What is Employee Commuting?
Carbon emissions from employees travelling between home and work. Employee commuting is a Scope 3 category that can be addressed through remote working, cycling schemes, and public transport incentives.
Why it matters
For office-based businesses, employee commuting can be a significant Scope 3 source. Companies with hybrid or remote-first policies can demonstrate genuine reductions, while those requiring full office attendance should consider sustainable transport incentives.
Example
A 100-person consultancy surveys commuting patterns and calculates 45 tCO₂e from daily commutes. Introducing a three-day hybrid policy reduces commuting emissions by 40%, and a cycle-to-work scheme further cuts the figure by 8%.
Related terms
Business Travel Emissions
Carbon emissions from employee travel for business purposes, including flights, trains, car journeys, and hotels. Business travel is typically a significant Scope 3 category for professional services firms.
Scope 3 Emissions
All other indirect emissions occurring in an organisation's value chain, both upstream and downstream. Scope 3 typically represents 70-90% of a company's total carbon footprint and includes emissions from suppliers, business travel, employee commuting, and product use.
Put your knowledge into practice
Start measuring your carbon footprint with EcoHedge. Connect your accounting software and get your first carbon report in hours.