Auto Trader Group PLC

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Direct Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Strong	Auto Trader Group PLC provides a solid level of transparency around its climate-related lobbying. It names two identifiable policy frameworks that it seeks to influence – the UK Government’s plan to "ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030" and the associated "Zero Emission Vehicle mandate [that] came into force in 2024" – clearly situating its work within the transition to electric vehicles. The company is explicit about how and where it lobbies: it "regularly meet[s] with various Government departments, including HM Treasury, No 10, and the Department for Transport’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles," and has delivered both oral and written evidence to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee’s Electric Vehicles inquiry, illustrating direct engagement with specific policymakers through meetings, data sharing and formal parliamentary submissions. Auto Trader also articulates the concrete outcomes it is pursuing, such as securing "incentives and tax breaks to make electric vehicles more affordable," "equalizing VAT on public and private charging," "reducing VAT on used EVs," and "introducing initiatives to build confidence in used EVs with a focus on battery health." Together, these disclosures demonstrate clear identification of the policies at stake, the channels and targets of engagement, and the precise changes the company hopes to see, offering a strong degree of insight into its climate-policy lobbying activities.	3

Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Moderate	Auto Trader Group PLC discloses that it “lobby[s] Government and share[s] our data and insights to help guide policy on how to decarbonise the automotive industry,” reflecting a clear process for direct engagement aligned with its climate goals. It notes that “our head of Communications and Commercial Director, who are the primary people engaging with policy makers, are members of our net zero working group and also our environmental strategy working group,” demonstrating that its lobbying leads are embedded in committees focused on climate commitments. The company has also established that “our Corporate Responsibility Committee oversees our environmental commitments and work is ongoing to reduce our carbon emissions across all scopes,” indicating board-level attention to environmental strategy. However, the company does not disclose a specific policy framework for reviewing or approving lobbying activities, provides no detail on how it monitors or manages the alignment of either its direct or any indirect lobbying through associations, and offers no evidence of a formal audit or sign-off process to ensure all advocacy is consistent with its net zero objectives.	2