We’ve reinforced our commitment to sustainability through a CFE certification program, making everyday, practical improvements to support our colleagues who cycle to work and encourage more people to join in.
Last week, Infinum proudly accepted the Cycle-Friendly Employer certificate, another testament to our consistent commitment to building a greener future and improving the well-being of our employees.
The idea behind the certification program is to establish a European standard for cycle-friendly organizations and help companies support employees who cycle to work. The certification was awarded to us by the program’s local coordinator, The Croatian Bicycle Syndicate.
To celebrate, we hosted an award ceremony at our Zagreb office. Representatives from the Bicycle Syndicate and our vice-president of human resources, Tanja Bulbuk Jergović, held an inspiring speech, followed by a plant-based feast and celebratory in-office bike riding.
“The program helped us come up with ideas to encourage more people to choose cycling as their means of transportation to work. The CFE certification is the crowning achievement of our ongoing sustainability efforts and has put us on the map of organizations that promote green commuting, said Tanja Bulbuk Jergović.
Clean, green commuting machine
When considering commuting methods that are good for the environment and employee health, cycling is a sure winner.
According to BikeRadar, cycling has a carbon footprint of about 21g of CO2 per kilometer. That’s less than walking or getting the bus and less than a tenth of the emissions of driving.
Yes, you read that right. Walking uses more energy than cycling; therefore, more food is consumed, meaning higher greenhouse gas emissions. Cycling instead of driving also saves money and improves our fitness.
The CFE certification program is built around adopting bike-friendly measures. One major barrier to cycling to work in Croatia is the lack of secure bike parking. To address this, we provide secure bike parking in the office building and encourage our people to leave their cars at home through perks such as access to bike repair tools and complimentary cyclist insurance.
For employees who aren’t sure if life on two wheels is the right choice for them, we offer the option to rent company bicycles before making a commitment to the lifestyle and purchasing their own bikes.
Part of a bigger plan
Employee commuting is one of our biggest sources of carbon emissions. As a Climate Neutral organization, we are committed to reducing these emissions by the end of Q4, and encouraging biking is one strategy we’re using to achieve this goal.
In addition to the bike-friendly perks, we also have a flexible work-from-home policy, giving people the option to skip the commute altogether. Employees with electric vehicles also have the option of charging their vehicles for free.
“The CFE certification reflects our commitment to practical, everyday improvements, said Jurica Pavlović, our office and operations team lead, who meticulously handled the logistics of the certification process. “We hope our experience inspires other companies to explore similar sustainability initiatives,” he concluded.