November 2010
Cycling Scotland’s Cycle Friendly Employer Award is run in conjunction with the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives. The aim of the award is to give employers the incentive to achieve a nationally recognised award for promoting cycling in the workplace which will result in benefits for employers and staff alike. The award also provides best practice guidance in relation to cycle commuting and can be used as a practical tool to implement cycle measures as part of a sustainable travel plan.
To date, sixty worksites across Scotland have achieved the award. Halcrow was originally one of the first private sector organisations to receive the award with its Glasgow Office, and currently lead the way among private sector organisations with all three offices having successfully attained Cycle Friendly status.
To achieve the award, organisations have to demonstrate clear commitment to promoting staff cycling through provision of quality infrastructure, incentives and promotional activity.
Halcrow’s annual Spring into Action campaign was an ideal call to action to engage with staff, and has helped result in a modal share of staff trips by bike far higher than the national average (nearly 30% in Inverness).
The Edinburgh office has also benefited from joining up with the “A Better Way to Work”, a sustainable travel project hosted by the Bike Station to promote cycling as well as walking and public transport as a convenient way to travel to work.
Cycling Scotland chief executive Ian Aitken praised Halcrow for their commitment to staff cycling:
“By placing cycling and sustainable travel at the heart of their travel plans Halcrow has benefited from a significant increase in the number of staff trips by bike, high above the national average. Cycling is a convenient, healthy and cost effective way to travel to work, and Halcrow has ensured that staff have the ideal environment and support to choose cycling to their Scottish offices.”
Halcrow’s regional managing director for the UK & Ireland, Neil Johnstone said:
“Halcrow is especially proud to win the Cycle Friendly Employer awards as not only do we provide consultancy services in this area but we have many sustainable initiatives within the company. It is gratifying to see Halcrow employees practicing what we preach in delivering our purpose “to sustain and improve the quality of people’s lives”.