CASE STUDY: HANNOVER RE “Cycle to work”
April 13, 2026
In 2025, Hannover Re once again joined the Germany-wide “Mit dem Rad zur Arbeit” (“Cycle to Work”) initiative — and demonstrated how a simple daily habit can become a powerful collective movement. Over four months, colleagues turned their commutes into a shared statement: sustainability does not only happen in strategies and reports, it happens in everyday decisions.
“Mit dem Rad zur Arbeit” is a nationwide German health and mobility initiative organised by Kreativstrecke GmbH that encourages employees to commute to work by bicycle and creates that bridge: it is accessible, fits everyday routines, and makes progress visible.
The initiative provided the basis for employee wellbeing, and Hannover Re complemented this framework by adding measurable climate action and a social impact component of its own: by directly linking kilometres cycled to a donation supporting World Bicycle Relief mobility programs.
Many organisations share sustainability ambitions, but the real challenge is translating them into something people can experience, participate in, and feel proud of. “Mit dem Rad zur Arbeit” creates exactly that bridge. It is accessible, it fits into everyday routines, and it makes progress visible. Participants don’t need to become athletes or change their lives overnight — they simply start riding, keep going, and see momentum build around them.
For Hannover Re, the initiative became a practical way to activate sustainability in a voluntary and employee-driven way: reducing emissions through commuter choices, while strengthening a culture of shared responsibility and encouraging health and well-being. In this sense, the campaign is not only a climate measure, it is also a people initiative. It creates a positive dynamic that spreads through teams, shared updates, and friendly competition.
And there was a second, highly motivating layer: the Hannover Re Foundation connected CO₂ savings to a concrete donation mechanism. This link offered participants a clear line of sight between their individual contribution and shared impact:
My ride today is good for me, good for the climate, and it helps unlock mobility for others who need it.
The campaign ran from May to August 2025. Colleagues recorded their rides over the campaign period, individually and in teams. The initiative encourages participants to reach at least 20 cycling days — a goal that is ambitious enough to feel meaningful, but realistic enough to fit into working life.
Hannover Re amplified the motivational effect by using the platform`s own calculation of estimated CO₂ savings, and then linking those savings directly to giving: for every kilogram CO₂ saved, the Hannover Re Foundation donated a specific amount to World Bicycle Relief. This created a clear line from action to outcome — and made the campaign feel purposeful from day one.
Communication was an essential part of the experience. Hannover Re kept the campaign present and energising for participants through updates on the Intranet, turning individual rides into a visible shared story. Teams could see progress, celebrate milestones, and feel part of something bigger than their own commute.
A further step in 2025 was inclusion across geographies: for the first time, colleagues outside Germany joined. Where registration in the official portal was not possible, kilometres were captured via Excel and added to the overall result at the end — enabling a more global collective effort.
Since 2022, Hannover Re’s participation in “Mit dem Rad zur Arbeit” has grown into a real annual movement. The collective distance rose from just over 46,000 kilometres in 2022 to more than 61,000 kilometres in 2023, with CO₂ savings increasing accordingly. 2024 remained at a solid level, showing the initiative had become an established part of the year.
In 2025, the campaign reached a new peak: colleagues logged close to 97,000 kilometres and saved around 19 tonnes of CO₂ — the strongest result to date. This clear upward trend highlights how sustained, low-barrier initiatives can build momentum and deliver increasingly visible outcomes over time.
By the end of the campaign, Hannover Re colleagues had cycled 96,838 kilometres. That translated into 19,708.53 kilograms of CO₂ saved — and into an impactful donation to World Bicycle Relief through the Foundation’s mechanism.
Participation was strong: 337 colleagues took part and formed 32 teams. High-performing teams were recognised internally, reinforcing a culture of appreciation and shared achievement.
Beyond the numbers, the campaign carried an important organisational message: sustainability and social responsibility are not only institutional commitments, they are also something colleagues can actively shape. That mindset of “people contributing through practical action” is what turns a yearly initiative into a lasting success.
World Bicycle Relief focuses on strengthening reliable mobility in communities where access to education, health services, and economic opportunity is often limited by distance and lack of transport. Mobility is not a nice-to-have — it is a foundation for participation. This is why Hannover Re’s donation mechanism is more than symbolic: it connects local action to a wider purpose that is tangible and human.
One example is Pamela, a student who used to walk 8km to school every morning in Zomba, Malawi. With a Buffalo Bicycle, her commute became significantly shorter, and she arrived with more time and energy for learning. Her family also saved money previously spent on transport. A small change with meaningful effects in everyday life.
Hannover Re’s experience highlights a set of success factors that are simple, but powerful when combined.
First, the barrier to entry was low: colleagues could participate without special equipment beyond a bike and a willingness to start. Team participation created accountability and shared motivation.
Second, the incentive was meaningful and easy to understand. The conversion from CO₂ savings to donation gave every participant a clear sense of contribution — not only to climate goals, but also to an impact partner with a practical mission.
Third, communication acted as an engine: regular updates and visible progress strengthened engagement and sustained momentum over months. The campaign felt like an unfolding shared experience, not a one-time call to action.
Finally, the initiative proved scalable: Hannover Re has participated since 2022 and plans to continue, because the model delivers measurable outcomes without requiring an overly complex internal setup.