IWG, the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions, has announced it is opening its doors to office workers who choose to cycle to work, in celebration of UK Bike Week.
IWG will provide free access to its workspaces nationwide between 5-11th June 2023, with workers able to enjoy more than 300 IWG locations throughout the UK.
To participate, all workers need to do is find the nearest location and download the IWG or Regus apps. When they arrive at their centre of choice, they will only need to show a photo of their bike parked with that day’s timestamp or a receipt from a bike-sharing company to the IWG team and they will be provided access to the business lounge or co-working space.
All IWG locations have fully furnished spaces, reliable high-speed Wi-Fi connection, 24/7 customer service and dedicated meeting room spaces. On the app, users can access a range of professional products and services from booking meeting rooms to printing collateral to utilising facilities including private offices, meeting rooms, co-working and creative spaces.
The daily commute is a major contributor of emissions, with a traditional five-day commute into a city centre having the biggest carbon footprint of all, according to a recent study from IWG and sustainability consultancy Arup. The report found that in March 2020 global CO2 emissions fell by as much as a quarter, due to people staying at home demonstrating the importance of reducing commuting in the fight against climate change.
Reducing long daily commutes – at local workspaces reachable by foot or bike – can reduce carbon emissions by up to 70% according to the research. In London specifically, the study found that carbon emissions were reduced by 49% for those mixing time between a city centre HQ and local workspace, and 43% lower when splitting time between a local workspace and home.
Iwg and Arup’s study corroborates the concept of the 15-minute city — where people live, work and play locally, within 15 minutes of their home – which gained popularity since the pandemic and enables more people to choose sustainable modes of transport to work. Recent polling conducted by IWG shows that 60% of UK workers would like to work within 15 minutes of home in order to spend more time with friends and family and less time commuting.
“Sustainability is top of mind for many companies around the world — and their employees are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Mark Dixon, CEO and Founder of IWG.
“During UK Bike Week, we are promoting sustainable transportation and access to office spaces that are closer to home – both of which are growing trends and interests of our customers. The shift to the hybrid work model is bolstered by the rising popularity of the concept of the 15-minute city across the UK and around the world, where people live and work within 15 minutes of their home.”
IWG footfall data from the last year shows that the demand for workspaces outside of busy city centres has grown by 36%. To meet increased demand to work locally and in a 15-minute city model, IWG will be opening 1,000 new locations over the next year and the majority will be in suburban and rural locations – including in towns with populations as small as 10,000 such as Crewe, Taunton and Preston.
