Lloyds’ SME sustainability survey
The Lloyds banking survey of SMEs and sustainability reported that the key benefits felt by SMEs engaging in sustainability were:
- 54% believed it reduced their costs
- 42% reported it made a positive environmental contribution
- 30% believed it increased company profitability
- 27% felt it made them a more attractive employer
- 26% believed it made a positive community contribution
YOU could soon have a range of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles as part of your range of company cars if you believe the latest research from Alphabet.
It says that 2014 is the year that businesses finally take note of alternative energy – something supported by Lloyds Bank, which says a quarter of UK SMEs have made sustainability a top priority for this year.
The shift in opinion has come with the launch of some big name manufacturers in the alternative fuels arena, such as BMW with the i3 and Audi with the A3 e-tron, which is due to arrive in a few months’ time.
That adds further credibility to the impressive array of electric vehicles on the market, including the Nissan LEAF and the excellent Tesla Model S, which introduces electric-only power to that chunk of the market occupied by the likes of the luxury Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Range Rover.
Paul Hollick, chief commercial officer at Alphabet says: “There is still a way to go in terms of [electric vehicle] charging infrastructure in the UK. However, many of the traditional barriers to EV ownership are now falling, as costs come down and manufacturers invest in battery life and range.
“We’re confident that, with support from the corporate and public sectors, the adoption of EVs will more than double, from 4200 to 10,000, over the next three years.”