Water and environmental specialist MWH Treatment has reduced its average UK fleet CO2 from 152g/km to 123g/km with the help of GE Capital’s Fleet Services division.

The company, which runs 310 company cars, expects to reduce this figure further to below 120g/km by 2013 and has also implemented a successful range of cost efficiency measures under GE’s guidance.

The results were achieved through a complete rethink of the existing MWH structured Employee Car Ownership (ECO) Scheme that was in operation when GE won the contract in late 2010.

Following detailed analysis of the ECO scheme, MWH Treatment adopted a whole life cost approach to producing their company car choice lists.

The programme included a comprehensive restructuring of the choice list that encouraged the uptake of lower CO2 emitting vehicles, thus providing a benefit to both MWH and the driver.

Other initiatives included a driver risk programme to improve on-road safety using GE’s Safe Solutions programme and a full review of peripheral fleet supply costs including fuel.

This culminated in the implementation of a robust mileage capture system to control fuel costs and an easy to use portal for vehicle quotation and ordering that has significantly reduced administration.

Gary Killeen, Fleet Services’ commercial leader for GE Capital UK, said: “MWH Treatment has been clear in their objective to bring their fleet policy into line with their strong environmental ethos. Consequently, GE’s Key Solutions fleet consultancy team was empowered to challenge the MWH employee car ownership scheme they had in place to propose a comprehensive and radically different solution with a lower carbon footprint and lower costs.

“GE’s solution not only met the MWH brief but also delivered cost transparency and control, long-term efficiency and flexibility, and high levels of support to MWH’s drivers.”

Dave West MCIPS, head of procurement for MWH Treatment, said: “As an environmental and energy renewable firm, we are aware of our environmental responsibilities and part of our decision to appoint GE Capital as our fleet provider was their expertise and capability in this area.

“The clear advice we have been offered has undoubtedly ensured that our policy has achieved the desired results and will continue to do so.’’