More Companies Give Employees Energy-Saving Incentives

An increasing number of companies are offering their employees incentives for saving energy, like gas cards and telecommuting options, the News Observer reports.

While mass transit and carpooling are not new ideas, more companies are encouraging other energy saving measures like video and phone conferences, according to a national survey by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Some examples:

• In March, Cisco Systems created 36 VIP parking spaces for hybrid autos and cars that use biodiesel or ethanol.
• The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline for years has reimbursed its employees the first $30 for workers who ride the bus.
• IBM has encouraged working from home since the 1980s, when a gallon of gas cost $1.25. More than 40 percent work virtually.
• Verizon reports any idling time of technicians' vehicles over 10 minutes as a deviation.
• Kyocera's 6th Environment and Safety Promotion Plan encourages company-wide energy saving measures, waste reduction and other activities over the next three years.

Overall, there's a trend towards offering employees green incentives. Swiss Re offers a subsidy to employees that make environmental purchases - including hybrids (CHEP also offers a hybrid incentive). Other companies, including Bank of America, offer employee rebates for similar investments.

InterCall recently conducted a survey where individuals were asked what their companies are doing to reduce the size of their carbon footprint. Fifty-three percent said their companies enable employees to telecommute on a case-by-case basis, when it makes sense.