HS1 Publishes ESG Report 2023/24
HS1 Ltd has today published its Environmental, Social and Governance report for the 2023/24 financial year. The report outlines the progress that HS1 has made against key milestones in its Sustainability Strategy, amid continued passenger growth.
The business has established dedicated supply chain working groups focused on delivering energy reduction initiatives across the route and in stations. Over the last year, HS1 has cut electricity consumption per train journey by 5% and reduced total gas consumption by 16%, despite an increase in station footfall.
Other achievements include:
- The installation of a state-of-the-art recycling unit at St Pancras International Station
- The launch of a Social Value Framework, setting out the updated approach to maximising the net social value that HS1 generates by engaging local communities and inspiring young people towards railway careers.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) donations totalling nearly £70,000, including donating IT equipment to local charities such as HealthProm, volunteer time, and support for major physical and mental health charities such as Prostate Cancer UK and Bipolar UK.
- An increase in the proportion of clean electricity that HS1 purchases. In total, a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) now covers c.40% of HS1’s total electricity consumption, up from c.12% the previous year.
Robert Sinclair, CEO of HS1, said:
“At HS1, we are committed to playing our part in tackling climate change, and I am proud of the progress we have made towards our 2030 sustainability targets.
“Nonetheless, our mission goes beyond our own corporate targets – it’s about providing an option for ultra-low-emission travel between London, Kent and mainland Europe.
“Transport is the highest emitting sector in the UK, yet HS1 cuts annual emissions by 750,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent thanks to travellers choosing trains over cars and planes.
“We have an exciting journey ahead as more and more people chose to travel by high-speed rail, and I am committed to maintaining our robust progress towards our 2030 targets.”