Sustainability and social responsibility
Transporting freight by rail contributes to a more sustainable society. CargoNet is working towards making freight transport by rail increasingly sustainable.
Sustainable freight transport by rail
Transport and road traffic account for nearly one-third of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is important to shift more freight to rail.
Sustainability is important for our customers and for us at CargoNet. Our customers can trust that we are committed to making rail freight transport more sustainable, ensuring that everyone who transports goods with us contributes to a more sustainable society.
Why is it more sustainable to transport freight by rail than by trucks?
Reduces CO₂ emissions
Despite the electrification of road transport, it is still more environmentally friendly to transport goods by rail. In 2021, the average emissions were 6.4 grams of CO₂ per tonne kilometer from rail, and 89.6 grams from trucks with and without trailers.
Reduces noise and pollution
Tires create a lot of noise and are the largest source of microplastics and local air pollution in Norway and Sweden. Transporting goods by rail will therefore help reduce road noise and the amount of microplastics in nature.
Reduces congestion and accidents
Heavy transport contributes to more congestion on the roads and is involved in many traffic accidents in Norway. By transporting goods by rail, we reduce heavy transport on our roads by 1,250 trucks every day.
Illustration showing CO₂ emissions for different vehicles per passenger-kilometer. Diesel car – 2746g, Airplane – 2489g, Truck – 89.6g, Train – 6.4g. Source: Statistics Norway.
What we are doing to meet our sustainable development goals
Renewable energy for train operations
CargoNet purchases electricity with guarantees of origin for the operation of electric freight trains. This ensures that the electricity we use is produced as renewable energy from Norwegian hydropower plants.
Increased capacity
A new freight terminal in Bergen has increased capacity and streamlined operations, equivalent to up to 40,000 trailers per year between Oslo and Bergen. The terminal is designed for completely emission-free operations.
Diversity and equality
At CargoNet, we are committed to respecting and valuing diversity and inclusion. We are building an inclusive culture with dialogue in all parts of the organization and support the diversity messages of Pride.
ISO certifications
CargoNet is certified according to ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for environmental management.
Energy consumption and equipment
CargoNet has replaced several old locomotives with new, modern, and energy-efficient ones, and we are continuously working to replace more.
Energy efficiency
CargoNet is implementing a project to optimize energy use. This will help reduce diesel and electricity consumption by around 6 % by 2030.
Traffic safety and HSE
At CargoNet, we work diligently to ensure safe transport at every stage. Our goal is efficient freight transport with minimal impact on people, the environment, and equipment. Through systematic work with HSE measures, we achieve impressive results, ensuring the safe transport of our customers' goods and a safe working environment for our employees.
Read more about traffic safety and HSETransparency Act
The Transparency Act applies to CargoNet. CargoNet’s account of due diligence for 2024 is a part of the Vy Group’s joint account. You can read more about how we work with the identified risk areas and due diligence according to the Transparency Act in the yearly account.
Annual and sustainability reports
Would you like to learn more about our sustainability efforts? You will find a complete overview of our goals and actions in the annual and sustainability report.
Code of conduct and sustainability policy
As part of the Vy Group, CargoNet follows the Vy Group's code of conductEkstern lenke and sustainability policyEkstern lenke.
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