Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Sarah Clark Stuart speaks to a crowd on Bike to Work Day 2016
In an effort to congratulate Philadelphia’s private sector on encouraging a better, bikeable city, the Bicycle Coalition put out a call for Philadelphia’s most bike-“Phriendly” businesses in Philadelphia.
We put out the call in April, asking employees what their employer did to encourage a bike-friendly workplace, specifically asking if their place of work offered the following:
- Secure bicycle parking (bike parking room, option to bring bikes inside or free secure bike parking in a nearby garage)
- Bike-supportive employee facilities (showers, lockers to stash bike clothes/gear)
- Bicycling encouragement program (rewards system, company rides, new employee bicycle-focused materials)
- Bicycle Commuter Benefits (annual or monthly stipend)
- Bicycling culture in the office (regular commuters, listserv for employees to connect, riding club, support network for new riders)
- Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Business Member, Discount Partner or Sponsor
- Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia membership as a part of employment perks
After reading through two-dozen or so applicants, the Bicycle Coalition’s Bike-Phriendly Business Board came up with two winners: Project H.O.M.E. and Ticketleap.
“As much as we appreciate public bike lanes, we really depend on the private sector to create work environments that make bicycling to and from work an easy and appealing option to their employees,” said Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Sarah Clark Stuart during the Bike To Work Day rally/press conference at Dilworth Park on Friday, May 20.
In presenting to Project H.O.M.E., she noted the non-profit organization offers secure bike parking for their employees, residents, makes efforts to foster bike culture, and offers a bicycling encouragement program to its employees – on top of their work to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness in our city.
A representative from Project H.O.M.E. accepts the non-profit Bicycle-Phriendly Business Award
In announcing the second award, for a for-profit business, Stuart noted Ticketleap, a company which helps companies and acts sell their tickets online, has a “quarter of their employees already biking to work, they’ve established a true cycling community in their office, [they] offer secure bicycle parking, bicycling encouragement programs, and the office has also purchased two Indego memberships for any employee to use whenever they might need to take a quick trip around town.”
A representative from Ticketleap accepts their Bike-Phriendly Business Award
The Bike-Phriendly Business Awards are a new award given by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and we plan on doing it again next year – and the year after that, and after that, etc. – so, if you’re interested in being recognized next year, start encouraging a bicycling in your office now!
For more information on how to partner with the Bicycle Coalition on fostering bike-friendliness in your office, email bike@bicyclecoalition.org.