- During Mai à Vélo 2026, 35 Horizon & Beyond employees across Paris, Rennes, Nantes, and Montreal collectively cycled 5,432 kilometres over 471 trips, including 141 bicycle commutes.
- The initiative, organized by the Horizon & Beyond Foundation via the Geovelo platform, encouraged all employees—regardless of cycling experience—to replace car journeys with bike rides throughout May.
- Participants helped avoid an estimated 82.7 kilograms of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to producing 130 litres of coffee or driving 799 kilometres in an electric car.
- The challenge highlighted that sustainable mobility can be integrated into daily routines, with every commute by bike contributing to reduced traffic congestion, improved air quality, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
- Beyond environmental impact, Mai à Vélo fostered community building across Horizon's international offices and demonstrated that small, consistent individual actions can generate meaningful collective results.
Throughout the month of May, employees across Horizon took part in Mai à Vélo, a national initiative dedicated to promoting cycling as a sustainable, healthy, and accessible mode of transportation. Organized internally by the Horizon&Beyond Foundation and supported through the Geovelo platform, the challenge encouraged colleagues to leave their cars behind, get on their bikes, and contribute to a collective effort in favour of sustainable mobility.
Open to all employees, whether occasional cyclists or experienced riders, the initiative aimed to raise awareness of the environmental and health benefits of cycling while creating a sense of community across our different offices. Participants were invited to record their rides throughout the month using the Geovelo application or other connected cycling tools, allowing every kilometre travelled to contribute to both individual and team rankings.
Bringing Together Colleagues Across Borders
One of the most rewarding aspects of this year’s challenge was the participation from multiple Horizon locations. Colleagues from Paris, Rennes, Nantes, and Montreal joined forces to represent their offices while contributing to a shared global objective.
In total, 35 cyclists registered for the challenge, creating a dynamic and motivating atmosphere throughout the month. Participants followed their progress through rankings that highlighted both individual achievements and collective performance by site.
The challenge demonstrated that sustainability initiatives can bring people together regardless of geography. Employees who may never have met in person were able to share a common experience, compare their progress, and contribute to a collective environmental impact.
Every Ride Counts
A key message of Mai à Vélo is that cycling is not reserved for athletes or long-distance enthusiasts. Every journey matters, whether it is a commute to the office, a short trip to run errands, or a weekend ride with family and friends.
Throughout May, Horizon employees embraced this philosophy and collectively achieved remarkable results:
- 5 432 kilometres cycled
- 471 trips recorded
- 141 bicycle commutes to and from work
- 1 406 kilometres ridden while commuting between home and work
These figures illustrate how cycling can easily become part of everyday life. For many participants, the challenge was an opportunity to rediscover their bicycle as a practical transportation solution. For others, it was a chance to replace some car journeys with a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative.
The commuting figures are particularly encouraging. The fact that employees completed 141 trips between home and work by bicycle demonstrates that active mobility can be successfully integrated into daily routines. Every commute completed by bike represents a small but meaningful contribution towards reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Cycling: Good for People and the Planet
While the challenge included rankings and friendly competition, its true purpose goes far beyond kilometers and statistics. Cycling offers a wide range of benefits for individuals, communities, and the environment.
For employees, cycling provides an opportunity to incorporate physical activity into daily life. Regular cycling can improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and contribute to overall well-being. Many participants reported enjoying a more active start to their day and a more relaxing commute home.
From an environmental perspective, cycling is one of the most efficient forms of transportation available. Unlike motorized vehicles, bicycles produce no direct emissions and require very little energy and infrastructure to operate. By choosing to cycle, even occasionally, individuals can significantly reduce their carbon footprint.
The collective efforts of Horizon employees during Mai à Vélo generated a measurable environmental impact.
Measuring Our Impact
By replacing motorized journeys with bicycle trips, participants helped avoid an estimated 82.7 kilograms of CO₂ emissions during the month of May.
Although this number may seem abstract at first glance, it becomes more meaningful when translated into everyday equivalents. The emissions saved through our cycling efforts correspond approximately to:
- The production of 130 litres of coffee
- Driving 799 kilometres in an electric car
- Nearly 19 round trips between Paris and Marseille by TGV
These comparisons help illustrate how individual actions, when multiplied across an entire organization, can lead to significant collective results.
Every kilometer cycled instead of driven contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supports the transition towards more sustainable forms of mobility. While one bicycle trip may seem insignificant on its own, the combined efforts of dozens of employees over an entire month create a positive impact that is both measurable and meaningful.
Building a Culture of Sustainable Mobility
The success of Mai à Vélo reflects a broader commitment within Horizon to sustainability and responsible action. Through initiatives such as this one, the Horizon&Beyond Foundation seeks to encourage practical behaviours that contribute to environmental protection while strengthening employee engagement.
Sustainable mobility is an important component of this vision. Encouraging employees to explore alternatives to individual car travel can help reduce emissions, improve quality of life, and create healthier communities. At the same time, cycling initiatives provide opportunities for team building, knowledge sharing, and collective achievement.
The challenge also highlighted the importance of accessibility. Participants were able to contribute regardless of their level of experience, the type of bicycle they used, or the distance they travelled. Whether cycling every day or only occasionally, each participant played a role in the overall success of the initiative.
Looking Ahead
As the month comes to an end, the results achieved by our participants provide plenty of reasons to celebrate. More importantly, they demonstrate the potential for lasting behavioural change. For many employees, Mai à Vélo served as a reminder that sustainable choices can be simple, enjoyable, and beneficial on multiple levels.
The Horizon1Beyond Foundation would like to extend its sincere thanks to all participants who contributed their time, energy, and enthusiasm to make this initiative a success. Every ride, every kilometer, and every commute helped move us closer to our shared sustainability goals.
The challenge may be over, but the message remains the same: sustainable mobility starts with everyday choices. We hope that the habits developed during Mai à Vélo will continue throughout the year and inspire even more colleagues to discover the benefits of cycling.
Together, we have shown that small actions can create a significant impact. By choosing to ride, Horizon employees have demonstrated that a healthier, more sustainable future is within reach, one pedal stroke at a time.
🚴♀️🚴♂️ Thank you to everyone who participated and see you on the road for the next edition of Mai à Vélo!
Frequently Asked Questions
Mai à Vélo is a national initiative promoting cycling as a sustainable, healthy, and accessible mode of transportation throughout the month of May. Horizon&Beyond organized an internal challenge supported by the Geovelo platform, encouraging employees across offices in Paris, Rennes, Nantes, and Montreal to record their cycling trips and contribute to a collective sustainability goal.
Over the month of May, 35 registered cyclists collectively covered 5,432 kilometres across 471 trips, including 141 bicycle commutes to and from work. These efforts helped avoid an estimated 82.7 kilograms of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to the production of 130 litres of coffee or driving 799 kilometres in an electric car.
Participants helped avoid an estimated 82.7 kilograms of CO₂ emissions by replacing motorized journeys with bicycle trips. This is roughly equivalent to nearly 19 round trips between Paris and Marseille by TGV or the production of 130 litres of coffee.
Cycling produces no direct emissions and requires very little energy or infrastructure, making it one of the most efficient forms of transportation for reducing one's carbon footprint. For employees, regular cycling also improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress, and contributes to overall well-being by incorporating physical activity into daily routines.
The Horizon&Beyond Foundation organizes initiatives like Mai à Vélo to encourage practical behaviours that support environmental protection while strengthening employee engagement. By making challenges accessible to all experience levels and using tools like the Geovelo platform, the Foundation fosters a culture of sustainable mobility, team building, and lasting behavioural change across the organization.
