SAP launches mobility budget pilot
Business software company SAP is looking at overhauling its benefit car policy in its home market of Germany. From 1 April this year, eligible SAP staff will have the option to switch to a mobility budget.
“SAP’s focus is on sustainability,” said Steffen Krautwasser, Head of Global Car Fleet, “and we follow that focus with our car fleet. That’s why we adopt e-mobility and why we also started looking at other mobility options.” In recognition of SAP's sustainability efforts, Mr Krautwasser won the 2020 European Green Fleet Manager of the Year award.
“We didn’t set out to reduce the car fleet but we wanted to offer something in addition,” continued Mr Krautwasser.
From the onset, SAP preferred not to include the mobility budget as part of the salary as that would make it less tangible to staff and that would make it harder for the company to steer mobility choices.
The mobility budget is intended for private mobility and for the commute to the office but it does not include business trips. The budget can be spent in Germany or internationally for all mobility services aside from flights but including public transport, shared bikes or cars and rental cars.
Initially, Mr Krautwasser looked for an app that included a route planner and the option to book various mobility options. However, there was no provider that covered all mobility options for the whole country, prompting SAP to turn to its own travel expense solution. SAP employees will be able to claim their mobility expenses in SAP Concur, after which they will be reimbursed.
After an initial pilot in Berlin, SAP is rolling out a Germany-wide two-year pilot on 1 April 2021. As part of the pilot, eligible staff can exceptionally return their company cars after three years instead of the usual four-year period.
Up to 1,500 employees of the 20,000 eligible SAP employees can sign up for the pilot, a number which Mr Krautwasser believes will be sufficient not to have to turn anyone down.
Image: Steffen Krautwasser, Head of Global Car Fleet, SAP
