A growing number of employers are adopting EV salary sacrifice schemes as a strategic tool to slash emissions and support ESG objectives, Tusker has found.

More than half (52%) of employers surveyed for the salary sacrifice provider’s new report said sustainability goals were a major reason for introducing a salary sacrifice car scheme.

And nearly a quarter (24%) said they introduced their scheme to help offset carbon and reduce their Scope 3 emissions – the indirect emissions that stem from employee commuting and business travel.

In addition, 68% of employers said it was either ‘somewhat’ or ‘extremely’ important to be offered a CO2 cap when choosing a provider, underlining the pressure many organisations face to evidence their climate commitments.

The findings are revealed in Tusker’s new Driving Loyalty Through Electric Cars report, which looks at the growing importance of sal-sac schemes, not just as a benefit for staff, but also to demonstrate environmental leadership.

Cheryl Clements, head of business development at Tusker, said: “Organisations are under mounting pressure to demonstrate measurable progress on their sustainability targets. The fact that over half of employers say sustainability goals are a major reason for adopting salary sacrifice schemes shows that environmental concerns are firmly embedded in business decision-making. As a result, choosing benefits that support sustainability is increasingly seen as a responsible and strategic move.”

Tusker says its salary sacrifice scheme offsets emissions from both vehicle tailpipes and grid-based EV charging, going beyond the usual industry standards to help customers deliver a more sustainable and carbon-efficient transport offering.

University Hospital Southampton, which has been running an EV salary sacrifice scheme since 2015, has already offset more than 2,500 tonnes of carbon to date.

Sophie Limb, HR project manager, explained: “We believe in offering a wide array of options that can improve staff wellbeing in some meaningful way – whether that’s physical, emotional, financial or environmental.”

Elsewhere, employers such as Landsec have seen sustainability and employee engagement go hand in hand. Following the launch of its EV scheme in 2024, Landsec reported a 26-point rise in employees feeling their benefits package met their needs. The scheme, introduced in response to employee demand for more sustainable benefits, saw 30% of eligible staff engage in the first six months alone.

Tusker’s Cheryl Clements added: “Sustainability is no longer just a corporate nice-to-have but a defining part of the employee experience. Our scheme empowers organisations to deliver on their environmental goals while offering a practical, tax-efficient benefit that employees genuinely value.”

Tusker’s Driving Loyalty Through Electric Cars report is online here.