Capital International Group recently commenced a three-month trial of free bus travel for its employees when travelling to and from their Isle of Man office. This has been achieved through the purchase of ‘Go Places’ and ‘Go Easy’ cards from Isle of Man Transport.

So far, almost 40 employees are using the scheme which aims to both lessen the financial burden of travelling to the office during the cost-of-living crisis, as well as reduce the emissions produced by the daily commute.

The Isle of Man Government recently capped bus journey prices at £2 to assist with the cost-of-living pressures. Whilst this represents a significant reduction in costs for many, the Group realised that employees who take the bus to and from work each day could still be spending more than £80 per month, if paying per journey, or £50 if using a monthly Go Easy card.

For those switching to free bus travel from driving their own car to the office, there will not only be cost savings but also a significant reduction in the carbon emissions produced.

As part of its sustainability measurements, Capital International Group includes Scope 3 emissions in its overall carbon calculation. These are the emissions that are indirectly caused by an organisation e.g. through the commute of employees.

Alongside Business Intelligence Manager Rhodes Brown, Graphic Designer Sammy Mathewson has been responsible for organising the scheme and is part of the Group’s Conscious Capital Forum, which drives forward sustainability initiatives. She said: “The Group has the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2025 and with 43% of its emissions coming from the employee commute, we hope that the free bus travel scheme will help bring the Group closer to meeting its 2025 target. It’s been great to see how many people have started taking the bus. Even if it’s only a couple of times a week, it all adds up! We hope that this initial trial period will be a success and that it is something we will continue long-term.”

Disclaimer: The views thoughts and opinions expressed within this article are those of the author, and not those of any company within the Capital International Group (CIG) and as such are neither given nor endorsed by CIG. Information in this article does not constitute investment advice or an offer or an invitation by or on behalf of any company within the Capital International Group of companies to buy or sell any product or security.