycle parking and “overflow” parking for the additional numbers who choose to cycle on sunny days. A Nestlé bikers’ user group secures discounts for staff members with cycle shops and repair companies.

A cycle-to-work “salary sacrifice” scheme is now in its fifth year and this year 1.7 per cent of Nestlé’s national workforce of 5,500 people took advantage of the offer of a tax-free bike.

The result? A survey this month showed 25 per cent of employees said they cycled to work either some or all of the time.

About 38 per cent of the cyclists said they only began to commute on two wheels in the last two years; and 30 per cent said they were cycling more than they were 18 months ago.

Many cited personal fitness, and saving time and money as their reasons. There was also an increased number of employees getting the sustainable message and either walking to work or taking the bus.