WASHINGTON D.C. (BRAIN)—The League of American Bicyclists have picked 34 new Bicycle Friendly Business award winners, which includes first platinum designations to New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Bike Gallery of Portland, Oregon.
This is the second time BFB winners have been announced since the program's inception in 2008 when the League announced the first 13 designees.
"We're delighted to highlight these great companies and the ways in which they are getting more people on bikes," said League president Andy Clarke. "In today's challenging economic climate, businesses with healthy, happy and productive employees are going to be the most competitive and the most sustainable."
Businesses that apply for the award designation inspire and encourage their peers. These businesses make bicycle friendliness a core fundamental at the workplace and use innovative tools to promote bicycling as an easy and fun option for transportation and recreation.
Bryan Simpson, spokesperson for New Belgium Brewing, recounted the evolution and implementation of its bike culture "as a brewery founded on a bike ride through Belgium, bicycling has always been a part of our DNA."
BFB recipients are corporations, organizations, nonprofits and associations that weave bicycling into their business culture and give employees and customers the opportunity to be active stewards of their personal and environmental health through bicycling.
"New Belgium Brewing created bicycling events and advocacy that we are passionate about in hopes to spread that energy and make the world a better place one bike at a time," Simpson said. "It's completely rewarding, culturally sticky and it makes for a greater sense of purpose at the end of the day."
The BFB program recognizes socially responsible businesses that promote healthy, happy, and green workplaces and provides a road map to become even more bicycle-friendly in the years to come.
"Businesses across the nation are rising to the challenge of reducing their carbon footprint and improving the health of their employees. We are excited to be able to provide a roadmap to help achieve both these goals, and to recognize those companies that are leading the way," Clarke said.
BFB winners provide amenities such as secure bike parking and shower facilities and motivations such as incentives to commute by bike, company bike rides and clubs, and bike to Work Week promotions. When bicycling is infused in an office or company culture, great things happen: reduced health care costs; more productive employees; improved worker and customer; satisfaction; smaller carbon footprint; and increased corporate social responsibility.
Click on link to view all new 2009 BFB award winners.
Applying as a BFB is easy and free. Applicants receive technical assistance from the League staff as well as tools to evaluate and assess their bicycle friendliness through the application process. The BFB application is available online at www.bicyclefriendlybusiness.org.
