When commuting policies work: sector dynamics and trust associated with emission reductions

Abstract

The study examines workplace travel policies’ role in cutting commuting emissions. Using the LSEG Environmental, Social and Governance database (previously known as Refinitiv), we analyze a sample of 2,932 organizations employing over 86 million people across 73 countries to identity predictors of (a) workplace travel policies, and (b) commuting emission reductions. Drawing on political and organizational science literatures, we examine the roles of employee involvement and trust in reducing travel emissions. Sector characteristics strongly influence policy adoption—professional services firms are six times more likely than manufacturing firms to implement transportation policies (OR = 5.98, p < 0.001). While these policies significantly correlate with emissions reductions, the effect size is modest (Cohen’s d = 0.225, R2 = 0.0765). Notably, trust in employers emerges as a significant predictor of emissions reductions (β = -0.122, p < 0.05), while traditional employee involvement structures show limited effectiveness. These findings extend beyond local case studies, suggesting successful emissions reduction depends on both policy design and organizational context.