Why Indirect Emissions Matter and How Your Company Can Reduce Them

Indirect emissions, also known as Scope 3 emissions in the framework of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, are an often-overlooked aspect of a business’s carbon footprint. They are defined as emissions from non-direct sources engaged in peripheral activities such as:

• Shipping and product distribution
• Goods and services procurement from outside parties
• Waste disposal
• Franchise management
• Investments and leased asset management
• …and, of course, commuting

While the exact percentage of business-related greenhouse gas emissions that come from commuting has been a notoriously gray area in terms of analysis, current estimates show that transportation is responsible for a staggering 20 to 27 percent of all GHG emissions in the United States. Obviously, businesses have a key role to play when it comes to reducing these emission levels, and one of the most direct ways to address the issue is to encourage smarter, more ecologically responsible modes of commuting.

To that end, here are some popular commuter management strategies that reduce employee reliance on single-occupancy vehicles:

• Building a company-wide or cooperative, community-based rideshare program
• Offering free or subsidized transit passes
• Creating vanpool shuttle services linking company facilities with local public transportation hubs
• Supporting bike-to-work initiatives by adding secure bike parking areas, lockers, and on-site showers
• Participating in local and national challenge programs
• Launching commuter gamification programs that reward participants for logging trips using alternative modes of transportation
• Implementing earn-a-bike and/or parking cash-out programs

The transportation demand management professionals at RideAmigos can help you set up and run these and many other commuter programs as part of a concerted effort to help reduce the emissions generated by employee commutes. The RideAmigos software platform is also the ideal tool for tracking the impact of your commuter programs, and features a comprehensive suite of next-generation management and reporting tools.

Get started today and help your company build toward a cleaner, greener tomorrow.