Five Areas Mobility Programs Can Support Sustainability Initiatives

Sustainability remains an important topic and is top of mind for many organizations setting both sustainability and diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) goals. When accessing these internal sustainability goals, organizations may also be looking at approaches for measuring and tracking sustainability requirements for your vendors, including relocation management companies (RMCs). Multiple considerations are included when setting and achieving sustainability goals, including a reduction in carbon footprints and contributions toward company goals by considering some of the following areas. 

 

Processes

• Reduce paper consumption: Look at reducing the amount of paper used and leverage digital documents and resources as much as possible.
• E-signatures: Use e-signatures in lieu of paper documents or requiring someone to travel to a location to sign documents in person.
• Virtual support: Use virtual processes and support where available for:

• Engagement processes
• Immigration support: electronic documents, e-applications, virtual applications, etc. 
• Destination services: home search, education, settling-in, registrations, etc.
• Language training
• Cultural training
• Spouse and family support

 Household Goods Shipments

• Use discard and donate programs: Leverage discard and donate programs to reduce shipment sizes and provide excess goods to people in need.
• Focus on sustainability and CO2 footprint: Partner with moving companies that use sustainable packing and moving materials and reduce CO2 emissions with fuel-efficient vehicles, smarter routes, and tracking programs like Big Mile – a tech company that offers solutions for organizations to optimize and report on transport-related carbon emissions.
• Partner with organizations to reduce waste: Leverage organizations like Move for Hunger that support local needs and help reduce waste.
• Virtual surveys: Use virtual surveys to eliminate the need for surveyor travel.

 Travel & Transportation

• Reduce travel: Reduce the amount of travel within extended business travel (EBT) and commuter programs.
• Use direct travel routes: Take direct routes versus multiple connections.
• Limit return trips: Adjust the frequency of return trips. 
• Non-fly options: Incentivize or require employees to take non-flying options: train, ferry, or public transportation versus driving.
• Efficient car requirements: Incentivize or require employees to utilize hybrid or electric cars for rental cars, on assignment cars, and fleet cars.
• Encourage carpooling: Incentivize or require employees on assignment to carpool or utilize vanpools. 

 Housing

• Green accommodations: Incentivize or require booking hotels and corporate accommodations that are green facilities.
• Limit laundry services: Reduce laundry services for towels and linens to encourage green habits.
• Offer incentives to reduce utilities: Provide incentives to reduce utility costs or provide a reasonable decrease in cost to encourage more efficient habits.
• Host housing requirements/incentives: Provide incentives or implement requirements for host housing that is more efficient and offer allowances for more efficient appliances.
• Permanent housing incentives: Provide incentives for purchasing homes with sustainable energy footprints or provide allowances for energy efficient appliances, insulation, etc.

 Provide Awareness & Training

• Company initiatives: Reinforce company sustainability initiatives and the role that employees can play during their relocation or assignment.
• Location awareness: Offer insights into local sustainability practices, views, initiatives, and geography impacts from industry or climate changes.

How Can SIRVA BGRS Help You Make Impactful Sustainability Changes?

SIRVA BGRS can assess your mobility program and help you understand:

• Your organization’s goals around sustainability and set up a framework for tracking mobility program’s impact.
• How your mobility processes and policy can impact larger organizational sustainability goals.
• Changes you can make to your mobility program, processes, or services, and how you can socialize and implement them throughout your organization.

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For more information on how your mobility program can help meet your sustainability goals, please contact SIRVA BGRS Global Advisory Services at globaladvisoryservices@sirva.com or reach out to your SIRVA BGRS representative.