Sustainability has long evolved from being just a trend into an integral part of corporate strategy. This shift is clearly reflected in the latest survey results from our sustainability study with Swissrail, which provide valuable insights into the current state of sustainability transformation within the railway industry. It’s clear that its importance will only continue to grow.
Despite positive developments, sustainability in many companies is still largely driven by external factors such as regulatory requirements and tender processes. While external pressure serves as an important driver, companies need to cultivate stronger intrinsic motivation to meet sustainable goals effectively and over the long term.
Core issues on the sustainability agenda include environmental concerns, reducing CO2 emissions, and resource management. However, the maturity of sustainability efforts in many companies still has room for improvement. A formal sustainability strategy, regular reporting, and measurable progress on defined goals are essential to gauge maturity, and there remains significant potential for development.
A quarter of companies have already set concrete targets for achieving net zero emissions, with most aiming for 2050. Setting these targets is an important step forward, yet businesses face challenges such as high costs, limited data availability, and complex regulatory demands. Most companies recognise the potential of digitalisation is supporting sustainability transformation, particularly in areas like data management, monitoring, and transparency.
In addition to our survey, we’ve expanded our analysis through discussions with rail operators and an interview with SBB’s Head of Sustainability. This interview offers interesting insights into their approach to sustainability, their key focus areas, and the current challenges SBB is facing.
We hope you find the report enlightening and that it offers valuable takeaways!
