January 29, 2007—Health care manufacturer Abbott has announced it is the first Fortune 100 company to participate in the PHH GreenFleet pilot program designed to improve vehicle efficiency and reduce fuel consumption among commercial fleets.
Reducing emissions from its vehicle fleet will help Abbott meet its corporate goal of reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below its 2004 levels by 2010, says the company.
The innovative program was developed jointly by PHH Arval and Environmental Defense to reduce pollution among the approximately nine million US vehicles registered to commercial vehicle fleets. According to PHH Arval, fleet vehicles are driven an average of 25,000 miles per year—nearly double the mileage, fuel consumption, and corresponding emissions of personal vehicles.
As part of the program, Abbott established a greenhouse gas baseline and incorporated more efficient vehicles into the fleet. In order to encourage drivers to choose more environmentally friendly vehicles, Abbott says it offered upgrade incentives such as satellite radios and sunroofs and clearly communicated with drivers about the environmental impacts of their choices. As a result, 20 percent of drivers chose more fuel-efficient vehicles in the most recent fleet selection.
The PHH GreenFleet program is designed to help companies cost-effectively measure, reduce, and offset their greenhouse gas emissions. Participation includes: in-depth analysis and recommendations to improve efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; quarterly measurement and reporting of emissions; and resources to offset remaining emissions.
For more information visit PHH Arval.
