Case Study - Tramlink Nottingham

The tram offers green, sustainable transport for millions of passengers every year, helping to keep cars off the road, improving air quality within the city centre by reducing emissions and congestion.

Overview of the company’s sustainability goals

We launched our Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy in 2021 to make sure that we’re doing all we can as a responsible business for the environment, our customers, suppliers and the communities we serve.

Our holistic approach to CSR is split into 4 key areas: The Environment, Customer Needs, Fair Operating Practices and Community Development.

Further reducing our own impact on the environment, as well as promoting sustainable transport as a way for others to reduce their own carbon footprint forms a huge part in our approach.

At the heart of this work is supporting Nottingham City Council’s goal to become the UK’s first Carbon Neutral City by 2028. We’re proud to be part of this ambition for the city and are dedicated to doing all we can to facilitate that target and to showcase how sustainable transport infrastructure can also help the wider UK net zero plans.

Implemented Solutions

Sitting behind our Environment objectives are a list of detailed solutions and actions, forming a programme of on-going work to help achieve overall goals and ambitions.

- We are committed to continuing to be powered by 100% green, renewable energy, which we are also building into procurement procedures.

- Working with businesses and large employers across the region to create sustainable travel plans and incentives that link into their own corporate strategies of reducing carbon emissions through transport.

- We continually review our suppliers, contractors and our own internal processes to ensure we are reducing own footprint throughout the supply chain. We have also invested significantly in digital technology, enhancing the information and products available remotely, moving away from reliance on paper documents such as leaflets and paper tickets to reduce paper use and waste in operations over the next 5 years by 90%.

- We have increased the number of Electric Vehicle Charging Points at our Park and Ride Sites.

- Partnered with Enterprise Car Club to pilot electric cars for hire within our Clifton Park and Ride site, making it easier for our customers to travel further afield in a sustainable way. Due to the success of this scheme, we are working to roll this out on a wider scale.

- Promoting the city’s carbon neutral ambitions and plans to change public behaviour. This has included working with partners to wrap one of our city’s trams, highlighting the importance of the campaign and to create a ‘green symbol’ of Nottingham’s climate goals.

Benefits of your sustainability solutions              

Our proactive approach to changing our impact on the environment by listening to our customer needs and opening up the conversation with our stakeholders has enabled us to benefit throughout the decision-making process.

Our commitment to investing in local, digital solutions including the production and on-going investment in the NETGO app, has reduced paper usage and waste significantly. It also gives us greater insight into operations, making life easier for our customers, so it’s a win-win.

Waste is another key area of focus for our operations – 100% of our waste is recycled (Recycled and used for power generation) in 2021, we decreased the overall amount of waste sent to recycling by 22.7%.

Testimonial       

We are really proud of the way we have worked in partnership with a variety of different organisations and groups across the city, from the council and other transport providers through to schools, charities and good causes. Making an impact can only be done by collaborating and working together in partnership.

Our CSR strategy highlights that the tram is much more than just a transport network and it makes everyone at Tramlink (and NET) proud to see the difference we can make to our own city, neighbours, and the communities in which we all live.

To find out more about our sustainability commitments, please see our NET Corporate Social Responsibility 2021 Plan or visit our website www.thetram.net