Sustainability
Our commitment to the future
We care for sustainable issues and advocate for the role that railways play as a future-oriented, socially and environmentally conscious mode of transportation for both people and goods.
Our Strategy
Alpha Trains recognises the significant impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues on the overall performance of the entire Alpha Trains Group.
Our objective is to ensure that these issues are systematically addressed at all levels of the company‘s business activities, both strategically and operationally, in line with international and national codes and principles.
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OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Achieving our business and ESG goals relies on building a culture of trust, respect, diversity, integrity and passion. Our corporate culture is based on these five values, which were developed jointly by all our employees and set out in the Group‘s mission statement.
Our commitment to environmentally friendly, socially responsible and sustainable business practices is firmly anchored in our comprehensive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy.
We manage labour rights, human rights and health and safety effectively to ensure high standards for all Alpha Trains Group employees and third parties - see our Labour Rights, Human Rights and Occupational Health and Safety Policy for further details.
Ongoing we are absolutely committed to conduct our business with honesty and integrity and in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations - read more in our Ethics in Business Policy.
Our Targets
Environment
- Setting science-based emissions reduction targets in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), where we commit to a "net zero" approach, reducing our absolute greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 42% by 2030 (versus a 2022 baseline), as well as measuring and reducing emissions along our value chain (scope 3) and reporting regularly on our progress.
- Optimizing the consumption of resources such as energy, water, and raw materials by implementing efficient practices, promoting conservation, and exploring opportunities for renewable alternatives.
- Reducing air pollution, minimize waste generation, encourage recycling, and implement responsible waste management practices.
- Encouraging all staff to consider the environmental consequences of their actions and to endeavour to minimise the impact as far as reasonably practicable.
Health & Safety
- ISO 45001 Re-Certification
- Keeping the work-related accident rate at zero
- Keeping the traffic accident rate at zero
Social Responsibility
- Alpha Trains is committed to equal opportunities for careers in the business. We are committed to promoting and developing people in a meritocracy based system.
- Alpha trains is committed to expand its social responsibility for the community. For this we are planning to initiate social projects every year in our regional communities.
Governance
- Implementing and constantly improving effective controls, audits and training to keep the number of breaches, defaults and failures at zero.
Our ESG Journey
Certifications (Accreditations)
The Alpha Trains Group and its divisions maintain sophisticated management systems for its offices in Luxembourg, Cologne, Antwerp, Madrid, Paris and Warsaw, which are based on legal requirements as well as standards such as ISO 9001 (Quality management), ISO 14001 (Environmental management), ISO 45001 (Occupational health and safety) and also the Regulation (EU) 779/2019 (Entity in charge of maintenance) for our Locomotives Business Unit and Passenger Business Unit and are regularly audited by external accreditation bodies such as TÜV Rheinland, ERC or Sconrail.
GRESB
Each year, GRESB assesses and benchmarks the ESG (environmental, social and governance) performance of assets worldwide, providing clarity and insight to financial markets on complex sustainability topics.
Alpha Trains achieved outstanding results in the GRESB benchmark for its strong commitment to sustainability. In 2022 and 2023 Alpha Trains scored 100 out of 100 points and holds first place in the overall ranking of the growing number of worldwide participants. Ongoing for the sixth consecutive year, Alpha Trains received a GRESB 5-star rating and was awarded GRESB Infrastructure Sector Leader.
Find more information at www.gresb.com
EcoVadis
As an independent international platform for sustainability ratings, EcoVadis analyses and evaluates the performance of companies in the key areas of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Specifically, EcoVadis examines how responsibly companies act in the areas of environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.
In recognition of its sustainability performance, Alpha Trains 2023 was awarded a gold medal and achieved a rank in the 98th percentile rank. This means that it is higher than the score of 98 percent of all companies assessed by EcoVadis, placing Alpha Trains in the top ten percent of the industry
Find more information at www.ecovadis.com
Science Based Targets
The SBTi, or Science-Based Targets initiative, is a collaborative effort between CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The initiative helps companies set and achieve science-based targets (SBTs) to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the latest climate science. The SBTi provides a framework and criteria for companies to develop and validate their emission reduction targets, ensuring they are consistent with the overall climate goals.
Alpha Trains committed to science-based targets in 2023, demonstrating its commitment to climate change and contributing to global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Find more information at www.sciencebasedtargets.org
UN Global Compact
The UN Global Compact aims to mobilise a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want. Alpha Trains supports the goals of the United Nations Global Compact (“UNGC”) and formally became a signatory in November 2021.
Alpha Trains thus aligns itself with the UN Global Compact’s ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption and reaffirms its commitment to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Find more information at www.unglobalcompact.org
Green Financing Framework
In 2019, Alpha Trains published as the first ROSCO in Europe a Green Finance Framework that covers all “Green Financings issued“ or used by Alpha Trains such as green bonds, green loan.
Our Social Engagement
Why Sustainability and Corporate Social Engagement is important to us
Today more than ever, sustainability is an important issue in our company, in our society and for all our stakeholders, from employees to suppliers, customers and investors.
Alpha Trains is very conscious of its role, responsibilities, and our opportunities to make a positive difference to the environment and society.
As a company, we want to maintain and expand our role as a pioneer in corporate social responsibility and become a benchmark for responsible behavior. We have therefore chosen to enter long-term partnership with Plan International, an independent development and humanitarian aid organisation that promotes children’s rights and equal opportunities for boys and girls.
Cooperation with Plan International
Plan International strongly believes that girls and boys should have equal rights and opportunities worldwide. To achieve this, Plan International runs sustainable community development projects in its partner countries and responds quickly to emergencies and disasters that threaten children’s lives.
In more than 50 countries, they work together with children, youth, supporters, and partners of all genders to achieve their global goal: 100 million girls to learn, lead, decide and fulfil their potential. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals underpin their commitment. Find more information at www.plan.de
Alpha Trains Group supports the "Clean Water for Ghana" project
In rural areas of Ghana, there is a lack of clean drinking water and sanitation in many places. Diseases caused by contaminated water and a lack of hygiene endanger children’s health. Schools also lack toilets and washing facilities, which is a particular problem for girls.
This project improves access to water and sanitation in 20 communities and schools in the Oti and Northeast regions. An important project for the children in Ghana and a good chance for Alpha Trains to live up to our responsibility.
Our Sustainability Report
As a leasing company we are an enabler of modal shift from road to rail and we play an important role in the overall environmental impact of transport.
Our Sustainability Report describes Alpha Trains’ holistic approach to sustainability and provides a detailed overview of our sustainability work.
