CSR: your step-by-step guide to running a responsible fleet

Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. But when it comes to running your business, you can’t ignore the need to be a responsible employer.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become the big buzzword in recent years, with more and more businesses adopting CSR strategies and devoting entire sections of their annual reports to it.

And it’s worth doing. Not only does it benefit others, businesses that are genuinely committed to CSR substantially outperform those that aren’t. A study by the Kenexa High Performance Institute showed that businesses implementing an effective CSR programme received an average return on assets 19 times higher than those businesses with no CSR programme in place.

We look at the main areas to address in your CSR strategy and how they can lead to a whole host of benefits.

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The Environment

A core consideration for any fleet, your impact on the environment is something that should be a key part of your CSR policy. With the focus narrowing on reducing emissions across the globe and the race towards net zero emissions underway, businesses operating fleets are being put under the microscope when it comes to their emissions.

There are multiple steps you can take to work towards a greener fleet. Consider the vehicles you choose and the fuel type they require – if your fleet runs mostly in urban areas, you could make the move to an electric or hybrid fleet which would reduce your emissions and could even save you money.

Utilising telematics data is a great way to see how your vehicles are being driven. Use it to route your drivers more efficiently, evaluate which journeys are necessary and make changes to bad driving habits like harsh braking and accelerating.

Your Employees

Statistically, driving is one of the most dangerous work-related activities a person can undertake. So what can you do to mitigate the risks and keep your employees safe?

Ensuring that proper policies and road risk assessments are in place is crucial to effectively manage work-related road safety. Provide training for your drivers, ensure medical records are up to date, keep vehicles regularly maintained and plan the safest routes for each journey in advance.

It’s also a good idea to include measures for grey fleet, including proper MOTs, driver licence checks and advice on business insurance.

The Community

In addition to acting as ethically and environmentally friendly as possible, giving back to your local community is another part of your CSR strategy to consider.

Encourage staff to volunteer with local charities, organise volunteer days as a business or get involved with local initiatives.

Philanthropic donations are also a great way to give back. You could choose a monthly cause to donate to or commit to donating a proportion of your profits each year to a charity.

Your Business

Implementing a strong CSR strategy isn’t just great for everyone else – it can also benefit you as a business and can drastically change the way your company is viewed.

With so much choice in the market, customers can be much more discerning. People are looking to work with companies that care, so brand perception is more important than ever before, and positive PR generated from your CSR policies can be incredibly beneficial.

Being socially responsible also lends itself well to staff retention. Keeping your staff happy and safe at work should be a top priority and will create a team that is more likely to stick around long term. It can also help when it comes to recruiting new staff, as people generally prefer to work for a responsible company that gives back.

You could even find that your business benefits from cost reductions by implementing and actioning CSR plans.