RSSB2669 - Sustainability Capacity Building

The Rail Industry operates in a context that is undergoing rapid change shaped by external pressures including an increase in extreme weather events, growing demands on infrastructure and a shifting policy environment, such as Brexit. These changes present new risks and opportunities across the industry - especially those areas with a long-term planning cycle such as infrastructure. Locking in resilient infrastructure will protect value, secure Britain's railways and prepare the organisation for long-term success. It is imperative the rail industry embed sustainable thinking into rail decision making and policy processes. Building sustainable development capacity in the industry's executive leaders will help contribute to meeting this ambition.

First published in 2009, and updates and re-launched in May 2016 the Rail Sustainable Development Principles (accessible here) define what sustainable development means for the railway. These principles form an important part of the rail franchising process though there is still much effort needed to embed the principles into everyday business decisions.

This programme will support the adoption of these principles and is part of a wider rail sector initiative designed to build awareness amongst key decision makers across the UK rail industry around critical sustainability issues and related risks and opportunities facing the sector. It will also be designed to inspire an ongoing collaboration amongst these key actors to overcome critical barriers to change and respond positively to priority opportunities for action.

2. Project objectives

The principles objectives of this programme are to: