Ride to Work Scheme - UPDATE

Seems that www.cyclescheme.co.uk manage this for most bike shops in the country. Seems a pretty comprehensive service and every local bike shop I could think of was on their list. My shortlist is almost down to one.

Incidentally, it's great to be working with great people. I passed a quote from one of the guys onto Jenny, in our finance team, asking her to check out what was involved. I was expecting something to review in a couple of days. Within the hour, almost, I had the paperwork ready to sign and she was on top of what we needed to do. Marvellous.

Ride to Work Scheme

Seems I've been living under a rock for a while and missed the Ride to Work Scheme that's part of the UK Government's Green Transport Plan.

Going to offer it to everyone, I know I'll be participating.

The Ampere Strikes Back

Discovered an interesting report from the Energy Saving Trust The Ampere Strikes Back after this popped up on the Inquirer: Gadgets and saving energy don’t mix.

I've definitely over-indulged on gadgets over the years, but fortunately I'm still on a CRT TV.

Climate Change, what are we going to do about it?

I recently read Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning by George Monbiot. It's a fascinating read that collates some of the wide ranging solutions to reducing CO₂ emissions in the key areas

It has as it's base premise the requirement to cut CO₂ emissions by 90% if we are to keep CO₂ levels sufficently low to prevent further climate change. A shocking number, but he goes onto provide a series of solutions to achieving this in areas such as transport, energy production, housing, food shopping and many more.

Where this book is different is the acceptance that these changes have to happen within the context of an essentially capitalist society. Yes, austerity is required but that doesn't have to mean a reduction in living standards.

The temptation is to rush out and make sweeping changes to my life and the operation of the company to 'do our bit' to prevent climate change.

13 years ago while at University studying Environmental Engineering (blimey was it really that long ago?), that was my response. I was passionate, arrogant and naive and couldn't understand why people didn't want to do something, anything about preserving and protecting the environment.

I soon became jaded as the rest of the world ignored the issue and anyone who tried to make a difference was marginalised. I felt like a few of us were taking on the entire burden without any support from governments or fellow humans.

I sit here now newly invigorated. Climate change is well and truly on the agenda, even the current US Administration is admitting that there might be something we should consider doing. But, exciting as this is, the time hasn't come for sweeping, ill-considered changes.

It's not just because I am older and a little wiser, I might even go as far as to say I'm less arrogant. When it comes to my personal life, I can make whatever changes I want but my business life is very different.

I have a responsibility to all our stakeholders be they employees, customers or shareholders. We have to remain a profitable, viable business so we can:

• keep our employees in employment
• maintain service to our customers
• provide a return to our shareholders

Making sweeping changes to reduce our CO₂ emissions that could reduce our competitveness, when those competing against us have chosen not to make that same committment is tantamount to commercial suicide. This helps no-one.

It is at this stage I look to the government to provide the level playing field. I really want to make the changes but government policy needs to drive the majority of the solutions proposed in Heat. The challenge for government will be to do this domestically while also reaching an international consensus to ensure as a nation we remain competitive.

A daunting prospect for those in power, but the alternative doesn't really bear thinking about.

'Single' euro train ticket

No sooner have I posted about looking at lower climate impact travel alternatives when this get's announced 'Single' euro train fare planned.

A group of European high-speed rail operators have formed an alliance that will eventually make it easier to buy international train tickets.

it goes on to say

The alliance wants to compete with low-cost airlines on routes that take less than four hours flight-time and capitalise on their status as a lower-emission option.

All good news, especially with Eurostar moving to St Pancras.

New Years Resolutions

Sat down today and realised I haven't posted anything in the last two weeks. Our financial year runs July to June at Esendex and the last 2 weeks have been filled with annual reviews, budgets and all manner of other tasks.

Rather like the calender New Year, it has been a time to reflect on the last 12 months and look forward to the next. I've also realised I'm making some resolutions.

We've moved offices, made significant investment in our infrastructure, taken on more people, developed some new services, opened in a new country and signed up lots of new customers. When you look back it's an enormous amount, at the time it seemed like business as usual.

One of the challenges I think I face as an entrepreneur and business principle is sharing the overarching vision with the rest of the company. In our situation this is especially easy to forget because Julian and I talk all the time.

I can forget to share my vision with my team, allowing them to understand why we're doing what we're doing and, even more importantly, what do they think we should be doing. That's not to say I present a set of arbitrary dictates to be acted on without question, I don't. It's more about sharing the plans among the whole of the team rather than just giving people information on the areas I think they need.

Resolution #1 - Articulate and share the vision

The success of the company is also something that's easy to forget to share. Julian and I are working on hard on growing the business and are always trying to find ways to grow faster. Our ambitions always exceed reality, we're entrepreneurs, it's the way we're made, it's why we do it.

I think we do forget that we are heading up a fast growing, profitable company in an exciting sector. Everyone in the company is part of that, we should remember to let them know.

Resolution #2 - Remember to view our success from a 'normal' perspective

Sitting here in June, being rained on again, as parts of Yorkshire are still under water, it makes you think that Al Gore fella' might have a point. I'll post in more detail on this subject separately, but we have to consider the longer term impacts of everything we're doing.

My train trip to Monte Carlo showed that there are often alternative ways of achieving the same ends with a lower environmental impact. As a business principle, I can affect change in both my own life but also that of my business and hopefully inspire the rest of the team to do the same.

Resolution #3 - Consider the climate impact of what we're doing and look for alternatives.

Normal service should now be resuming, so speak to you soon.