Beldens EMEA Region Goes Green with Updated Car Policy

As a global organization crafting policies around company cars, you might first think of topics such as who drives company cars, how they can be used and how to order one. While Belden’s policies certainly incorporate these kinds of considerations, the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) team has taken things one step further. They’ve gone green!

When Belden announced our ESG goals in April 2022, caring for the environment was a key component of the plan. Teams around the world are already doing many things to be good stewards of the planet. They’re coming together to plant trees, clean up parks, bike to work and develop energy and water conservation initiatives that are reducing consumption. Now in EMEA, a newly released car policy outlines incentives for associates to choose environmentally friendly vehicles across the region – and it’s all based on emission rates.

“There are a number of associates who, for many years, have opted for low-emission company cars,” said Karin van Meurs, Vice President of Human Resources in Belden’s EMEA region. “Our goal is to accelerate that adoption rate by offering bonuses to those who go green.”

The new car policy sets a maximum allowable emission rate for company vehicles and also  outlines several levels of available monthly bonuses for associates choosing to secure a company vehicle. The top-level bonus is paid for vehicles with less than 49 g/km (79 g/mile), which generally includes electric vehicles.

Each year, electric vehicles are becoming more popular as technology advances. A recent report shows that in February 2022, 38% more electric vehicles were sold in Europe compared to February 2021. In addition, the sale of electric vehicles in Europe surpassed diesel for the first time ever in December 2021.  This is great news for the environment, and a trend that the Belden team in EMEA can play a part in advancing.

“Our focus on sustainability is always increasing,” said van Meurs. “We’re committed to doing the work that will help Belden reach our ESG goals and play a role in protecting the planet. So, we’re looking at all of our policies and procedures through that lens.”

“Programs like these exemplify Belden’s dedication towards Environmental Stewardship. I am proud of our employees who continue to develop these programs in support of our ESG goals,” said Scott Dendler, Sr. Director of Corporate EH&S.