When a company wants to reduce its carbon footprint, the choice of transport modes becomes a strategic decision. Backing sustainable transport cuts emissions and costs, improves reputation and, increasingly, helps comply with mobility regulation.
Why integrate sustainable mobility into your company?
Sustainability is already a competitive factor, not just a matter of social responsibility. A sustainable mobility strategy is an essential part of any carbon footprint reduction plan. Each company, depending on its activity and location, needs its own analysis to choose the best transport options.
In Spain, moreover, commuting to work has become regulated. The Sustainable Mobility Law (Law 9/2025) requires certain companies to draw up a Workplace Sustainable Mobility Plan (PMST), which makes the choice of transport modes a matter of compliance too.
Advantages of sustainable mobility
Positive environmental impact
- A smaller carbon footprint: less use of fossil fuels and fewer greenhouse gases.
- Lower dependence on fossil fuels: electric transport contributes to the transition towards a cleaner energy model.
Socioeconomic benefits
- Savings on fuel and maintenance: electric or alternative-energy vehicles tend to have lower operating costs.
- A better corporate image: customers and investors increasingly value sustainability.
- Tax advantages: there are tax incentives for electric vehicles that improve the return on investment.
What are the most sustainable transport modes?
The range has diversified a great deal. Broadly, by emissions intensity per person or tonne transported:
| Mode | Typical company use | Relative footprint |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycle and micromobility | Short urban journeys | Very low |
| Public transport | Commuting to work | Low |
| Electric rail | Freight and long distances | Low |
| Electric vehicle | Delivery and corporate fleet | Medium-low |
| Combustion vehicle | Conventional fleet | High |
Urban mobility
- Bicycles and micromobility: ideal for short journeys in urban settings.
- Electric vehicles: electric cars, vans and trucks for goods and staff, with a significant reduction in emissions.
Shared services and public transport
- Shared mobility solutions (car or motorbike sharing) that optimise journeys and reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
- Public transport: encouraging it among staff is very effective in areas with good infrastructure.
To learn about alternatives still being rolled out, see our article on emerging technologies for more sustainable mobility.
How to implement a sustainable mobility strategy?
Internal and external analysis
- Assess transport needs by analysing the company's flows to choose the most suitable vehicles or systems.
- Find sustainable suppliers, preferably local, to improve the supply chain.
Involve your staff
- Implement a mobility plan and inform and engage employees.
- Encourage alternative transport (sharing, public transport, cycling).
If your company exceeds the workforce thresholds per workplace, this plan stops being optional: Law 9/2025 and RD-Law 7/2026 set specific obligations and deadlines for the PMST.
How to measure the impact of sustainable mobility?
Measuring is essential to assess how effective the measures are.
Measurement tools
- Carbon footprint calculators: the carbon footprint calculator lets you estimate emissions, including those from transport. Manglai, with experience in the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064, offers SaaS solutions for precise management.
- Life cycle assessment (LCA): evaluates the environmental impact of a product or service across its whole life.
Key indicators (KPIs)
- CO2 emissions per kilometre travelled, to monitor fleet efficiency.
- The share of sustainable transport use among staff.
- Fuel savings, which reflect the economic impact of lower consumption.
Towards greener corporate mobility
The shift to sustainable mobility is a strategic investment that benefits the company and the environment, and that increasingly also answers legal obligations. Beyond changing vehicles, it means transforming the organisation's mobility culture.
To quantify the emissions of your fleet and your journeys, and report them reliably, you can rely on Manglai's service footprint.
Frequently asked questions
Which transport mode has the smallest carbon footprint?
Per person or tonne transported, the bicycle and micromobility are the most efficient in the city, and electric rail over long distances.
Is a mobility plan mandatory for my company?
Law 9/2025 on Sustainable Mobility requires workplaces above certain workforce thresholds to draw up a Workplace Sustainable Mobility Plan; RD-Law 7/2026 adjusted its deadlines.
How is the impact of sustainable mobility measured?
With the carbon footprint associated with transport and KPIs such as emissions per kilometre or the share of sustainable modes used.
