THE apathetic attitude of many firms to limiting fleet emissions has been called ‘outrageous’ by an expert in corporate responsibility.

According to research, one in three of the UK’s top businesses feel that it is not important to be perceived as a green company.

And Rob Cameron, director of corporate strategic responsibility consultancy Flag, said: ‘We feel that the outcome of this research is outrageous.

‘The need to act over climate change is huge but this evidence suggests that business is failing to connect the opportunities to both save money and cut emissions. Smart companies are adding big numbers to their bottom line by cutting emissions through both energy savings and fuel efficiency.’

The research, carried out by vehicle management company LeasePlan, showed management and workers are failing to take the threat of climate change seriously.The firm talked to 200 large UK businesses and found that 29% of them did not think being seen as green was a priority, while 51% said they were not doing everything they could to be environmentally friendly.

David Brennan, managing director of LeasePlan, said: ‘There are many ways companies can lower their impact on the environment, but because transport ranks as one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in the UK, examining and improving fleet emissions should be one of the first areas businesses review.

‘There are many relatively simple actions a fleet operator can take to reduce emissions, such as reviewing the specific vehicles used in the fleet and managing fuel consumption.

‘Drivers must also take responsibility for reducing emissions, which can be achieved through a number of simple measures such as considered journey planning and preparation.’

Cameron added: ‘Clearly, there is still a big education challenge ahead of us.’