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Big business(es) back(s) cycling!

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    These companies are among those who have clubbed together with British Cycling to make some very explicit demands: that all parties sign up to committing 5% of the total UK transport budget to cycling; and with a view to getting 10% of all trips made by bike by 2025.

    For anyone interested in the possibility of mass cycling in Britain and all the many benefits this would being, both individual and societal, this is big stuff. For decades, what cycle lobbying there was has mainly been the preserve of committed, earnest campaigners with a drawer of Lycra garments and opinions about gear ratios. Extremely well meaning, but arguably niche. And easy for governments to ignore.

    The paradox of the new grouping, officially called the Choose Cycling network, is that it was born out of a corporate attempt to derail a bike scheme – the vigorous (and sometimes misleading) briefings by Canary Wharf Group and others against London’s soon-to-be-built east to west cycling superhighway.

    "

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2015/mar/20/business-case-for-cycling-persuasive-politicians-british-cycling

    How can 'we' get Edinburgh/Scottish companies to do the same?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. Greenroofer
    Member

    I've been closely involved with this in the company that I work for. I went along to the launch meeting with Chris Boardman a couple of months ago, and met similar folk from a number of big companies.

    We came within a gnat's crotchet of getting my company's name on the letter, but the internal political challenges of getting everyone to put their brave pants on and recommend to their boss to sign the letter were just too much. We did nearly make it though.

    Notwithstanding that our name is not on the letter, it provoked a lot of discussion in the company and has certainly advanced the cause of cycling here. We are still members of the Cycling Network mentioned in the article.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    Once again there is talk of the "UK transport budget"

    This is coming from British Cycling (not least Chris Boardman) and has got these people together -

    "

    The members of the #ChooseCycling network as at 20 March 2015 are:
     TheAA
     Allen & Overy
     Bicycle Association
     British Cycling
     British Land
     Broadgate Estates
     CTC
     Cycle To...
     Cycle to Work Alliance
     CycleScheme
     GlaxoSmithKline
     Halfords
     Jestico & Whiles
     London Cycling Campaign
     Madison
     National Grid
     New London Architecture
     Orange
     Price & Myers
     Santander
     Shakespeare’s Globe
     Sky
     Sports Tours International
     Sustrans

    "

    'Up here' there is Scottish Cycling, Cycling Scotland oh and PoP (and devolved responsibilities/budgets)...

    http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/campaigning/ChooseCycling_network_members.pdf

    Main article -

    http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/article/20150310-campaigning-The--ChooseCycling-Network-0

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    @Greenroofer is your company 'identified' with Scotland - but UK/international?

    Do you know of any other 'Scottish' companies/orgs involved but not signed up?

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Chris Boardman, the former Olympic track cycling champion who is now British Cycling’s policy adviser, said businesses seemed receptive to the idea. “Frankly, it wasn’t a hard sell,” he said. “We contacted a load of businesses and said, ‘We think this a good idea for your business, and your workforce, and your workforce’s family, and we’ve got the evidence to support that.’ And they said, ‘Yeah, we think it is.’

    "

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/20/ftse-100-companies-emerge-as-new-breed-of-bike-activist

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Sustrans (@sustrans)
    20/03/2015 10:19
    @CyclingEdin @BritishCycling @CTC_Cyclists @AndrewDBurns Hi, @SustransScot will have more info about whether our Scottish team is involved.

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. Greenroofer
    Member

    @chdot - yes my company is identified with Scotland and has an HQ in Edinburgh, but is pan-UK. There weren't any other Scottish-headquartered companies there.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. Stickman
    Member

    I've emailed my company's "Responsible Business" team to ask if it had any involvement.

    (Very large UK co with very significant Scottish identity. Not sure if the same one as Greenroofer's!)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. Greenroofer
    Member

    @Stickman - We have a department in Workplace Services called 'Sustainable Workplaces', who are different people from the company's Sustainability team. The only boss they have in common is the Chief Executive.

    This tells you that (a)it's a big company and (b)that getting anything to happen means that everyone needs to agree it's OK, which means that change is very slow.

    I'm now navigating the labyrinth of the 'HR Policy Forum' to see if they will agree to pay cyclists' mileage for business travel. The trouble is, at every turn it's easier for people to say "No" than yes.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Four reasons US business leaders want to import Danish-style cycling

    At long last, cycling is being supported by American business – not out of environmentalism but because it's delivering profit

    "

    http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/reasons-business-leaders-danish-style-cycling

    Posted 10 years ago #

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