The League of American Bicyclists — ‘the non-profit leader in the movement to create a more bicycle-friendly America’ — has awarded Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum certifications to 64 companies in 25 US states and the District of Columbia.
Six of these companies earned the highest-level Platinum BFB certification:
- LinkedIn, the California-based technology firm;
- World of Bikes, a bike shop in Iowa City, IA;
- First-time applicant Heartland Bike Share, an Omaha, NE, non-profit bikeshare provider;
- Landry’s Bicycles, a bike shop in Natick, MA; and
- Two Asheville, NC-based companies, Liberty Bicycles and first-time applicant New Belgium Brewing Company-Asheville.
“The League of American Bicyclists launched the Bicycle Friendly Business program 10 years ago to recognize and assist companies that support safe, efficient bicycling by employees, customers and others,” said League Executive Director Bill Nesper. “These latest 64 outstanding firms join 1,186 other BFBs in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., that have achieved desirable, often elusive business results simply by getting more people to ride bikes.”
He continued, “Research has long shown that bicycle-friendly workplaces lower staff healthcare costs, boost employee satisfaction and loyalty and attract Gen Y and Gen Z talent and customers known to direct their dollars and skills to companies aligned with their personal values around social responsibility.”
Applicants to the competitive BFB program are evaluated based on nearly 100 data points related to bicycle-friendly facilities and accessibility, culture-building events, safety education programming and other practices, policies and incentives that encourage bicycling. All 1,250 current BFBs can be found via the League’s interactive awards map.
“This round of Bicycle Friendly Businesses is another great reminder that bicycle friendliness can come in all shapes and sizes,” said BFB Director Amelia Neptune, noting that the latest recipients reflect 17 industry and professional categories. “Our smallest new BFB is Children & Adult Mobility Project, a volunteer-run non-profit in Simsbury, CT, and our largest is Vanguard’s Malvern, PA, corporate campus with 13,000 employees.
“From libraries and police departments to Fortune 500 headquarters and high schools, the BFB program proves that every employer in the country can create a great bicycling destination and culture for their employees and guests.”
Among this latest class of BFBs, 46 companies received one of the four levels of recognition, up from 13 in founding year 2008. The League also is recognizing three additional businesses with Honorable Mention status. All BFB applicants, whether they earn an award designation or not, receive detailed feedback reports of ways to continue improving their bicycling promotion efforts.
Another reported trend is the growing percentage of BFBs that support bicycling beyond their own workplace by funding bicycle advocacy across their communities, states and country. 61% percent of this latest round of BFBs reported providing financial support to local, state and/or national advocacy efforts happening outside the business.
Relatedly, the League has seen an increase in local efforts to use the BFB program as an effective way to engage businesses in bike advocacy and generate more support for bicycling improvements in the community. St. Petersburg, FL, for example, has 11 new BFBs thanks to a local effort promoting BFB status, bringing the city’s total to 32, up from zero just two years ago.
