Sustainability Week 2019

Sustainability Week, Monday 7 – Friday 11 October, showcases how we’re investing to deliver positive change for our customers, communities, people and the environment. 

We’re passionate about sustainability and take our environmental responsibilities seriously, recognising the important role the rail industry plays in meeting the challenges of the future. For us, this means embedding sustainability throughout the organisation to reduce our environmental footprint by lowering carbon emissions and becoming more sustainable in how we use natural resources.

Sustainability is also about investing in local communities across our network. We’re helping vulnerable people achieve their potential by partnering with national organisations, investing in apprenticeship schemes and employee training, raising money for charity and funding community projects that could make a real, positive difference to people’s lives.



Check out this page and @SW_Help throughout the week for daily updates. More information on our sustainability policies can be found here: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/other/about-us/our-plan/sustainability.

Today, we are delighted to announce our partnership with the world-leading Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) as it kicks-off Sustainability Week

IEMA is the leading global professional body representing more than 15,000 members working in the environmental and sustainability fields. Its sustainability standards are the industry benchmark across the world. We are passionate about sustainability and the partnership with a globally recognised organisation demonstrates our commitment to become a leader in the rail industry.

Among the benefits of this new partnership, IEMA will support rolling out a special training development programme focused on embedding sustainability at all levels of our business.

Between Monday 7 and Friday 11 October, Sustainability Week sees us holding events and making a series of announcements, including:

• Publication of our progress in reducing the impact of our train, depots and stations on the environment

• 7,500 reusable coffee cup give away for passengers to encourage a move away from disposable, single-use cups

• A behind the scenes look at how we recycle paper waste and other material from across our network

Amelia Woodley, Head of Sustainability at South Western Railway, said:

"Investing in sustainability is crucial for the long-term future of the industry. Our Sustainability Week showcases how we are being innovative to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainable resource use for the benefit of our employees, passengers and the communities we serve."

Alan Darby, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, said:

"We are delighted to welcome South Western Railway as our newest corporate partner. The approach they are taking to embed sustainability skills throughout the organisation, along with their proactive attitude to engaging all parts of their business, is a great example of IEMA's growing partnership programme. 

"We look forward to supporting SWR on their journey as they transform their business."


Reusable coffee cup giveaway
Over the next few days, we're giving away thousands of SWR branded reusable coffee cups to help reduce disposable waste from single use cups.

Our staff are handing them out to passengers from 7:30am at Bournemouth station on Monday 7, and Basingstoke and Southampton Central stations on Tuesday 8 October.  

The reusable cups are 100% recyclable too.  

So, why are we doing this? 



 

Glen, adds further:

"We are serious about our social responsibility, especially helping young people achieve their potential. Ashley is just one of many young people that have completed the programme and gone on to get jobs, including with us.

"I have witnessed the positive change in every young person that has taken part in the programme. They’ve become more confident and better communicators as well as see them take advantage of the opportunity to build new relationships."

Lizi West, Operations Executive at The Prince’s Trust, said:

"The Prince’s Trust partnership with South Western Railway has been a great opportunity for young people to develop their skills and build experience in the rail industry. This programme reinvigorates their energy to apply for roles they can succeed in.

"The programme is invaluable in showcasing the motivation, work ethic and energy young people can bring to an organisation, given the chance.

"The Prince’s Trust also supports these young people as they move into secure employment, education or training to continue developing their skills and build upon their experiences."

Elior will donate to Water Unite for every bottle of still and sparkling water purchased by passengers travelling onboard our services. The money will be used by Water Unite to invest in innovative plastics recycling programmes in India, Mozambique and Kenya, ensuring plastic ends up as part of the circular economy to positively impact some of the world’s poorest communities. For instance, repurposing plastic for road bricks, improving transport and employment opportunities.

The campaign is part of Elior’s wider committed to improve recycling, offering a realistic immediate solution to reduce the effect of plastic pollution. Only 10% of plastic is currently recycled, and each year, 1.3 billion tons of global landfill waste is generated.

Onboard, Elior only sells water bottles made from 50% recycled plastic, which are 100% recyclable.

Amelia Woodley, Head of Sustainability at South Western Railway, said:

“We are delighted that our passengers can be part of this great cause to give people across the world better sanitation and help deliver practical initiatives to reduce plastic waste.

“Waste is a global issue that needs addressing. We are committed to playing our part and have achieved zero waste to landfill, and by the end our franchise, we’ll ensure 90% of all our waste is recycled.”

Charlotte Wright, Elior’s Corporate Responsibility Manager, says:

“Plastic pollution is a global problem with 300 million tons of plastic produced each year and approximately 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into our oceans every day.

“The commitment with Water Unite is a significant first step in our long-term plan to reduce the impact of plastic on our oceans and environment. 85% of plastic in the ocean comes from developing countries due to the lack of recycling infrastructure.”

Lord Malcolm Bruce, Chair of Water Unite, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Elior as the first partner in the food-service sector, their leadership in sustainability is world renowned. We invite all food-service companies to join in Elior’s actions to be part of a global movement to address the issues of plastic waste and help build a circular economy.

“Together with our partners, through a micro-contribution from bottled water sales, we can collaboratively raise up to $5bn a year to create sustainable planetary change.”


Friday 11 October

SWR announces second-year sustainability results

South Western Railway (SWR) is today (Friday 11 October) pleased to announce the sustainability results from the second year of its franchise.

SWR recognises the important role rail plays in meeting the challenges of the future and is committed to embedding sustainability throughout its organisation for the benefit of the communities and people it serves, as well as the environment. 

See how SWR has become cleaner and greener in 2018/2019:

Between 2018/2019, recycling rates hit record highs, whilst there’s been reductions in carbon emissions, energy and water usage across its trains, stations and depots.

During this period, SWR has: 

• Won a Gold Green Apple Award for Environmental Excellence

• Achieved zero waste to landfill from trains, depots and stations

• Installed 60 new electric vehicle charging points across six stations

• Reduced its overall energy usage by 11%

• Achieved 90% recycling rates at larger stations and 82% across its whole business

• Achieved international certification - ISO14001 and ISO50001- for recycling and energy saving measures 

• Reduced water consumption by 2% and installed automatic water meter readers

• Offered passengers more local sustainable choices through on-board catering supplier, Elior

Today's results also show how SWR is working with local communities to help people achieve their potential by investing in apprenticeship schemes, employee training and programmes, working with and raising money for charity, and funding projects that make a real, positive difference. 

Between 2018/2019, SWR has: 

• Helped build people’s confidence to travel by rail with 16 ‘Try the Train’ experiences as well as supporting Community Rail Partnerships

• Raised nearly £122,000 for Action for Children and supported local charities on its network

• Helped young people turn their lives around with the Prince's Trust ‘Get Into’ programme

• Delivered high-quality apprenticeships for 126 people through the REACH apprentice scheme

• Become an official partner for Pride Southampton, hosted Women in Rail South events and delivered inclusive workplace training programmes

Andy Mellors, SWR’s Managing Director, said:

"I'm pleased we’ve made great progress in our efforts to become more sustainable since the beginning of the franchise.

"Rail must play its part in making a positive social, environmental and economic impact on the communities and customers it serves, and embrace action on climate change, diversity and inclusion and sustainability."

Amelia Woodley, Head of Sustainability at South Western Railway, said:

"We are passionate about putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do, and our efforts to reduce the impacts from trains, stations and depots are paying off.

"Transparency is key to showing how we’re making a difference. We’re reducing our carbon emissions, improving recycling rates, as well as being ambitious about what we can achieve in the future."

Notes to editor
The second year figures are from April 2018 until March 2019
Video data: 33% represents the carbon emissions saved from renewable energy generated by the UK's electricity grid. Figure is specific to SWR.
Click here to read SWR's sustainability commitments and strategy