The Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) Program, through the League of American Bicyclists, recognizes employers for their efforts to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for employees, customers, and community members who ride bicycles.
It aims to unify and recognize local cycling advocates who already exist in the business community, supplementing their efforts as bike friendly employers and informing the community of their forward thinking actions.
These efforts are quantified through four areas: education, engineering, encouragement, and evaluation/planning.
The program seeks participation from businesses located in all seven Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) of Santa Monica, with a goal of at least 25 percent of businesses in each BID certified as a BFB.
These BFBs will contribute to the thriving cycling culture present in Santa Monica, and will encourage surrounding businesses to support employees and customers who commute by bike.
Ron Durgin, General Manager of the Santa Monica Bike Center, said there were currently six Santa Monica businesses certified as Bike Friendly.
“While this is a great start, we know the Santa Monica business community has the potential to advance bike friendliness through active participation in the BFB program, and to compete on a national level with existing leaders such as Boise, ID, Arlington, VA and Fort Collins, CO to name a few frontrunners. Without the involvement of local businesses, the vision for a bicycle friendly Santa Monica will not be realized,” Durgin said.
The BFB campaign works to identify, certify, and assist local Santa Monica businesses that may be eligible for the Bicycle Friendly Business designation.
Its goal is to provide information and professional assistance to businesses that want to be more bicycle friendly, and to promote businesses that have already achieved measurable bicycle friendly results.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a Bike Friendly Business, contact the Santa Monica Bike Centers Outreach Coordinator Abbey Beal at outreach@smbikecenter.com.
