Promoting safe, sustainable mobility is more important for employers than ever, delegates at the Driving for Better Business Private Sector Leadership Summit were told.

More than 100 business leaders attended the event to discuss the importance of leadership and compliance in reducing road incidents.

Simon Turner, campaign manager at Driving For Better Business, said: “Leaders have many issues they must contend with to run their respective organisations and we have found that often, elements that contribute to work-related road safety are not as high on their agendas as they should be.

“However, the factors around riding or driving for work have changed significantly in recent years.

“Promoting safe, sustainable mobility is now more important than ever as companies look to reduce both business risk and their impact on the environment.

“Leaders need to be seen to back robust policies that ensure compliance with existing legislation, and to have a firm grip on all their fleet activity.

“We are also calling on them to extend that leadership beyond their own firms, sharing good practice and demanding the same high standards of their own supply chains.”

Presentations were deliverd at the event by DfBB ‘Business Champions:’ companies that have implemented the Driving For Better Business programme and as a result are experiencing a host of benefits to their business including reductions in insurance claims, lower maintenance costs, repair costs, admin costs, fuel use and emissions.

Among these was James Haluch, managing director at Amey Highways. He said: “There are tangible benefits to organisations adopting policies that are integral to the Driving for Better Business programme.

“For example, in the past 12 months, Amey Highway’s ‘at fault’ incidents reduced by 49%. Like-for-like fleet emissions of CO₂ dropped 6%; we recorded 30% better efficiency in fleet utilisation and used four per cent less fuel.

“It is now the time to encourage open and honest collaboration between organisations and suppliers to continue to do better in ensuring that our people and employees are safe on the roads.”

During the event, several new DfBB Champions were invited to the stage by Jim O’Sullivan including Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Morgan Sindall, Jacobs, Carnell Support Services, Toppesfield and Wilson & Scott.