Furthr and The Electric Car Scheme Partner to Help Businesses Cut Commuting Emissions and Support Employees with Affordable EV Access

As companies continue to encourage employees back into the office, sustainability leaders are facing a new challenge: rising commuting emissions. 

A new partnership between sustainability consultancy Furthr and salary sacrifice provider The Electric Car Scheme is helping businesses tackle this issue head-on.

Key Takeaway: Businesses can now access an integrated solution that helps calculate and reduce commuting-related emissions while supporting employees to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) more affordably.

The Post-COVID return to the office: what it means for emissions

Many organisations are asking employees to return to the office to rebuild culture, improve collaboration, and make the most of investments in physical workspaces. But this shift is also increasing the environmental impact of commuting, with employees taking back their cars on the road.

Why commuting emissions matter

Employee commuting falls under Scope 3 emissions — the indirect emissions that occur across a company’s value chain. As companies set science-based targets and report under frameworks like TCFD and CSRD, these emissions are becoming harder to ignore.

“Across our client base, we typically see that 10–25% of Scope 3 emissions come from employee commuting alone,” explains Jenni Brown, Net Zero Analyst at Furthr. “This is one of the most underestimated contributors to a company’s footprint, and one of the easiest to address with the right tools and incentives.”

Why calculating and reducing Scope 3 emissions is essential

As investor expectations, regulatory requirements, and public scrutiny intensify, companies are under growing pressure to demonstrate how they will meaningfully reduce emissions across their entire value chain. 

Scope 3 emissions — which include indirect sources like employee commuting — often account for more than 70% of a company’s total carbon footprint and are essential to address in any credible net zero strategy.

Understanding and calculating commuting emissions is not just a data exercise, it’s absolutely necessary to identify where reductions can be made. By measuring these emissions, companies can uncover actionable insights and design effective interventions, such as offering low-carbon commuting options, to help lower their overall footprint.

Adam Barboza, CSR Director at Aspen Insurance, shares: ‘Furthr helped us better define our carbon accounting, increasing its accuracy, and factoring in new inputs that allowed the calculation to be done based on industry best practices.’

A solution that benefits businesses and employees

EV salary sacrifice schemes offer a win-win solution for both businesses and employees.

For employers, they provide a simple and cost-neutral way to reduce Scope 3 commuting emissions. The scheme is structured through payroll adjustments, making it easy to recover costs directly from employees' salaries without additional administrative burden.

For employees, the benefits are equally compelling. They can access a new or used electric vehicle through pre-tax salary deductions, resulting in significant savings of 20–50% on EV leases. This makes electric mobility more affordable and accessible, not only for commuting but for personal use as well. Over time, lower fuel and maintenance costs further enhance the value of making the switch to electric.

An additional advantage is the ability to choose a used EV, which offers an even more budget-friendly and sustainable option for those looking to make a positive impact without stretching their finances.

"We make it easy for companies to offer EVs as an employee benefit, saving money while reducing emissions. Our partnership with Furthr brings an extra layer of insight to help employers understand the carbon savings they can make," says Thom Groot, CEO of The Electric Car Scheme.

Government policy makes employer-led initiatives even more valuable

From April 2025, the UK government will introduce Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for electric vehicles. This means salary sacrifice schemes will become one of the most cost-effective ways for employees to access EVs – and businesses that act early will maximise the benefits.

Together, Furthr and The Electric Car Scheme offer a scalable, measurable, and employee-friendly way for organisations to tackle commuting emissions while supporting the transition to low-carbon transport.

About Furthr
Furthr provides on-hand expertise and proven tools to support businesses at every stage of their sustainability journey. From audit-grade emissions reporting to effective employee engagement programs, they help businesses to go Furthr.

About The Electric Car Scheme
The Electric Car Scheme helps employees across the UK save 20-50% on a brand-new EV through salary sacrifice – making the transition to low-emission transport affordable and accessible.

https://www.furthr.earth/