Environment
| Rail operations are associated with a number of environmental impacts, as summarised below. | |
|---|---|
| Climate Change | Emissions of carbon dioxide from the operation of trains, buildings, and staff and business travel |
| Air Quality | Emissions of nitric oxides, particulates, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide from operation of trains |
| Use of Resources - Energy | Use of energy to heat and light depots |
| Use of Resources - Water | Use of water to wash vehicles and for domestic purposes |
| Waste Management | Management of waste arising from maintenance activities, offices and waste derived from customers on the trains |
We report performance in relation to all the above impacts. Emissions are reported as totals but also normalised per passenger kilometre as this represents the unit of output from the business. The exception to this is water usage which is normalised per vehicle unit, as most of our water is used in vehicle washing.
This year our environmental data incorporates the new First Capital Connect franchise and an additional depot in First Great Western. For carbon dioxide emissions we have adjusted previous years' data to take account of these changes by assuming consistent performance in these franchises over the past two years. Therefore we are able to make year-on-year comparisons.
During the year a central database was created to collate all our environmental data. Following a series of training workshops, it can be accessed by all our environmental representatives. Performance reports can now be generated locally and the reporting processes have been streamlined.
Our Environmental Management Framework
Each train operating company has an environmental representative who is responsible for helping the operating company improve environmental performance. They meet with the Group Environmental and CSR Manager on a quarterly basis to review performance and share best practice. Network Rail and FirstGroup's engineering, operational and purchasing functions are also represented at these meetings.
Minimum standards for environmental performance are set out in the Group Environmental Management Manual. Each operating company and depot is audited against the requirements of this manual and their performance scored. A number of companies are now working towards achieving certification against the ISO14001 environmental management system standard.
We aim for all our operating companies to have ISO14001 certification by 2008/09. Two of our six operating companies now have certification. GB Railfreight achieved certification this year.
Learning and Development
Environmental awareness training is central to our management strategy. Environmental training elements form part of our Core Safety Brief which is delivered to all staff on an ongoing basis. Additional environmental training programmes are delivered in all of the train operating companies and records are available. Our train operating company environmental representatives have an IEMA certificate in Environmental Management to ensure their competence in environmental risk assessment.