Social responsibility
Green Cargo advocates sustainable development from social, environmental and financial perspectives. To achieve this goal, we co-operate with a number of actors, such as customers, employees and owners. We have measurable goals in each area and the results are presented every month in Scorecard. The Society target area is divided into direct and indirect activities, i.e. activities with or without a direct operational link. Direct activities are activities that affect transports and logistics that are not sales activities. These may be onsite case-study visits or lectures by Green Cargo representatives at external locations. For example, during the year we lectured at Lund and Stockholm Universities and the Dalarna University College. We have hosted visits from commercial networks, industry organisations and schools. Another example of this type of activity could be traffic safety initiatives, for example when we distributed reflectors to all of the first-graders in Hallsberg Municipality. Our goal was 150 direct activities, which we met during the year. Indirect activities are what we call activities that do not have a direct operational link. The company allows all employees to volunteer 8 hours every year in exchange for 8 hours of leave. This program is called Green Cargo Volunteer and during the year employees volunteered for everything from leading a scout troop and coaching various sports teams to manning the BRIS child crisis telephone line and working for Maritime Search and Rescue. We did not reach the target number of volunteer hours for the year and in 2010 the Green Cargo Volunteer program will be restructured and advertised more aggressively.
EVENTS IN 2009
It is important for us to have a well functioning infrastructure if we are to be able to offer sustainable transport solutions. Via membership in the Association of Swedish Train Operators, Green Cargo expressed its support for more funding for rail than was proposed in the National Plan for the Transportation System 2010 – 2021. We also recommended that investments to freight lines be moved forward and not left until the end of the plan. We argued against a planned 100 percent increase in track fees, stating that this would shift the point of competition between rail and other types of transport in a way that would be disadvantageous to rail. In addition, an increase to track fees would make commercial transports more expensive. We advocated that track fees be adapted to take into consideration the environmental performance of diesel locomotives so differentiation between old and new locomotives becomes more logical. The idea behind differentiated track fees, i.e. that attractive time slots and high priority should cost more, is logical and ideal. Green Cargo is also a member of Future Rail Sweden, which promotes the investment in high speed tracks in Sweden. Capacity in today's rail network is limited and will not suffice for the needs of tomorrow. A high speed track between Stockholm – Jönköping – Gothenburg and Jönköping – Malmö would free the heaviest trafficked portions of the existing rail network for freight transports and regional trains, making it possible to run freight trains even during the day. This would have a tangible effect on the efficiency of the transportation system. With the exception of Green Cargo Volunteer, Green Cargo provides limited financial sponsorship and in 2009 sponsored Bris (Children's Rights in Society) and the ITS World Congress in Stockholm. It also sponsored the Glada Hudik theatre with intermodal transports during their 2009 Sweden tour.
PRIORITIES FOR 2010
In 2010, Green Cargo will continue to be involved in issues that affect its future. We will continue with the activities listed for 2009 and focus on developing direct activities by searching for new external areas to become involved in. Green Cargo will continue its focus on indirect activities by working to raise the number of volunteer hours in order to reach the target.
Scorecard society
| (Parent Company) | Score 2008 | Target 2009 | Score 2009 | Target 2010 |
| No. of direct activities carried out | 215 | 150 | 172 | 150 |
| Green Cargo Volunteer, no. of hours | 739 | 1,500 | 566 | 1,500 |
| Measures will be implemented during 2010 to increase the outcome of Green Cargo Volunteer. | ||||
Green Cargo's national transports are an approved Good Environmental Choice