The concerns of fleet managers would appear to be in stark contrast to many of their employers, following criticism last week by a corporate responsibility expert of many firm’s apathy towards green issues.
Rob Cameron, director of corporate strategic responsibility consultancy Flag, said it was ‘outrageous’ that one in three of the UK’s top businesses feel that it is not important to be perceived as a green company, according to a study by vehicle management company LeasePlan.
The latest findings into fleet concerns are produced as part of GE Commercial Finance, Fleet Services’ Company Car Trends quarterly survey into fleet sector developments.
Asked to rate what will influence fleet policies over the coming year, the top three identified were fuel prices, due in part to short-term price rises throughout the summer, duty of care and environmental concerns.
Rich Green, managing director at GE Fleet Services, said: ‘The government’s Stern Report has had quite an impact in fleet circles. While the industry has talked about green issues for more than a decade, we could finally be at the tipping point where widespread, considered and effective action is taken.
‘Our view is that the next two years in fleet will belong to environmental concerns in the same way that the last two have belonged to duty of care.
‘In fact, many fleets are in a similar position with the environment today to where they were with duty of care a short time ago. They know that they have to take action and have some degree of expertise but are unsure of their next step.
‘What form that action takes is so far unclear.’
Green added: ‘Certainly, the survey’s finding that 40% of fleets have effective green measures in place looks very high to us, although these respondents clearly believe that they have some form of environmental solution in place which is producing results.’
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