Arvato Group | Baden-Baden, 05/08/2014

Arvato Promotes Mobility, Sustainability and Health With Bicycles

Riding to work on a bicycle and being relaxed while others are stuck in traffic jams: with a pilot project in Baden-Baden, Arvato Financial Solutions is promoting environmentally friendly mobility for all of its employees. Within the framework of the new mobility and health program titled "Arvato bewegt was" ("Arvato gets things moving") a new bicycle commuter fleet was inaugurated last Tuesday in the presence of the management, corporate works council, employees and the mayor of Baden-Baden. It aims to make the journey between the rail station and workplace flexible and become a daily exercise program. The fleet of twelve bicycles is available to all employees at no cost if they wish to pedal the 2.1 kilometers from train station to workplace and back.

Other features of the innovative concept prove that the company cares about mobility and health: for example, e-bikes and other bicycles can be leased for private use as company bicycles for an attractive price: thanks to tax advantages and a subsidy of 60 euros per employee per year, this enables savings of up to 45 percent compared with a private purchase. To make sure the pleasure in the new bike lasts as long as possible, the company also offers the complete handling of services via an online portal. In addition, regular service days for used bikes are planned on site. Arvato is supported by the mobility provider Planet E-Bikes from Munich.

For the future, a combination option with company cars is planned, as well: employees who voluntarily change over to an environmentally friendlier vehicle will receive an e-bike, a mountain bike, a city bike or a racing bike for the price difference of the original company car. With this option, Arvato aims to actively support the desire of its employees who have the privilege of driving a company car to support the reduction of CO2 emissions. This measure not only enhances the company's image but also makes employees more flexible and gives them an impetus to simply do without a car and use environmentally friendlier alternatives for work and in private life.

Kai Burr, Vice President Human Resources of Arvato Financial Solutions, says, "With 'Arvato bewegt was' the company once more proves its status as an innovative and attractive employer." After the successful launch of the pilot project, the offer will now be successively implemented at other locations: "Arvato Financial Solutions thus makes an efficient contribution to the promotion of its employees’ health and simultaneously its commitment to sustainable alternatives to the use of cars for getting to work. This combination of bicycle and company car program is unique in the sector and throughout Germany."

By the way: the concept perfectly matches the "Fit to Work 2014" campaign, which is underway at all Bertelsmann companies from May to July – the employees of Arvato Financial Solutions in Baden-Baden are already accumulating kilometers by using new company bicycles on their way to work.