Network Rail announce sustainability target milestone

Credit: Network Rail

Network Rail has thanked its suppliers for getting on board with its ambitious sustainability targets after 75% of suppliers, by emissions, committed to implementing their own science-based emissions targets.

Supporting the UK government’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Network Rail became the first railway company to set independently verified Science Based Targets in October 2020, and challenged its suppliers to set their own. Suppliers, such as manufacturing and construction companies, generate around two-thirds of the railway’s emissions, so Network Rail has worked with its partners in setting their own targets and will support in monitoring and measuring their performance to encourage shared learning.

“Rail is already a very environmentally friendly way to travel, however, we can do more and need our suppliers’ help to become an industry powered by renewable energy,” Ripesh Patel, Network Rail’s Commercial & Procurement Strategy Director, said. “Seeing this level of commitment is a really important step on our journey towards a better, more sustainable railway for the future, and we’re looking forward to working with our suppliers to identify improvement opportunities and standardise the recording and reporting of their targets.”

In order to engage with suppliers and encourage them to set targets to cut emissions, Network Rail has run four cross-industry Science Based Target workshops in the past 18 months, in collaboration with National Highways, HS2, HS1, TFL and East West Rail. These workshops have been focused on providing the supply chain with practical information to help them on their journey to cut emissions. The four workshops were attended by 1,925 people and have played a key role in helping suppliers to set their own targets. 

Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement: limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and making efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Science Based Targets form a key part of Network Rail’s comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which sets out a clear pathway for a better, greener railway for Britain.