Employee Commuting:

Boosting ESG Compliance With Sustainable Options

In today’s business landscape, ESG compliance isn’t a buzzword; it’s (or it should be) a boardroom priority. Whether it’s driven by investor expectations, regulatory requirements, or customer values, ESG strategies are now critical to how companies operate, report, and compete. For many sustainability managers, this means building robust policies around energy use, supply chains, and carbon accounting. But there’s one major emissions source that too often flies under the radar: employee commuting.

Why? It’s usually seen as a minor slice of total emissions. Data collection can be tricky, raising privacy concerns when tracking individual commute patterns. Plus, commuting emissions don’t always feel like a company’s direct responsibility, especially when compared to supply chain or production impacts. But here’s why it matters: even though commuting may represent a smaller share of overall emissions, it has a huge impact on local communities, urban congestion, air quality, and, importantly, on the daily lives and well-being of your employees.Unlike many Scope 3 categories, it’s something you can actually influence, measure, and report on with the right tools. Based on PwC Net Zero Economy Index 2024, despite increasing efforts across the public and private sectors, Ireland remains significantly off track in meeting its national climate targets. According to the EPA, while the electricity and residential sectors have achieved over 20% decarbonisation between 2018 and 2023, progress in the country’s two largest emitters – agriculture and transport – has been minimal, with reductions of just 2.9% and 4.2% respectively. Overall, emissions in 2023 were only 7.8% lower than 2018 levels, falling well short of the trajectory needed to reach Ireland’s legally binding target of a 51% reduction by 2030. The transport sector, where commuting plays an important role, must reduce emissions by 12% annually to stay on track, making it one of the most urgent and impactful areas for corporate ESG action. In Ireland, the commuting crisis is both a climate and corporate challenge. According to the National Transport Authority, the majority of daily trips are made for work or school, and an overwhelming share of those are taken by private car. Over 70% of journeys are car-based, even for distances under 2km.

What Does This Mean For Your ESG Strategy?

Simply put: if you’re not looking at commuting, you’re missing a real opportunity to act on something you can actually influence.

Unlike many Scope 3 emissions categories, which are often buried deep in supply chains or outsourced processes, commuting is close to home.

It’s one of the few areas where companies can make a direct, measurable difference for their employees, the local community, and the environment.

By encouraging smarter, shared, or more sustainable commuting options, you’re not only helping reduce emissions but also easing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and making a tangible impact that goes beyond ticking boxes.

It’s a chance to lead with action, not just words, and build a more credible, meaningful ESG story.

In this post, we’ll explore why sustainable commuting needs to be on every ESG radar. We’ll share key data to make the case and provide practical solutions you can implement to reduce commuting emissions, engage your workforce, and strengthen your sustainability profile.

Ireland on the Move

What the Data Says

What Sustainability Managers Are Up Against

If you’re leading sustainability efforts in Ireland, you know the pressure is real, with new rules popping up and everyone from regulators to investors watching closely. Only about 1 in 5 companies in Ireland have a proper climate transition plan in place, and nearly 40% still don’t have a dedicated sustainability team. And with the CSRD now part of Irish law, Scope 3 reporting (yep, including commuting) just got very real.

On top of that, greenwashing is a big worry; 35% of companies say it’s affecting how they even talk about sustainability. And the numbers aren’t exactly cheering: since 2018, emissions from Ireland’s biggest sectors, transport and agriculture, have barely budged. We’re only down 7.8% overall, which is a long way off from the 51% target we’re aiming for by 2030.

And let’s be honest, getting buy-in from leadership isn’t always easy. Half the time, you’re working with limited resources, complex data, and more pressure than time. But here’s the thing: commuting is one of the rare Scope 3 areas you can actually influence, and see results from fast. Done right, it cuts emissions, improves employee wellbeing, ticks off ESG boxes, and shows the world your company’s serious about sustainability.

To understand commuting through the lens of ESG, together with Censuswide, we polled 1,000 Irish commuters in 2025. The results are striking:

A whopping 91% of car commuters travel alone, driven by perceived lack of alternatives and convenience
The average one-way commute is nearly 17 km, taking around 70 minutes and costing €10 daily.
45% of commuters report feeling stressed by their daily journey, primarily due to traffic delays (44%) and rising fuel costs (30%)

These patterns matter, not just for employee wellbeing but also for your ESG strategy. Sustainable commuting is more than a social perk; it directly impacts:

Scope 3 emissions – solo car use is a major contributor
Brand and investor perception – mobility issues are increasingly being viewed as ESG risks
Employee engagement and retention – commuting stress undermines satisfaction

The Way Forward

We understand how overwhelming this all can feel. That’s why we deliver a transparent, comprehensive solution that helps sustainability managers confidently tackle these challenges. With tools to measure commuting emissions, model scenarios, engage users, and produce board-ready reports, we empower you to integrate commuting into your ESG strategy, turning a hidden risk into a strategic advantage.

From Challenge to Opportunity:

Smart Strategies for Sustainability Managers

The path to meeting ESG goals doesn’t have to be paved with complexity and compromise, especially when it comes to commuting emissions. With our solution, you gain a strategic partner that help you transform the way your employees move, while delivering measurable results for both employee wellbeing and environmental performance.

Here’s how we at KINTO Join support your ESG strategy across every stage:

1. Measure: Get a Clear Picture of Your Commuting Emissions

Our platform helps you calculate the actual carbon footprint of employee commutes, from daily distances to mode of transport, so you can quantify the emissions you’re currently reporting (or overlooking) in Scope 3. You get detailed, exportable reports tailored to ESG frameworks, allowing you to track trends over time and benchmark improvements.

We are currently offering this part of the platform FOR FREE, all you have to do is sign up here.

2. Identify & Plan: Find the Opportunities That Make a Difference

Using your organisation’s unique data, we help you identify where the biggest sustainability wins are hiding – whether that’s reducing single-occupancy vehicles, promoting carpooling, or supporting bike or public transport commuters. You can model different strategies and assess their impact before rolling them out.

3. Implement: Change Commuting Behaviours Without Resistance

One of the biggest hurdles in ESG efforts is employee adoption. Our solution uses gamification, rewards, and behavioural nudges to encourage participation and drive real shifts in commuting habits. We’ve developed proven employee engagement strategies and provide full onboarding support, making it easy to integrate into your sustainability roadmap.

4. Report & Prove Impact: Demonstrate Progress to Stakeholders

Whether you’re presenting to the board, reporting for CSRD, or showcasing your progress to employees or investors, our platform equips you with clear, visualised reports that highlight CO₂ reductions, participation rates, and policy impact. You’ll be able to demonstrate how your commuting initiative directly supports your ESG objectives, with the numbers to back it up.

For sustainability managers looking to move the needle on emissions, meet regulatory requirements, and drive culture change, sustainable commuting is a powerful (and often untapped) lever.

Ready To Take The Next Step?

As a sustainability manager, you’re already juggling complex reporting requirements, ambitious targets, and the constant pressure to deliver measurable impact. We get it, and we’re here to make one part of your job easier.

Employee commuting is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most actionable and visible ways to reduce Scope 3 emissions and boost ESG performance. With the right tools, it doesn’t have to be complicated.

That’s why we decided to give you free access to one part of our platform so you can calculate the impact of your teams’ commute: KINTO Join Commuting Analysis Tool.

What will you get?

➢ Free access to our tool
➢ Ready to send survey for your employees
➢ Live access to your results
➢ A full commuting report (travel modes, distances, CO2 footprint…)