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Hitachi Rail

Hitachi Rail

CSR and Sustainability

Environmental Impact

When we think of trains, we think green transport. But could it be greener?

As a leader in sustainable mobility, we recognise our role in the global transport sector to promote increasingly environmentally low-impact infrastructure and services.

Our Environmental Policy places safeguarding the environment at the heart of our development strategies, with a targeted commitment to preventing pollution and pursuing continuous innovation in our products and solutions. We have made a promise: to attain neutrality by 2050, by eliminating carbon emissions not only from our own activities but also from the purchases and sales of our products and services – across the entire value chain.

Our Group Environmental Goals

By 2030

Carbon neutrality across our business sites

By 2050

Carbon neutrality throughout our entire value chain

100%

Reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030

40%

Reduction of absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions by 2030

5%

Hitachi Rail has also set a specific target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by at least 5% in FY23 compared to FY22

Our Impact

100%

Reduction of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions at business sites by 2030, and a 100% reduction through the entire value chain by 2050 targeted

14%

Overall decrease of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in FY2023

9%

Increase in female middle management

21%

Increase in overall employee training hours in almost all countries

6,944

Global supply chain partners - 204 industries across 55 countries

954

Suppliers fully registered in the EcoVadis Ratings platform

Read more of our sustainable case studies below:

The Etihad Rail Project spans 1,200km, connecting the seven emirates of the UAE, and the second stage of the project is a 605km rail link between Ghuweifat, located on the border with Saudi Arabia, and Fujairah on the east coast. In implementing a “zero construction footprint” approach, we operated beyond the project's compliance requirements when it comes to biodiversity. We conducted ecological surveys in all project areas and discovered the habitat of a critical species of spiny-tailed lizard along the route. As a result, we rerouted the connection to avoid disturbing its active habitat.

Hitachi Rail has installed an innovative Solar PV system at its Tito Scalo plant in Basilicata, southern Italy, allowing it to produce more than half of the site’s energy requirements (50-60%).

The new generation photovoltaic system, now connected to the e-distribution grid, enables the plant to reduce its carbon emissions by 325 tons per year. In full operation, it can generate 494 KWp with a yield capacity of around 700-750 MWh per year.

Read the Press Release

Hitachi Rail is the first train manufacturer to attain world leading environmental design accreditation for HS2. We attained the rigorous PAS 2080 carbon reduction standard for the design, manufacture, and operation of the 100% electric HS2 fleet, by:

  • Reducing the energy consumption of the trains while in operation, improving the efficiency of power supplies and air conditioning systems

  • Reducing the weight of the trains

  • Increasing the proportion of recycled and recyclable materials across most components.

As a result, HS2 train emissions will be 90% lower than taking the same journey by car or plane.

PAS 2080 is globally recognised as one of the leading environmental standards in infrastructure design and manufacturing, and meeting this standard requires Hitachi’s HS2 fleet to maintain a very low carbon footprint.

Read the Press Release

A Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) is used to assess the social and socioeconomic aspects of a company’s products and their impacts along their life cycle. It’s more detailed and more complexed than a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the main difference being the impact on a broader group of stakeholders, which includes workers, local communities, consumers, society, value chain actors and children.

Hitachi Rail has become the first in the railway industry to apply S-LCA to a train's life cycle, as part of the Masaccio Blues Train project. It ensures we can commit not only to sustainable production and consumption, but also extend our position as a leader and Climate Change Innovator through positive social impacts.

Read the Press Release

At Hitachi Rail in the Netherlands, we recognise our integral role within society, and as such, we operate with a strong commitment to social responsibility. Our solutions contribute to optimising public transportation, aligning with the objectives of the climate agreement to substantially reduce CO₂ emissions in the Netherlands. As Hitachi Rail we are committed to delivering a 100% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030.

We actively engage with the CO₂ Performance Ladder to ensure socially responsible business practices. Originating from ProRail, this ladder aims to enhance supplier performance in reducing CO₂ emissions. Hitachi Rail in the Netherlands has been operating at the highest achievable level since 2016, with the latest progress outlined in the Progress Report for the first half of 2024 (see below).

We are proud that we have been awarded the CO₂ certificate (see below) for achieving Level 5 on the CO₂ Performance Ladder. This certificate serves as independent proof of our commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions and is valid until 2025, with annual intermediate assessments by the certifying body.

As a member of the Foundation for Climate-Friendly Procurement & Business (SKAO), Hitachi Rail in the Netherlands actively participates in promoting and maintaining the CO₂ Performance Ladder. SKAO, the independent owner and manager of the ladder, is dedicated to the ongoing development and utilisation of the certification scheme. Additionally, SKAO works towards broadening the adoption of the CO₂ Performance Ladder among businesses, clients, and industries, aiming to drive companies and governments to reduce CO₂ emissions, ultimately achieving a carbon-neutral business environment.

Progress Report 2024

Progress Report 2023

CO2-Awareness Certificate 2023

 

Sustainability Stories