This puts RCG, the freight transport division of Austrian rail firm ÖBB, in the top 1% of companies in the rail freight transport sector assessed by EcoVadis. EcoVadis now evaluates more than 100,000 companies in the areas of the environment, labor and human rights and sustainable procurement.
The award of EcoVadis Gold is both recognition and an incentive, according to RCG CEO Clemens Först: “The Rail Cargo Group is the sustainable logistics backbone of the European economy. That is why we are investing in the future viability of rail freight transport. In addition to greater efficiency and flexibility, the aim is above all to simplify access to the rail system and thus attract new customer groups.”
RCG scored particularly well in the areas of the environment and labor and human rights. Its performance here goes beyond the legal obligations. Participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), ISO 14001 certification, the conversion to quiet brake blocks and the numerous training programs were also rated highly. The extensive range of health measures for employees and offers to improve the work-life balance were also honored.
The EcoVadis carbon scorecard is a new addition to the assessment. This serves to evaluate the management systems in climate change. Here too, the RCG team is delighted to have achieved the second-best “Advanced” rating. The reasons for the good result are the scope of the greenhouse gas management systems, the reporting in accordance with global standards and the data verification by third parties, RCG noted.