The £3,000 can be used by employees to help them buy a new bike, accessories and safety equipment tax-free. As the weather is set to improve, Sodexo is keen to encourage its employees to ‘get on their bikes’ and boost their health and wellbeing by cycling to work.
Cycling to work not only provides regular exercise, it is often a faster, cheaper and greener way to travel. To date 1,888 applications have been made to the scheme. With the increased financial support, Sodexo hopes to see more of its people take up cycling.
Mark Goodyer, human resources director at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “Not only is it good for your physical and mental health but it also reduces other costs such as public transport, fuel, parking as well as gym membership.
“Not to mention the time you'll save from not having to wait for buses, trams or trains or rush hour traffic or roadworks. Cycling has minimal impact on the environment too so by encouraging as many people as we can to get on their bikes, we will be helping to protect our planet from harmful emissions.”
Staff can also donate their old bikes to a Sodexo provider which collects unwanted bikes to send to Africa to enable them to travel to work, school and to carry goods to sell.