Bank Sadler Ltd of York (From York Press)

Bank Sadler Ltd of York

12:11pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

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METICULOUS research and planning goes into the work of Banks Sadler of York when it comes to its core business of finding venues for clients and organising event management and corporate travel.

The same intensity of research and planning has gone into ensuring its aim – to cut the number of its car commuters among its 122 staff by 50 per cent, as well as slashing its company car use by half.

This, coupled with other measures to expand the proportion of its cycling and walking commuters, makes the firm in Castle Chambers, Clifford Street, a powerful candidate for the Best Sustainable Travel Initiative title in The Press Business Awards 2010.

It is all part of Bank Sadlers’ larger Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda monitored by a central CSR committee comprised of staff from a variety of job roles in different departments and office locations.

It mapped where staff lived across all offices, and a travel survey was followed up with several focus groups and real data and employees attitudes were established before solutions were found.

Hazel Kilvington, operations director, said: “We found this process of drilling down into specific motivators within the workforce invaluable as it gave the opportunity to incentivise staff.”

A car share champion and co-ordinator were appointed. Now, after two years of the CSR programme, 96 per cent of staff rely on greener forms of transport.

Car sharing is encouraged through formal and informal practices.

Ten per cent now take part in a car share for their regular travel to work, while car shares to internal or client meetings have become the norm through a centralised registration process. A happy side effect is that debrief notes are discussed during the journey.

Also through the CSR programme 46 per cent of the York office staff either walk or cycle to work, and six people of the 16 per cent who cycle-commute have taken advantage of the firm’s subsidised bike purchase scheme.

With flexible working practices, employees can also fit their schedules around public transport – hence 40 per cent commute by bus or train.