Enterprise Gets FIT Sustainability Award

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has been honoured with the 2012 FIT Sustainability Award by AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings Americas. AkzoNobel is the biggest paint and coating company in the world, as well as a leader in the collision industry. This award recognises the contributions of leaders in the collision repair industry for their talent, focus and innovation in introducing sustainable business practices throughout all their operations.

As a major player in providing insurance replacement hires, Enterprise Rent-A-Car partners with top property-casualty insurers and accident repair centres across North America. It was nominated for this award by its partners in those industries, recognising the company’s contribution in communicating and building its sustainability programmes.

AkzoNobel recognised the Automated Rental Management System (ARMS) Automotive Suite, one of the rental providers core programmes. It was developed in a bid to help accident repair centres increase operating efficiencies; streamline communications between shops, insurance companies and their policyholders; and enhance customer service. Although the period of replacement car hires is reduced, Enterprise Rent-A-Car welcomed the chance to increase customer value and service.

The dedication at Enterprise Rent-A-Car to environmental sustainability is integrated in all aspects of its business. This stems from the vision founder Jack Taylor instilled into the company almost 55 years ago. This includes the 20/20 Vision Program, which is designed to reduce energy use and the costs related by 20% by 2015 to save about $50 million. The company’s 50 Million Tree Pledge is seeing it plant 50 million trees over 50 years for $50 million in collaboration with the US Forest Service and Arbor Day Foundation.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s electric vehicles make up the biggest electric car roll-out in the country, while it’s the first car hire provider in the US to offer the extended-range electric Chevrolet Volt. The company is also an Electrification Coalition member – a group that represents the whole value chain of the growing EV industry.

The rental provider is also part of the National Clean Fleets Partnership, which helps big corporations reduce petrol and diesel use in their fleets by integrating electric cars, fuel-saving measures and alternative fuels into its operations. Additionally, the company has donated $35 million to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels in support of research and development of sustainable methods for creating biofuels for the next generation.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is owned and operated by Enterprise Holdings, which also operates the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands. The group’s head of corporate sustainability, Lee Broughton, says the 2012 FIT Sustainability Award is further validation that the efforts they are making to build a sustainable business are positively impacting the company, their customers, the industry and the community. The same things can be good for both the environment and businesses, which is particularly true looking at their operations and investments in the long-term.

Broughton added that it may appear to be counter-intuitive for a car hire provider to create a system that means fewer retail days. However, this is consistent with their sustainable business approach. More efficient and shorter rentals help them serve their insurance clients better, get their customers back in their cars faster and strengthen their position as a valued partner.