Willmott Dixon was awarded ‘best private sector fleet’ at the Energy Saving Trust’s Fleet Hero awards - the second time in three years the company has triumphed at these awards. It reflects how Willmott Dixon’s fuel and carbon-busting initiatives is making its vans and cars, as well as its employees’ vehicles, the greenest in the country.

In 2013 Willmott Dixon:

• Tripled the number of car-share miles claimed by its employees
• Introduced Van Driver League Tables to incentivise economical driving
• Made sustainable travel plans mandatory for all offices and sites
• Rolled-out MS Lync videoconferencing across all offices
• Doubled Green Bonus payment for staff choosing low-emissions cars
• Restricted company car CO2 emissions to maximum 120gCO2e/km
• Brought in speed limiters for its van fleet.
• The Energy Saving Trust also commended Willmott Dixon for improving the way it collects, monitors and reports data, and the focus it is placing on driving down transport-related carbon emissions.

Our business activities involve a considerable amount of travel: the construction side of our business has 15 offices across the UK and around 150 building sites across the country at any one time; our Support Services division maintains and repairs over half a million homes.
Paul Smith, Willmott Dixon Support Services

The Fleet Hero Awards identify public and private sector organisations that are successfully reducing fuel bills and cutting carbon emissions through better transport policies and improved fleet efficiency. The Energy Saving Trust also recognises businesses that supply cost and fuel saving products or services to fleets.

Paul Smith, Willmott Dixon’s director with responsibility for sustainable development said: “We are delighted that our hard work has been recognised at this year’s awards. Our business activities involve a considerable amount of travel: the construction side of our business has 15 offices across the UK and around 150 building sites across the country at any one time; our Support Services division maintains and repairs over half a million homes. Transport emissions account for well over half of our overall carbon footprint. The rising cost of fuel means that our active programme to manage our emissions makes sound business as well as environmental sense.”

Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said: “The Fleet Hero Awards is one of the key events on the sustainable transport calendar and they go from strength to strength each year.This year’s winners show just what is possible for running efficient fleets and supplying innovative products and services. The successful organisations were instrumental in making this our most successful awards night to date.

“The awards show the role of the Energy Saving Trust is now more important than ever. Many fleets need our advice and guidance to take action, whether it’s those first steps they need to take to invest in their first plug-in vehicle or those that will have a lasting and sustainable impact, eliminating their grey fleet entirely. The winners this year are pioneers, setting the standards for others to follow.”