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What Are Employee Commute Emissions?

From car trips to home office energy use, commuting has changed, but emissions still add up.
22/10/24

Employee commuting emissions are the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated when employees travel to and from work, as well as the emissions produced by remote working or working from home. These fall under Scope 3, Category 7 of the GHG Protocol, which includes indirect emissions that are the result of business operations but occur outside of an organisation’s direct control.

It’s important to distinguish employee commuting emissions from other related emission categories, such as business travel and mobile combustion emissions.

Employee commuting emissions specifically cover the daily travel of employees from their homes to the workplace and back, as well as the energy used for remote working. This category includes emissions from cars, public transport, cycling, walking, and home office energy use.

Business travel emissions, on the other hand, are associated with work-related trips for client meetings, conferences, or site visits etc, and mobile combustion emissions refer to emissions from company-owned vehicles that are used during daily operations, such as delivery vans or field service vehicles.

The Impacts of Commuting

Emissions from transportation make up around 17% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, and commuting to work is a major contributor to this figure.

While individual commutes may seem insignificant, when multiplied by the number of working days in a year and the number of commuters, the resulting carbon emissions are substantial.

Consider this example: If you travel 8km to work each weekday by an average petrol car, that’s already 13.6 kilograms of CO2e emissions. Multiply that by the number of working weeks in the year, and you end up with 654 kgCO2e per year! Now, let’s say there are 100 other people at your company; now we’re looking at around 65 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year just from commuting!

Working From Home: Benefits and Challenges

Remote working, once considered an exception, has now become mainstream for many organisations. While working from home (WFH) reduces the emissions generated from commuting, it isn’t emissions-free.

The benefits of remote working are clear. It can significantly reduce or eliminate the need for daily car trips, reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Additionally, with fewer employees travelling to work, businesses may save on office-related energy use, such as lighting and heating larger spaces.

However, remote working also poses challenges. For one, employees working in less energy-efficient homes, or those relying on fossil-fuel-based electricity, may have higher emissions than those in energy-efficient offices. Home heating or cooling systems may need to run longer during work hours, further increasing emissions. Remote workers also use a range of electronic devices, which can contribute to the overall energy demand.

To mitigate the environmental impact of remote work, organisations can encourage employees to adopt energy-efficient home setups, including better insulation, energy-saving appliances, and the use of renewable energy where possible.

Benefits of Measuring Employee Commute and Homeworking

Measuring both employee commuting and remote working emissions provides organisations with a more comprehensive understanding of their overall carbon footprint. By collecting data on commuting patterns and home energy use, businesses can create more effective sustainability strategies.

For example, tracking this data enables companies to encourage greener commuting options, such as carpooling, public transport, or even walking and cycling. These initiatives not only help reduce emissions but also enhance employee well-being and engagement.

In addition, by analysing remote working emissions, organisations can find ways to optimise home energy use. Providing employees with resources or incentives to improve their home’s energy efficiency—whether through energy-saving appliances, insulation, or renewable energy systems—can significantly cut emissions.

With a clear understanding of both commuting and remote working emissions, businesses can also develop flexible work models that minimise their carbon footprint. Hybrid work strategies, for instance, can be designed to balance environmental goals with employee productivity, maximising the benefits of both in-office and remote workdays.

Moreover, addressing these emissions enhances corporate social responsibility. Organisations that actively measure and reduce commuting and remote working emissions not only contribute to climate goals but also improve their sustainability reputation, engaging stakeholders and employees in their environmental mission.

How FutureTracker Can Help

FutureTracker provides comprehensive support for organisations in every aspect of measuring and managing their emissions, including employee commute emissions. Our emissions calculator and guidance library simplifies the process, making it easy for your organisation to identify sources of emissions, quantify their impact, and develop targeted strategies to reduce them effectively.

To get started, try our free commute calculator to estimate your own commuting footprint. This simple tool allows you to quickly calculate the emissions generated by your travel habits.

If you’d like to learn more about FutureTracker, get in touch with us at enquiries@futuretracker.com or learn more about our plans and pricing here.

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