Enterprise Holdings, which operates Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental brands, has made a commitment to reduce both energy use and energy costs by 20 percent over the next five years through a new 20/20 Vision sustainability initiative. The company expects to cut costs by $50 million.
By investing in energy-saving technologies and conservation practices, Enterprise expects to decrease the environmental impact of neighborhood car rental branches and airport facilities it owns and operates through its regional subsidiaries.
The 20/20 Vision was developed based on recommendations by the chairman's Task Force on Sustainability, which is comprised of the company's departmental leadership. This group is tasked with leading an assessment of the company's operations to identify opportunities to make significant, positive changes, says Enterprise.
Operations managers throughout the company are developing energy- and cost-reduction goals. Initial changes -- such as using more energy-efficient lighting and switching to energy-saving software tools -- at the company's headquarters in St. Louis and across more than 7,600 neighborhood and airport locations are expected to significantly reduce the company's energy use and costs.
In 2008, Enterprise made the transition from PCs to thin clients, which at the time was expected to cut the company's energy consumption by 5 million kilowatt-hours, save about $500,000 annually, and reduce CO2 emissions by 6.5 million pounds per year.
Enterprise began rolling out the 20/20 Vision in select markets in 2009, and is now extending the program companywide -- nationally and internationally -- across the Alamo, Enterprise and National brands.
The new sustainability initiative is touted as the company's next evolution in its environmental platform that includes a customer carbon offset program, a pledge to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years, a fleet of fuel-efficient and hybrid vehicles, FlexFuel vehicles, alternative fuels research and the use of biodiesel fuel in Alamo, Enterprise and National airport shuttle buses.
