The way to a climate-friendly HR policy
A sustainable mobility plan tailored to employee is a priority for every HR department. Check out our mobility solutions or download our white paper on sustainable HR policy.
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The greening of commercial vehicles is in full swing. Since 1 July 2023, the rules on the tax deductibility of lease cars have changed and the CO2 contribution for non-emission-free lease cars has increased. What impact will tax greening have on our commute?
There was a striking reversal in terms of commuting in 2022: Belgians used the car slightly less to go to work than the year before. This is evident from our annual mobility barometer. In turn, the use of bicycles and public transport increased. Signalling that our commute has taken the sustainable path.
Although more white-collar workers drove around with a company car in 2022 (23%), the car’s share in commuting decreased. A striking turnaround revealing that people are becoming more conscious about their travel. However, the car remains king of commuting: 77.9% of employees use the car (regularly) or for part of the commute. Almost 6 in 10 (57.6%) only use the car to go to work.
The company car itself is also greening. The switch to electric cars is gaining momentum with the phasing out of tax breaks for fuel-engined commercial vehicles. The number of electric commercial vehicles had more than doubled by 2022 (+134.6%) compared to 2021. Today, 3.2% of all commercial vehicles are
The big winner in commuting is the bicycle, which increased by 7.4% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Some 35.8% of employees use the bicycle (regularly) or for part of their commute.
15% of employees opt exclusively for cycling. A popular combination is the car with the bicycle (19.1%). That is, for example, when someone takes the bike on sunny days, and opts for the car when it rains. Either someone who drives their car up to a peripheral car park, and does their further journey in the city centre by bike.
The bike’s popularity is no surprise. More and more employers are proposing bike leasing, and more people are also getting a bike allowance. Moreover, the bicycle allowance becomes mandatory from May 2023 (at least for those who do not already have a scheme), which is likely to give a further boost to bicycle use.
Public transport struggled a bit due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, public transport is climbing out of the valley, with a 5.3% increase. The more flexible subscription systems also respond better to the increase in home working since the corona pandemic.
The fact that commuting is becoming more sustainable goes hand in hand with generally growing environmental awareness and the greening of company cars for tax purposes. In addition, high fuel prices have made employees think more about their car use and fuel consumption. The decades-long dominance of the car now seems to be on the wane, although the company car remains a major asset in the war for talent.
Since 1 July 2023, the phase-out of deductibility and the gradual increase of CO2 contributions have been a reality for newly purchased company cars. You can read all about the greening of commercial vehicles and the changes since 1 July 2023.
A sustainable mobility plan tailored to employee is a priority for every HR department. Check out our mobility solutions or download our white paper on sustainable HR policy.
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