VISEO opens up France's mileage allowance to cyclists

In order to establish its CSR policy in an increasingly responsible manner, VISEO has decided to apply the optional government measure via the introduction of a bicycle mileage allowance for employees who cycle between their home and their workplace.

VISEO seeks to bring its CSR (Corporate and Social Responsibility) policy to the fore and has chosen to focus on this scheme to promote alternative modes of transport.

This is an opportunity to review the group's other CSR actions with Marie-Clotilde Mangé, Director of Human Resources for VISEO Group.

An environmental and social policy

"As a mid-sized company, we have a number of environmental and social responsibilities. Accordingly, our head office is NF-HQE certified, which implies an optimization of energy resources and a recycling policy for our waste, especially electronic waste. Paperless meal vouchers and payslips also mean we make significant paper savings," explains Marie-Clotilde. 

At VISEO, environmental concerns are also reflected in the ramp-up of teleworking and videoconferencing: "For the past two years, we have opted for an active policy of reduced travel by encouraging and developing teleworking, and providing remote communication tools such as Skype or Jitsi."

VISEO also aims to spearhead support for associations, and participates in many charitable events such as the Daffodil Race, the Odyssea Race and the Hero Race for the benefit of the Beat Cystic Fibrosis Association. The group also actively supports the AIRES association which strives to promote the sustainable integration of persons with mental disabilities. As a privileged partner, VISEO has been rewarded four times for its participation in the association's Business Club.

Empowering the employee

"This associative involvement is only the most visible aspect of our social action; it should not overshadow the most important aspect, namely the management of our employees," explains Marie-Clotilde. "Over the years, we have developed a veritable process for providing our employees with the best possible support, including mentoring systems and regular, in-depth interviews to assess their well-being at work and enhance their contribution to the company on a daily basis, notably through the creation of various collaborative exchange forums."

As such, the introduction of the mileage compensation scheme is not just another tool intended to reflect the reforms introduced in the wake of the Grenelle de l'Environnement, it also allows employees to take responsibility for themselves and rethink their mobility in line with environmental issues.

"At some of our sites, such as Grenoble, this reimbursement scheme allows many employees to leave their cars at home and enjoy increased mobility for short journeys, particularly between the station and the group's local headquarters," explains Marie-Clotilde. "In fact, the allowance can be combined with our coverage of public transport costs when employees use their bicycle to go to a public transport stop or a public cycle hire service station."

The allowance is capped at €200 per year. In order to be eligible, the employee simply provides the HR department with a monthly declaration indicating the number of kilometers covered.

"Obviously, this process is entirely based on trust!" adds Marie-Clotilde with a smile. "We are unable to control the actual number of kilometers travelled by each employee, but it is precisely through this type of action that we can apply a policy of accountability and foster a relaxed relationship between employees."