Launched in 2016, Green Commute Initiative (GCI) is an award-winning Cycle to Work Scheme provider which pioneered and developed the plus £1,000 scheme model.

We help organisations and individuals take positive climate action. GCI strives for a world with cleaner, fresher air with less traffic and a healthier population. We do this through the UK’s Cycle to Work Scheme which aims to get commuters out of their cars and cycle to work instead.

Key employee benefit
The Cycle to Work Scheme has an important part to play in employee rewards packages, adding variety and sustainability into the mix. By helping employees make active travel choices, this will have a positive impact on the reporting of employee commuting under Scope 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol which feeds into Carbon Reduction Plans.

The Cycle to Work Scheme is a self-funding employee benefit using the salary sacrifice mechanism to access tax savings. Thus the cost of the Cycle to Work voucher is a tax-free benefit.

About GCI
Usually, you will access the scheme via a provider as some of the legislation around implementing the scheme is complicated and a provider can remove the headache and admin for you. But it’s important to realise that not all providers are the same and neither are their charges.

GCI is a not-for-profit social enterprise and as such we do not charge unnecessary fees. With a strong fair-play ethos, we have made the scheme free to use for both the employer and employee. The absence of ownership fees means employees make the maximum savings available to them which is typically between 28 – 47% (depending on their personal tax situation). There are no limits on the voucher value (unless employer requested) and the salary sacrifice period can be up to 60 months giving an enormous amount of flexibility.

The great news for employers is that they save 15% on reduced NICs on the value of the voucher which can be used to off-set any costs incurred implementing the scheme. However, some employers may wish to further encourage uptake of the scheme by passing on their NIC savings to the employee, thus creating a saving of at least 43%. Through this, employers can really demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, employee wellbeing and talent retention.

GCI supports independent bike shops by charging a low commission rate (just 5%) and by paying them quickly to help them manage cash-flow. This is why GCI is a preferred scheme provider for bike shops.

Easy to use
There is near zero-touch administration for employers with the scheme is accessed in two ways with GCI:

• Instant GCI – a pay-as-you-go scheme which is perfect for SMEs and organisations who wish to use the scheme on an ad-hoc basis. Application turnaround time is 24 to 48 hours.
• Corporate GCI – ideal for larger organisations with bespoke requirements and anticipate a high-uptake among employees. Applications are managed via GCI’s online portal and payment terms are available. Once applications are approved, turnaround time is 24 to 48 hours.

Solutions for everyone
The Cycle to Work Scheme uses the salary sacrifice mechanism to make the savings which means employees earning on or near National Minimum Wage are unable to take part. GCI’s product portfolio includes Everyone Cycle (net-salary deduction scheme) and Green Bike Pool which can help to solve this issue. In addition, bike subscription packages are available which involve a lower cost commitment. The key is to enable all employees to choose smarter, more active ways to commute to work and GCI has a range of solutions to suit different requirements.

Key scheme information
GCI’s scheme is HMRC compliant and GCI is authorised and regulated by the FCA. In addition, GCI is certified for ISO-27001 and ISO-9001. You can also find us on the Crown Commercial Services framework for employee benefits. Please note savings percentages information correct as of 6th April 2024.