Champion of the Month: Eastern Research Group, Inc

Eastern Research Group, Inc (ERG) was a solid Champion contender right from the outset this year. With a subsidized transit benefit to help employees pay for their public transit use, ERG started off as a Gold Level Champion. ERG’s dedicated office manager, Penny, lauds the positives of a robust commuter benefits program since she commutes from quite far away and works an alternative schedule so that she can avoid rush hour traffic.

ERG is located between Courthouse and Clarendon so Metro and bus access is really fantastic. As a result, many employees are able to get to the office without a car. In fact, many live close enough to walk and bike every day. Penny was interested in seeing what the company could do to climb from Gold to Platinum Level Champions status and we identified a number of bike programs and amenities that would greatly benefit employees while simultaneously complimenting the company’s environmental ethic. First, ERG joined the Capital Bikeshare corporate membership program at the Silver Level so employees could buy annual bikeshare memberships for a mere $25. Secondly, Penny arranged to have employee bike tune-ups performed by fellow Champion, Revolution Cycles. With both a Capital Bikeshare benefit and bike tune-ups completed, we were ready for the big ticket item: applying for Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) designation with the League of American Bicyclists.

The application for BFB status is a lengthy process and is a serious commitment to complete, which is why ATP is here to assist your company with the application process and to do the heavy lifting. ATP and ERG are feeling very confident about ERG’s application but won’t hear back from the League about the outcome until the new year. Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to make a big commotion once awardees are announced early in 2016. Regardless of their BFB status, ERG definitely went all-in on bike amenities this year to up their Champions game and we could not be more excited to have them on board and November’s Champion of the Month.