Summit will take “bikes mean business” to another level

Everywhere we turn these days it seems there are signs that bicycling means business. Whether it’s impacts to tourism, property values, sales receipts, or economic and urban development — the case is very strong. Another major component of the “bikes mean business” mantra relates directly to how having a bike-friendly workplace contributes to the bottom line. Simply put, a bike-friendly workplace can have a significant impact to the physical and financial well-being of businesses and their employees.

At the Portland Employers Bike Summit this Friday, executives, building managers, and HR personnel will get the information and inspiration they need to take advantage of the growing movement to make workplaces more attractive to bicycling and low-car employees.

After a Keynote Presentation by Mia Birk of Alta Bicycle Share (among other things), there will be expert workshops, a Q & A breakout session, and then a post-event group ride and bike parking and bike facility tour. Here’s a look at the workshops:

Building a Business Case for Biking Investments

Bicycling is good for the bottom line. Hear from the ranks of executives, HR personnel and building managers how encouraging bicycling has become part of doing business in Portland. Walk away with tools and actions to make your workplace more bike-friendly.

Low Car Commute Benefits

There’s more to commute benefits than bike parking or a free TriMet pass. What benefits haven’t you considered? How can you sell them to your colleagues? Three employers of different sizes will explain how they’ve used holistic commute programs to build company-wide support for every sort of low-car commuting, sometimes at little cost.

The Bike Commute Challenge and Beyond: Getting Coworkers Fired-Up about Biking

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get your coworkers excited about biking. The BTA’s Bike Commute Challenge and existing organized team rides provide great opportunities for both team-building and making bicycling part of your workplace’s culture and identity. Leave this workshop empowered with fun ideas, a great list of resources, and success stories you can use at your workplace whatever your position or budget.

Building a Bike Commuting Team Inside Your Company

Form an in-house bike commuter team among company employees to promote bike commuting, advocate for improved bike facilities, and educate colleagues on key aspects of bike commuting.

The event is sponsored by Regence Oregon Health Insurance and partners include the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, the Lloyd Transportation Management Association, Portland Afoot, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation. You can still RSVP for the event online.

    Portland Employers Bike Summit
    Friday, May 17th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm
    100 SW Market – Sisters Conference Room
    RSVP online

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Lindsay
Lindsay
10 years ago

This event is free!

9watts
9watts
10 years ago

This looks great. Maybe this is a way to do an end run around some of the pro-car/anti-bike sentiments expressed explicitly or implicitly by some of the business groups (e.g., PBA) here in town?

Next, how about a movement to make apartment buildings more attractive to bicycling and low-car residents? What if, mindful of the fact that 24% of renter households locally don’t own a car, landlords didn’t just provide bike racks but also meaningful discounts for not owning a car? Passing on some of the savings from not having to provide off-street parking for every resident?

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
10 years ago

You’d think that health insurance costs would motivate businesses to provide low cost incentives like showers and lockers for employees that bike to work.

Lynne
Lynne
10 years ago

and wouldn’t it be nice if just a few of those benefits were extended to contractors? A shower and a locker, that’s all I ask. (for employees only)

Jackie Yerby
Jackie Yerby
10 years ago

9watts,

Thanks for planting a seed about connecting with the PBA. We’re located in the same building. I’ll work on engaging them for next year’s summit.

Cheers,

Jackie Yerby,
Sustainability Program Manager,
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon