My ears perked up when I heard the words “save you money” at a recent CSR event hosted by Jane Madden, SVP of CSR and Sustainability at Edelman.  The guest speaker, Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-Go Car Sharing, explained how her organization has grown beyond individuals to serve businesses and local governments.  “While most of our customers really believe in our social and environmental impact, it’s truly the price that makes or breaks the sale,” she said.  Currently a member of another car share program, I was intrigued.

Since 2002, I-Go, the third largest non-profit car sharing company in North America, has been helping Chicago-area individuals get around conveniently and affordably without having to own a car.   And while car sharing is a well-known concept in Europe and many other American cities, I-Go brings a unique proposition to the table.  The organization focuses on environmental impact – each shared, low emission I-Go car removes around 14 individually-owned vehicles from the road – as well on equity.  I-Go is committed to providing services throughout Chicago, often beyond the more lucrative neighborhoods that attract profit-driven organizations.

While being green and accessible has helped I-Go attract thousands of individual members, the organization tells an even stronger story when it comes to working with organizations, businesses and governments.  It’s simple: using I-Go saves money and reduces hassle.  Not only can organizations eliminate company fleets, I-Go’s reservation and inventory technology makes managing shared cars faster, easier and more consistent.  Furthermore, I-Go’s innovative pricing models and convenient locations make them a competitive alternative to traditional rental car companies.

So, what’s the big deal?  I-Go’s unique value proposition sits at the intersection of social good and business value.   It’s attractive not only to those of us who care about social change but also to the much wider if not universal group of people, businesses and organizations that want to save money.  By focusing on cost savings, I-Go has expanded its customer set and can achieve more of its environmental and social objectives.

Where do I sign up?