Cycle Friendly Employer: FAQ
If you have a question that hasn't been answered here, please get in touch.
- How will the accreditation help my business?
- What are the criteria we will be measured against?
- How quickly will the CFE accreditation come into effect and how long will it last?
- What will my business receive?
- What is the process for the accreditation?
- Is there a cost?
- What are the timelines for the accreditation?
- Am I eligible for the CFE accreditation?
- Where can I access support, advice and more information?
- Will my self-assessment be deleted if I choose not to proceed at this time?
- What if my business is not at the level to receive the accreditation?
- We are also a charity, is there a not for profit rate?
- Which companies have already become accredited?
- We are a multinational organisation who would like this across more than one office in our company. Which other countries deliver the CFE?
- We’re a small business with only a few employees but want to be accredited. What do we do?
- We don’t have any showers and can’t afford/don’t have space for them. What can we do?
How will the accreditation help my business?
There are a variety of ways the accreditation will help your business. We recognise the effort you are making to improve cycle commuting for your staff, and the accreditation helps to attract and retain the best talent by making cycle commuting easier and stress-free. Having a more active workforce will mean your staff are more productive, take fewer sick days and will stay with you longer. It will showcase your business as being sustainable and eco-friendly, and potentially save you money.
What are the criteria we will be measured against?
There are three levels of accreditation which have been measured against the European standard. You can achieve a Gold, Silver or Bronze accreditation, depending on the actions your organisation has taken to be cycle friendly.
We are looking for:
- Category 1: Information, communication and incentives for employees
- Category 2: Coordination and organisation
- Category 3: Service
- Category 4: Facilities
- Category 5: Parking management
- Category 6: Customer traffic
We have created the full list of measures in this handy guide.
How quickly will the CFE accreditation come into effect and how long will it last?
Once approved and you have received your accreditation, it will be effective immediately. As we want to ensure organisations are maintaining their high standards and supporting the wellbeing of their staff through their accreditation, this will need to be renewed after three years.
What will my business receive?
You will receive a comprehensive report showing the areas your business is excelling at, as well as those that can be improved. You will be joining a network of cycle friendly organisations across Europe sharing best practice, as well as inspiring and showing that you're leading the way. We’ll help you to market and promote your business as a CFE to staff, partners, and customers. As an accredited business, you also will receive exclusive newsletters and events. Finally, there is ongoing support provided by Cycling UK and partners, helping you to improve and remain a leader for workplace cycling.
What is the process for the accreditation?
The process is simple. Take the free self-assessment online, collect the evidence required for each measure and book your onsite or remote audit. Once the audit takes place, your report will be available ten days later, with personalised recommendations and support to help you improve areas required.
Is there a cost?
Yes, there is a small cost to the CFE. The price is determined by the size and complexity of your business; accreditation starts from just 50p per employee per year. A no-obligation quote will be sent to you on completion of your self-assessment.
What are the timelines for the accreditation?
From submission of your self-assessment, it can take as little as four weeks to complete the process.
Am I eligible for the CFE accreditation?
You can find out by taking our free, quick self-assessment form which will give you your current score. It takes around 12 minutes to complete.
Where can I access support, advice and more information?
You can visit the Cycling UK website at any time to access further information or please feel free to contact us directly for more specific advice.
Will my self-assessment be deleted if I choose not to proceed at this time?
No, your self assessment will remain on file with us so that if you wish to return to the accreditation some time later, your progress will be saved. If you want your record to be deleted, please contact us.
What if my business is not at the level to receive the accreditation?
We will provide tailored support and advice to help you reach at least the minimum requirements. Cycling UK as the national cycling charity have over 140 years of supporting and enabling people to cycle more, and we are committed to helping your business be as cycle-friendly as possible throughout the accreditation process, and for as long as you are a CFE accredited business. Email us for a personalised support pack.
We are also a charity, is there a not for profit rate?
Yes, we offer a reduction of 30% for non-profits to become accredited.
Which companies have already become accredited?
The list of employers accredited across the scheme is available on our employers page.
We are a multinational organisation who would like this across more than one office in our company. Which other countries deliver the CFE?
We have a consortium of 17 countries delivering the accreditation across Europe. We have accredited multi-national companies across territories, if this is something you would like to discuss with us please get in touch.
We’re a small business with only a few employees but want to be accredited. What do we do?
We accredit small businesses as well as large businesses, get in touch with the team for advice.
We don’t have any showers and can’t afford/don’t have space for them. What can we do?
While having washing facilities is helpful for staff who wish to shower after cycling to work, it isn’t essential or a compulsory requirement for being accredited.
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