The winners of the inaugural Commute Zero Hero Awards have been announced, celebrating outstanding achievements in sustainable commuting by workplaces across the UK. These initiatives have supported more than 53,000 individuals to make greener journeys over the last twelve months.
Hosted by the climate tech provider Mobilityways, the awards honour organisations and individuals driving innovative commuting solutions that reduce carbon emissions and foster a culture of sustainability.
Entries showcasing creative projects poured in from both the public and private sectors. Among the winners are Heathrow Airport, with the UK’s largest single-site Liftshare scheme; University Hospitals Dorset, whose travel team introduced the Footbus app to enhance safety for colleagues using public transport at night; and West Sussex County Council, recognised for its Active Travel Strategy prioritising school journeys.
Commenting on the win, Cllr Joy Dennis at West Sussex County Council said: “WSCC is committed to making sustainable travel journeys a safer, more convenient and more accessible option for our residents and visitors alike. A cornerstone of this commitment is our approach to Active Travel, which is about providing our residents with the ability to choose to walk, wheel or cycle instead of using their cars for journeys to school, work and many more destinations. Our Active Travel to School programme provides site-specific footway and cycle improvements, with behaviour change interventions to build the habit of travelling actively from a young age.”
Meanwhile, Encirc was honoured with the Best Workplace Initiative Award for its car-share solution with a reward system that’s saved 3.33 tonnes of CO2 and 16,938 miles within the first six months. Stuart Jensen, Head of Reward and Analytics said: “Sustainability is at the core of all we do at Encirc. The car-sharing initiative rewards our people for taking part in the scheme and helps us to cut back significant emissions on the commute to work. This recognition is a timely boost for our car-share solution at Encirc as we look to increase and develop further its impact across the business.”
Mobilityways Managing Director, Julie Furnell, commented, “The Commute Zero Hero Awards recognise those leading the charge in making commuting greener, healthier, and more efficient. Our winners have developed best practices that deliver measurable impacts in the mission to make zero-carbon commuting a reality. From reducing emissions to improving the health, wealth, and happiness of their teams, these organisations demonstrate the transformative power of sustainable commuting solutions. We’re delighted to celebrate their success and inspire others to follow suit.”
Hear more from Julie in the Commute Zero Hero Awards 2025 video.
Often overlooked, Scope 3 commuting emissions account for 5% of the UK’s total carbon footprint, equating to 18 billion kilograms of CO2e annually. As more workplaces encourage a return to the office, reducing the environmental impact of commuting is essential for achieving ambitious net–zero targets.