Climate · Economics · Research

Process leadership toward climate-smart, cost-effective travel

CERO is a scientific process-management model, born out of a doctoral thesis at KTH — not a superficial consulting product. Since 2007, the method has been further developed and empirically tested across more than 170 organisations' climate work.

CSRD-ready Scope 1–3 Backcasting methodology

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Scientific publications since 2004

Companies and organisations in CERO processes

Municipalities, regions & districts that have completed CERO

Of organisations reach their climate targets

01 — Scientific foundation & method

Research as the driving force — not a superficial method

CERO (Climate and Economic Research in Organisations) is built on a transparent, scientifically grounded model that gives organisations tailored, economically optimal paths toward their climate targets for travel and meetings.

The model was developed in Markus Robèrt's doctoral thesis at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) (2007) and published in the peer-reviewed journal International Journal for Sustainable Transportation (2009). Robèrt is now an associate professor (docent) in sustainable mobility at KTH, and the methodology has since been further developed through applied research across more than twenty scientific articles, reports, and a doctoral book.

Every completed CERO analysis also contributes valuable empirical data back into the research — a feedback loop between practice and science that sets CERO apart from a traditional consulting service, and that underpins the quality of every recommendation.

Published in, among others, International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, Journal of Cleaner Production, Energy, Environment and Behavior, and Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management.

2007Doctoral thesis at KTH lays the foundation for the model

2009Peer-reviewed publication in IJST

20+Scientific articles and reports since 2004

700k+Mapped mode-of-transport choices in the CERO database

The CERO Survey

Built on geographic data — every employee enters their actual route, giving the CERO database its precision compared with generic travel-habit surveys.

Correlation between travel cost and CO2 emissions per capita, KTH research collaboration

Benchmarking

The correlation between travel cost and CO₂ emissions per capita — shown here from a research collaboration with KTH — reveals where the greatest potential lies within the organisation.

02 — Three tools, one process

From analysis to everyday behaviour

CERO consists of three complementary parts that together take the organisation from mapping, through a well-anchored action plan, to ongoing everyday follow-up.

01 · THE CERO PROCESS

Workshop for a well-anchored action plan

The mapping is translated into an action workshop where the project group jointly weighs cost against climate benefit for each measure. A purpose-built interactive tool — shown here from a workshop with Arenastaden — helps the group identify the combination of measures that delivers the greatest effect.

SIM-CERO simulation of accessibility and commuting

02 · SIM-CERO

AI-driven optimisation of workplace and travel

A scientific transport model, trained on more than 700,000 real journeys from geographic survey data, simulates accessibility, climate impact, travel times, travel costs, and physical activity for journeys to a given address. Applied in relocation analyses for, among others, SEB, Telia, Siemens, SAAB, Alfa Laval, and Telenor, as well as in forecasting work around Arlanda Express and the expansion of the Stockholm metro.

CERO Live tablet with interactive daily follow-up

03 · CERO LIVE

Daily follow-up and nudging

An interactive system where each employee reports their journey with a few taps on a tablet. In real time, it shows the modal split against the climate target — day by day, week by week — serving as both a decision-support tool and a behavioural nudge.

CERO Live · The Climate Challenge — leaderboard & digital badges

UnitVs. climate target

1Unit A

−55%

2Unit B

−49%

3Unit C

−41%

4Unit D

−7%

5Unit E

+19%

ClimateChampion

The Climber

Steady Commuter

Most Active Team

03 — Results in numbers

Measurable results across more than 170 organisations

90%+

More than 90% of organisations that have completed follow-up CERO analyses meet or exceed the climate targets set within their respective process — often combined with substantial economic savings.

54%

Fabege — CO2 reduction

33%

Region Jämtland/Härjedalen — CO2 reduction

24%

Microsoft — CO2 reduction

23%

Tyréns — CO2 reduction

13%

Vasakronan — CO2 reduction

~10%

About 30 municipalities — CO2 reduction

Economic potential: The average short-term savings potential identified in completed CERO analyses amounts to SEK 0.5–5 million per 1,000 employees per year — money that would otherwise leak out through travel costs rather than being directed toward the organisation's goals.

A selection of the companies, public authorities, and municipalities that have applied CERO

Logos of organisations that have applied CERO