Sustainability at the heart of everything… eco-friendly employee benefits

The rise of greenwashing

With CSR strategies becoming a business must-have, companies are coming forward en masse to share their green credentials, giving birth to the term ‘greenwashing.’

We’ve talked about wellbeing washing before, where organisations talk the talk but don’t walk the walk when it comes to employee wellbeing practices.

The same is true with greenwashing, but the scrutiny is even higher. If you make a claim about your environmental commitments, you must have the data to back it up. Without the data, it’s simply talk, and you’re at risk of being seen by your clients, consumers, and partners as greenwashing.

Buyers and clients increasingly seek businesses that do good environmentally and socially, but they will also want to see the proof.  Being branded a greenwasher will harm your reputation among employees, clients and partners, and you could even be taken to court. 

Practising what we preach

Once part of the Sodexo family, we have a strong legacy in sustainability here at Pluxee UK. We’re proud of what we achieved then and excited to travel this route alone, working with our Global Pluxee HQ team to define a robust strategy with the data verification processes in place to substantiate our claims.

We’ve done a lot already as Pluxee UK to lessen our impact on the environment, including…

• Moving to a new UK HQ powered by 100% renewable energy.
• We've embraced efficiency and productivity by reducing our office space by 66% without compromising on the quality of our work. 
• Our energy-efficient building has seen a remarkable shift from an EPC rating of C to an impressive A, saving energy one green step at a time. 
• We convert 100% of our green waste into compost, turning waste into a valuable resource.
• Pluxee independently joined the UN Global Compact to support the Sustainable Development Goals.

Eco-friendly employee benefits…

• We’ve abolished reloadable plastic gift cards in place of a digital alternative.
• We’ve swapped our paper reward vouchers for eVoucher Codes and eVoucher Cheques.
• We’ve launched our Virtual First Pluxee Card solution, allowing employees to earn up to 15% cashback without needing a physical card.
• When physical Pluxee Cards are requested, we produce them from recycled PVC.

The results…

When you sell a large volume of products, such as cards and vouchers, the transition to digital makes a significant impact on our carbon footprint, reducing our Scope 2 and 3 emissions and taking us closer to our Net Zero target. 

We’re also reducing our clients’ carbon emissions, helping them achieve their environmental goals and strengthening their CSR initiatives by making eco-friendly changes to their everyday business operations. 

Environmental issues are our issues. 

Employees want to work for a business that authentically demonstrates ethical behaviours, and they’re scrutinising your corporate social responsibility policy alongside your EVP. 

It’s a matter of talent acquisition and retention.

Conscious quitting is a growing trend among socially conscious employees seeking equally socially conscious employers who contribute to the communities and environment in which they exist.  Our Virtual First Pluxee Card allows you to support, reward, and incentivise your employees, boosting their financial wellbeing and enhancing their employee experience.

Eco-friendly employee benefits

We’ve covered our Virtual First Pluxee Card, which is not only an eco-friendly solution but also an incredibly versatile offering. As an employee benefit, your people can earn up to 15% when they use it to purchase goods online or in-store with our vast range of participating retailers.

It doesn’t stop there…

Embed our Virtual First Pluxee Card into your reward and recognition strategy, delivering cash rewards to an employee’s balance. The cashback element stretches your reward further, making even more of an impact.

Then there are channel incentives, loyalty programmes, and student support schemes... our Virtual First Pluxee Card can enhance them all, unifying your internal processes.

Reward, support, and incentivise in an eco-friendly way =  more credible CSR initiatives and more engaged employees and consumers.

We can’t discuss eco-friendly employee benefits without stepping into the world of Green Car and Cycle to Work schemes. Both encourage greener ways of commuting to work, whether by an electric vehicle or a new bike.

Discover what EV car drivers really think about their green cars here: Save money & energy with Green Cars… our electric car salary sacrifice scheme.

Greener commuting and money back in your pocket!

Keeping your electric vehicle on the road:

• VW Golf 1.5 TSI… driving this car 10,000 miles per year would cost £1,491.39 in fuel. 
• Compare that to one of VW’s EV cars, the VW ID3, which, when driving at the same distance, would cost £741.35 in charging. 
• That’s a £750.04 reduction in running costs, and the savings don’t end there…

Categorised as green employee benefits that reduce the amount of petrol and diesel vehicles on the road, our Green Car and Cycle to Work schemes bring tax and NIC savings to employers and employees.

Read more in our blog - Cleaner Commuting Made Affordable.

A sustainable employee benefits strategy

The topic of sustainability goes beyond being eco-friendly. Sustainable employee benefits are also those that your business can afford to offer as part of a long-term strategy - the ability to sustain the cost in the long term.

There are costs associated with employee benefits, but some become cost-neutral. 

Our SmartPay salary deduct scheme is one such benefit, but unlike our Green Car and Cycle to Work schemes, it offers no further savings.

Funding benefits with benefits…

Every employee who participates in your Green Car or Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme saves your business money. What better way to fund a sustainable employee benefits package than through the uptake of benefits? Especially when they reduce your carbon footprint, save employees’ money and enhance their overall wellbeing.

Put sustainability at the heart of everything with eco-friendly employee benefits. Arrange a call today.