Tag Archive: Sustainability

  1. LAKA shines with startup honour and green initiatives

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    Source: LAKA LinkedIn

    Cycle insurance provider and LEVA EU member LAKA reported a very successful April, with its listing in the 6th edition of the top 50 European Startups in clean mobility, and the spotlight shone on the meaningful impacts of its sustainability work.

    Firstly, LAKA was named as one of the top 50 European Startups in clean mobility by the EUSP (The European Startup Prize for Mobility), an EU acceleration and investment programme for sustainable mobility startup organisations. The top 50 list identifies the most promising startups in aiding the transition to smarter, cleaner and more inclusive transportation.

    The insurance brand was selected from hundreds of applications in an extensive evaluation process conducted by independent experts across Europe who represent mobility, innovation, investment, policy and sustainability fields.

    LAKA’s reusing and recycling initiative

    The brand also celebrated World Earth Day in outlining its sustainable actions on supporting a circular economy by helping bicycle materials to be re-used and kept out of landfill waste as much as possible. It does this by working with specialist partners to look at salvaging damaged bicycles by salvaging parts that still could be used and recycling the remainder.

    LAKA joins forces with Ride Bristol

    LAKA is proud to help Ride Bristol in its mission of building, maintaining and protection local trails in the UK city. Its recent donation has helped the company maintain its trails and train new ride leaders so it can host more cycling group rides and community events.

    April 2025 marked a great month for LAKA, as its industry recognition and green initiatives emphasised its commitment to driving cleaner and sustainable community-focused mobility solutions across Europe.

  2. MAHLE celebrates sustainability milestone with top CDP climate assessment rating

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    Source: Pedelec-Elektro-Fahrrad.de

    LEVA EU member MAHLE has achieved the highest rating from the globally recognized Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its climate protection efforts. For the first time, the company has received an “A” grade in the climate protection category, securing a “Leadership” rating, highlighting its strong commitment to sustainability.

    The CDP, an independent organisation, evaluates companies worldwide based on their transparency and climate action initiatives. It states that MAHLE has demonstrated significant progress in reducing CO2 emissions, achieving a 47% reduction in emissions from its energy consumption since 2019. Additionally, it has reduced its emissions along the supply chain and during product use (Scope 3) by 17%.

    Georg Dietz, a member of the MAHLE Group Management Board, emphasized the importance of this achievement, stating, “This outstanding rating is strong evidence of the successful implementation of our sustainability strategy and an important signal to our customers, business partners, investors and employees.”

    Innovative technologies drive sustainability

    MAHLE’s environmental success is driven by a range of strategic initiatives, including technological advancements, process optimizations aimed at energy efficiency, and an increased reliance on renewable energy sources.

    Kathrin Apel, Head of Sustainability, Health, Occupational Safety, and Environmental Management at MAHLE, highlighted key measures that have contributed to the company’s sustainability progress. “Our progress in climate protection was made possible by replacing fossil fuels with electricity and by increasing the use of recycled and bio-based materials. We are also working intensively with our suppliers to further reduce emissions,” Apel stated.

    Expanding sustainability to electric mobility

    As well as being a key player in the automotive industry, MAHLE has made strides in sustainable mobility solutions, particularly in the e-bike industry. Its electric bicycle drive systems set new benchmarks for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly transportation solutions, aligning with MAHLE’s broader strategy to support the decarbonization of the automotive industry while exploring additional sustainable transportation options.

    Ambitious goals for climate neutrality

    MAHLE has set an ambitious target of achieving climate neutrality by 2040. By 2030, the company aims to further reduce emissions along the supply chain and during product use by an additional 28%. Transparency in sustainability reporting remains a key priority, with MAHLE subjecting its energy and emissions data to external audits since 2021.

    With its continued commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation, MAHLE remains a powerful force in driving sustainable mobility solutions worldwide.

  3. Mobility options such as e-bikes are popular among German employees

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    Source: SAZ Bike

    Future Mobility Lab of the University of St. Gallen, Germany, investigates workplace mobility transitions in 2024/2025 research project.

    The Future Mobility Lab, part of the University of St. Gallen’s Institute for Mobility, is conducting a research project in 2024/2025 to explore how workplace mobility behaviour can be successfully transformed. A preliminary report from the study has now been published.

    Corporate bike fleets on the rise

    Corporate bikes are becoming increasingly popular. A representative sample of socially insured employees in Germany was surveyed to assess how likely employers are to offer various mobility options. Scenarios included e-car leasing, company bike leasing, the Germany Ticket, car-sharing, micro-mobility sharing, and mobility budgets. Notably, 95% of employees surveyed in Germany stated their employer offers the option to work remotely.

    The study revealed that 76% of employees occasionally or frequently combine their commute with other errands. This highlights the rising relevance of e-cargo bikes. Flexibility and time efficiency emerged as the top factors influencing employees’ choice of transportation for commuting. Additionally, over 55% of respondents emphasised the importance of sustainability in mobility options.

    E-bike ranks second among preferred benefits

    “The majority of results speak in favour of company bikes as a commuting vehicle. As a partner of the Future Mobility Lab, it is extremely important for us to use scientific findings, like those in the current study, to further develop our mobility strategy and provide tailored solutions to our customers. Particularly in urban areas, where about 43% of the surveyed companies are based, the potential of high-quality company bikes remains largely untapped,” said Fabian Kral, CSO of Company Bike. Since 2012, Company Bike has been helping businesses transition to flexible mobility solutions through corporate bikes.

    Interestingly, when asked about their preferred workplace benefits, employees ranked e-bikes second only to additional paid vacation days.

    High demand for company bike leasing

    From the employers’ perspective, 618 organisations in the Future Mobility Lab’s network participated in the study through a convenience sampling approach. Respondents included fleet, mobility, and HR managers who shared insights into their mobility strategies.

    The study found that 59% of employers have made changes to their mobility offerings in the past three years. Key updates included introducing company bike leasing (77%), electrifying vehicle fleets (72%), expanding remote work options (62%), and offering the Germany Ticket (52%).

    The full pre-report, which includes data from Germany and Switzerland, is now available. The comprehensive findings of the study, Reimagining Workplace Mobility, will be published in Spring 2025, following an in-depth analysis of employer practices over several months.

  4. Lacros receives sustainability award nomination

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    The folding e-bike brand has been nominated in the Most Sustainable Innovation Concept category by Dutch camping awards organisation Duurzaamheidscongres Kampeerbranche.

    Lacros is thrilled that its commitment to sustainability and innovation has been recognised in many ways, firstly due to its offering of electric folding bikes as a form of sustainable and practical transportation that can be used for camping trips.

    Secondly, the close monitoring of the use and choice of its materials for manufacturing its bicycles in Europe. Its production uses lead-free varnish, tires made from recycled rubber and it also requires that all of its suppliers must demonstrate that they handle their production sustainably. In regards to waste, Lacros adopts a zero-waste principle, guaranteeing all of its waste materials are separated and recycled.

    Finally, the Dutch manufacturer has a fully neutral energy building that uses solar energy for optimum energy efficiency and is built with certified materials that improve forest sustainability.

    Votes for Lacros can be submitted here.

  5. Segway looks set to improve its sustainability further after LCA success

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    Zag Daily looks at how Segway is minimising its environmental impact with the incorporation of recycled plastic and metal into the production of its e-scooters.

    Segway was already aiming to increase its dependence on recycled materials when leading international testing organisation TÜV SÜD studied its environmental impact, and awarded Segway with its first ever Life Cycle Assesement (LCA) award.

    The LCA has facilitated the brand to improve its understanding on carbon emissions and its causes, and build on its recycled materials commitment by working with TÜV SÜD to identify and enforce improvements across its product life cycles (in terms of resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact) to meet its sustainability goals.

    Sustainability evaluation with TÜV SÜD

    Segway’s electric scooter models S90L and Max Plus X were evaluated by TÜV SÜD, and measured by 18 environmental impact categories such as global warming impact, ozone depletion and fossil resource scarcity.

    TÜV SÜD’s findings identified Segway’s raw material stage as a key area for improvement, highlighting its aluminium alloy structural components.

    Since gaining valuable insight into the findings, Segway has responded by highlighting its ongoing commitment to reducing emissions and placing sustainability at the forefront of its quest to identify greener and lower carbon substitutes for its raw materials and components, particularly for plastic and metal components. Recent vehicles developed by the company have used approximately 41% recycled metal in their total metal weight.

    As part of its efforts to further improve its carbon footprint, Segway is also committed to achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

    Read more about Segway’s sustainability work.

  6. Nominations are open for the 2025 Sustainable Transport Award

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    Source: ITDP

    ITDP and the Sustainable Transport Award Committee are inviting you to nominate your city for the 2025 STA, which will also mark the 20th anniversary of the programme. Nominations are open until April 5, 2024.

    Is your city or region making noteworthy advancements in transportation, street design, or policy changes aimed at enhancing mobility and the overall well-being of its residents? The Sustainable Transport Award (STA) offers a distinctive global acknowledgement, evaluated by a panel of international experts in sustainable transport and development, to highlight the often overlooked progress happening at the grassroots level.

    ITDP and the STA Committee invite you to nominate your city for the 2025 Award. Nominations will be accepted until April 5, 2024, and applications can be accessed at staward.org. Anyone with knowledge of city initiatives and project details can submit a nomination. If your city is shortlisted for the second round, further information will be requested.

    Since 2005, the Sustainable Transport Award has honoured bold leadership and vision in sustainable transportation and urban liveability. These initiatives aim to improve mobility for all residents, curtail transportation-related greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, and improve safety and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians. Nominations are encouraged from all interested parties, including government bodies, civil society organizations, and academic institutions. Nominations must include verifiable project data and city contact information.

    Cities of varying sizes around the globe have been recognized by the committee for their exemplary practices in sustainable transport. A comprehensive list of previous winning cities, along with details of their achievements, is available here. Past winners include:

    • Jakarta, Indonesia
    • Fortaleza, Brazil
    • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    • Santiago, Chile
    • Yichang, China
    • Mexico City, México
    • San Francisco, United States
    • Ahmedabad, India
    • Bogotá, Colombia
    • Paris, France

    The 2024 Sustainable Transport Award was presented to Tianjin, China, for its initiatives to promote sustainable mobility through the expansion of non-motorized transport (NMT) infrastructure, emphasizing cycling, walking, and public spaces. Tianjin was accompanied by one STA honourable mention — the City of Peshawar, Pakistan — acknowledged for its endeavours to transition its bus fleet to cleaner, more efficient vehicles.

    To further showcase and delve into the success stories of these winning cities, ITDP and the STA Team will host the Sustainable Transport Award Series 2024, a webinar series throughout the year exploring the elements and policies that led to these cities’ recognition by the STA.

  7. A call is open for the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme for 24 Champion Cities

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    Source: CIVITAS

    The CIVITAS initiative aids cities in accessing innovative solutions and tackling their transportation issues by facilitating activities including twinning sessions, co-creation workshops, and site visits.

    A call is open until 16 January 2024 for Champion Cities, to work alongside selected Challenge Cities. These cities must have expertise in one of three areas:

    1. Sustainable urban logistics (Selected Challenge Cities: Funchal (PT), and Bruges (BE))
    2. Placemaking and participatory processes (Selected Challenge Cities: Riga (LT), and Istanbul (TR))
    3. Universal design and accessibility (Selected Challenge Cities: Kadıköy (TR), and Komitini (GR))

    Champion Cities will share their expertise and best practices with the selected Challenge Cities. The selected Challenge Cities are listed above with their respective topic area.

    From 2023 to 2027, CIVITAS plans to enlist 12 Challenge cities and 24 Champion cities to participate in the programme, involving diverse take-up and transfer activities such as twinning sessions, co-creation workshops, and site visits. Through the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme, the 12 Challenge Cities will each craft a Deployment Plan aimed at resolving their specific mobility challenges.

    Fill in the Champion Cities application form.

  8. Dott completes refurbishment of 10,000 e-scooters

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    Dott, the responsible micromobility operator, today announces the complete refurbishment of 10,000 of its shared e-scooters. The achievement will double the expected lifespan of those vehicles to seven years, cutting carbon emissions per kilometre by nearly 50%.

    The milestone coincides with the publication of Dott’s latest sustainability report, covering 2022 initiatives. Dott continued to drive down its CO2 emissions in 2022, reaching a total 63% reduction in CO2 emissions per kilometre since 2020.1

    Reducing our impact:

    The refurbishment project removes the need to purchase new vehicles, which has the biggest impact on Dott’s overall carbon footprint. Taking place in Lyon, France and Warsaw, Poland, the scooters are completely dismantled by a dedicated team of specialists, sorted into parts for either recycling, repairing or reusing and then fully renovated and painted. The 10,000 refurbished e-scooters are now supporting trips in Dott cities across Europe.

    Dott also advanced its recycling rate across its operations throughout 2022, sending 90% of all waste to be recycled, compared to 80% in 2021. The figure meets Dott’s 2025 target ahead of time, leading to a renewed, ambitious target of 95% of all waste being recycled in 2023.

    Supporting our teams:

    The launch of Dott’s ‘Ride Your Future’ programme in 2022 provides training to operations and ground teams across software tools, communication, management and organisation skills. Classes take place during paid, working hours, and in 2022 a total of 40 people have been able to develop new skills to further their careers.

    Tackling pollution in cities:

    Dott’s most mature cities now operate under 30 g CO2 per km, a figure which is equivalent to public transport,2 and close to reaching an overall target of 20 grams of CO2 per km ridden by 2025.

    Maxim Romain, Co-Founder and COO, Dott, said: “In 2022 we progressed towards mass adoption of our service, doubling the number of rides whilst continuing to drive down our carbon emissions. We have demonstrated our commitment to sustainability with a major refurbishment programme, fully rebuilding 10,000 e-scooters so far to double their lifespan, eliminating the need to manufacture more vehicles. By focusing on responsible operations we aim to keep generating a positive impact for our teams and the people living in the cities where we operate.”

    The environment and social impact are at the heart of every business decision at Dott. The micromobility company has set out its goals and progress at ridedott.com/sustainability.

  9. Call for R&D lightweighting projects

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    Source: Eureka Network

    Submissions deadline 25th April: Funding has been set aside by a host of EU and other countries, for any organisations who are collaborating on international R&D projects in lightweighting.

    Submissions of R&D project applications can be made until 12.00 CEST on 25th April; project consortiums must include organisations based in a minimum of two of the following countries / regions: Austria, Belgium, (Flanders and Wallonia), Canada, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden and Switzerland.

    R&D lightweight technology projects are the focus of the call, as these innovations award sustainability and commercial value. Trans-border partnerships and alliances are a requirement for success, and permit access to customers, technologies and best practices for stakeholders’ businesses and research bodies.

    Funding for the projects varies from territory to territory. For example, Switzerland grants a maximum of 70% of the total cost, while South Korea grants up to 500 million KRW (approx. 370,000 Euros) per year up to 3 years. Projects need to be positively evaluated by all participate funding bodies in order to receive funding in accordance with the funding budgets for each. Self-funding is an option.

    Eureka’s Network projects consortium does come with some eligibility directions, for example the project must be directed at researching or developing an innovative product, process or service with the goal of commercialisation and must have a civilian purpose. Additional directives are required in order to be eligible for funding, for example the product or process must be innovative and with the potential to create impact and not exceed 36 months.

    Applications are via multiple channels. Perhaps most simple is by creating an account on the Eureka application portal, after which applications will be reviewed by the corresponding territory bodies. Evaluations of each project will relate to the impact they have made on the market, the innovation and excellence, quality and efficiency of its implementation and its overall perception, judged by a panel of experts who will list three positive and negative elements for each.

    More information and a contact form can be found here.