Google is improving its green credentials by offering all of its employees a free bike to ride to work.

The bikes, manufactured by Raleigh Europe, will be offered to around 2,000 permanent employees of the search engine giant in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. All of the bikes - plus free helmets - will be branded with the Google name.

Holger Meyer, Germany's first Google employee, came up with the idea and staff will be able to choose from a range of models including a "cool cruiser" - a folding bike for those that only make part of their trip to work under pedal power - and men's and women's hybrids.

"We try to innovate not just in technology for users but in the benefits we give our employees," Liane Hornsey, director of human resources and staffing for Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, told MediaGuardian.co.uk.

"We think that these amazing bikes will help Googlers keep fit and healthy, get to know their city better and reduce the environmental impact of their journey to work."

When Google is not fighting $1bn lawsuits on behalf of video sharing subsidiary YouTube over copyright issues, or defending products such as Google News from irate publishers, it puts some effort into developing an ethical operation.

Google recently announced plans to begin installing solar panels on the roof of its Mountain View HQ campus.

The project, which will provide the "Googleplex" HQ with green energy, will be the largest solar installation on any corporate campus in the US - and possibly one of the largest on any corporate site in the world, according to the company.

Google Europe has also this week been given an award for using free-range eggs by the Compassion in World Farming organisation.

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