DB Cargo Polska consequently on the sustainable development tracks

For the third time DB Cargo Polska Group participated in the biggest event dedicated to responsible business and sustainable development - CSR Fair organised by the Responsible Business Forum. For the first time the company has decided to become a Partner of this event.

During the fair, the “DB Cargo Polska Group Sustainable Development Report for 2019-2020” was presented. The publication is a summary of the company's non-financial activity in the environmental and social area as well as in the field of corporate governance. The report contains the presentation of the implementation of sustainable development assumptions in all Group companies in line with the international guidelines for non-financial reporting.

“DB Cargo Polska attaches great importance to sustainable development. We are aware of our impact on the environment - hence our activity in this area and our presence at the CSR fair. DB Cargo Polska was the first company which started measuring its impact on a regular basis and has been publishing analyses in this area since 2017. This year's report differs from the previous ones, though. Its scope brings us closer to the perspective of mandatory non-financial reporting in the environmental, social and corporate governance area,” says Marek Staszek, CEO of DB Cargo Polska, “I am glad I had the opportunity to exchange views on this topic with the participants of the fair and to take part in a panel discussion which addressed the issues so important for our future. Thank you very much. I hope that our Report will inspire you to take further steps towards sustainable development,” he adds.

As a partner of the fair, the company organised a panel discussion entitled “Sustainable development and responsible business”. The meeting was attended by Professor Jerzy Buzek, Member of the European Parliament, who introduced the audience to the main topic of the discussion in an on-line format; Professor Aleksandra Kuzior from the Silesian University of Technology, Professor Halina Brdulak from the Warsaw School of Economics, Katarzyna Marciniak, Member of the DB Cargo Polska Management Board for Finance, Marek Staszek, CEO of DB Cargo Polska, and Andrzej Wyszyński, spokesperson of DB Cargo Polska. The debate involved the issues of emissions in the transport sector, as well as the role of business in the development of the local community based on the example of the long-term cooperation between DB Cargo Polska and the City of Zabrze.    

Sustainability, impact measurement and its conscious management will soon no longer be a voluntary choice, instead, they will become a legal obligation. In addition to reporting financial indicators, economic operators will also be required to disclose non-financial indicators. The intention here is to actually support the goal of achieving climate neutrality in Europe in 2050 - says Professor Halina Brdulak. In the TSL sector, rail - as the most environmentally friendly means of transport, where each tonne of freight transported reduces CO₂ emissions by 80%, compared to road transport - is the first choice in order to achieve the environmental goals that have been defined,” she adds.

In the overall transport mix, rail emits less than one percent of greenhouse gases. Additionally, rail traffic is one of the safest means of transport. The number of accidents on the railways accounts for just a fraction of all transport incidents. The labour market in the rail sector is also transforming. Characterised by extraordinary dynamism, the industry is offering today many opportunities to its employees. The advantages of rail over other modes of transport are multi-dimensional. Hence, the issues of conscious shaping of the transport and logistics market were one of the topics discussed by the company during the fair.

“By presenting its activities related to sustainable development, DB Cargo Polska wants to draw attention to the most important issues related to the development of sustainable transport and the orientation towards the environmental objectives,” says Katarzyna Marciniak, Member of the Management Board of DB Cargo Polska. “We are aware that reducing the environmental impact often involves additional costs. However, the added value for our customers and other stakeholders generated this way exceeds the value of the expenses incurred,” she adds.

During the fair, the results of Diversity IN Check were announced. DB Cargo Polska was on the list of 38 companies recognized as the most advanced in diversity management, caring for inclusion in the organisation and striving to achieve social cohesion. The 20^th edition of the “Responsible Business in Poland. Good practices” report was also presented, which included ten initiatives of DB Cargo Polska in the area of CSR and sustainable development.

DB Cargo Polska Group sustainability report is available here: https://tiny.pl/964v3