What contribution can companies make?

Commuting to work or within the office accounts for almost 40 % of the traffic volume in Germany. In cities in particular, commuter traffic leads to traffic jams and creates a huge demand for parking spaces. Employers can facilitate active mobility with operational mobility management – for example with a business ticket for public transport and a bike-friendly corporate culture.

“Active mobility can not only improve a company's carbon footprint, but can also be an integral part of occupational health management. After all, regular walking or cycling provides a balance to office work, for example, and helps to reduce stress. Companies can do a lot to improve the conditions for this.”

Corporate mobility concepts

Depending on the industry, location and individual factors, all organizations have certain mobility needs: Employees travel to work or on business trips, customers need to be received or delivered to, and traffic is also generated through collaboration with business partners. Corporate mobility management aims to address these mobility needs in a way that minimizes socially and environmentally detrimental effects.

There are three different strategies for an integrated mobility concept [2]:

1. The efficiency of current means of transportation can be improved. In addition to technical solutions that reduce emissions, car sharing/pooling is an option.
2. Organizations can switch to other modes of transport that bring more health and climate protection benefits, e.g., active mobility.
3. Opportunities to reduce the need for transportation can be explored, e.g., by using digital technologies for online meetings

From bike racks to corporate culture

How and which of these measures are implemented depends heavily on the organizational culture, i.e. the existing guidelines, values, processes, and structures [3]. In addition to infrastructural changes – such as suitable parking spaces for bikes and showers – a change towards a culture of active mobility in terms of climate protection and health is therefore also necessary: Instead of (exclusively) promoting company cars, a company could, for example, provide its employees with a monthly mobility budget that they are allowed to use for different modes of transportation depending on their needs.

Our research questions:

• How can companies promote synergies between climate protection and health promotion through mobility management?
• How can organizational leadership make it easier for employees to switch to active mobility?
• What changes are needed for this, for example in terms of (infra)structures and corporate culture?

Cited literature

1. Infas (2019) Mobilität in Deutschland: Kurzreport. https://fops.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/70.0904_Kurzbericht.pdf
2. Nykvist B, Whitmarsh L (2008) A multi-level analysis of sustainable mobility transitions: Niche development in the UK and Sweden. Technol Forecast Soc Change 75(9):1373-1387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2008.05.006
3. Okraszewska R (2016) The Impact of Organizational Culture on Bicycle Commuting Frequency: The Research Based on Example of Three IT companies. In: Bąk M, ed. Transport Development Challenges in the Twenty-First Century. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer International Publishing 201-210. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26848-4_18
4. Tran M, Forst L, Buchanan S (2015) Not on the Radar: Active Commuting as a Workplace Wellness Issue. J Occup Environ Med 57(9):e91. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000000515