Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National and Alamo are subsidiaries of Enterprise Holdings, the business that recently became a dues paying member of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Not long ago Enterprise cultivated a reputation as a responsible green member of the community.
“For us, the argument over whether global warming is a problem or not is over,” said Andy Taylor, at the time Enterprise’s CEO, in 2007. (T)he auto rental service has trumpeted tree-planting initiatives and its fleet of hybrid vehicles… (Source: The Guardian, 22 August 2016)
Enterprise confirmed to the Guardian that the company pays for the anti-regulatory group’s advocacy to lawmakers. The company’s given reason was the avoidance of specific sales taxes. Spokeswoman Laura T Bryant said: “[P]lease understand that our relationship with Alec is solely focused on the car rental excise tax issue.”
Under the byline of Sam Thielman, the Guardian published this story today: Enterprise Rent-A-Car becomes paid Alec member despite green efforts.
In Enterprise’s 2015 Sustainability Report its CEO wrote:
“As the world’s largest car rental company and a leader in the global travel industry, we are in a strong position to help drive sustainable travel solutions and policies around the globe,” writes Enterprise Holdings CEO Pam Nicholson in the letter that opens Enterprise’s 2015 sustainability report, which lists Enterprise’s accomplishments in the realm of renewable and sustainable energy. “That’s why customers and employees look to us to be responsible stewards of our business and the communities where we live and work.”
It seems that Enterprise has become more concerned with local taxes and lost sight of its duty to be responsible stewards of the communities where it does business and its employees and customers live. This comes at an odd time when Expedia, the world’s largest online travel company, severed its ties to ALEC as announced during the first week of August, link, following the backlash AARP received from its members, forcing it to cut ties to ALEC the week before.
If you would like to learn more about Enterprise Holdings heritage, values and cultural compass, check out its web page on Corporate Citizenship. You can find email addresses through the FAQs link at the very bottom of the page.