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maintaining
the only sustainable land transport option 2017/2018 Sustainability Report
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
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Contents
SWEMAINT AT A GLANCE 4
CEO’S STATEMENT 6 OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS 8 ABOUT SWEMAINT 9 MARKET OVERVIEW 10 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS 12 EMPLOYEES 14 Laws and policies 14 Core values 14 Staff vision 15 Training 16 Work environment 18 Gender equality and diversity 19 Sickness absence 19 Near-misses and accidents 19
SUPPLIERS 20 Code of conduct 21 Ethics 21 Laws and regulations 21 Anti-corruption 21 CUSTOMERS 22 Customer surveys 23 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS 24 Environmental efforts at SweMaint 25 Our environmental policy 25 Environmental certification 25 Material environmental aspects 25 Chemicals 25 Laws, regulations and compliance monitoring 25 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 26 Social responsibility 26 Local responsibility 26 Glossary 28
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
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we lay
A sustainable foundation for the future of rail logistics
SweMaint 2017/2018
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12 30 40
at a glance 30–50 years 33%
> 50 years 47%
locations from north to south
unique wheel supply locations
Age distribution
Åldersfördelning
a complete service and maintenance offering for rail freight Women 3%
Alnabru Drammen
Göteb
Va
Men 97%
mobile units
Åldersfördelning
< 30 years 20%
Gender distribution
Fördelning personalgrupper
Könsfördelning
• ECM certification wagon maintenance • Quality certification ISO 9001:2015 • Welding certification EN 15085 • Environmental certification ISO 14001:2015 • VPI certification, wagons • VPI certification, wheels • EVIC
Distribution, salaried + collective agreement
Åldersfördelning
Fördelning personalgrupper
Salaried 26%
Collective 74%
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
2050 vision
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Könsfördelning
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from north to south
Luleå
Umeå
Gävle Borlänge
Kil
Alnabru
Hallsberg
Falköping
Göteborg
Norrköping
Nässjö
Varberg
Malmö
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1 freight train = 30 articulated lorries
Without SweMaint Sweden would stand still – In 2017, we got 25,000 freight wagons and 10,000 wheel pairs back in service quickly and efficiently.
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CEO’s statement
We envision a future where longdistance road haulage shifts to rail, a future where market participants are eager to collaborate. And as society’s awareness of transport and environmental issues increasingly comes into focus, it is high time that rail also be given the political incentives to become competitive. After all, rail has long been the greenest transport option available.
SweMaint believes in a future where rail transport has become the hands-down choice for logistics. We believe that everyone who shares this vision of the future can team up in joint efforts to promote more environmentally friendly rail transport, which not only unlocks new possibilities but also more sustainable development in the entire freight industry. Sustainability – a winning concept &
”a stable found ation for new business opportunities”
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Profitability and sustainability go hand in hand – the one can’t exist without the other. “We’ve got to transition from long-distance road haulage to rail – most can agree on this, especially considering the environmental benefits. But real solutions must also be incentivised to be commercially competitive,” says Peter Overup, CEO, SweMaint, always tracking the latest developments.
With a successful year behind us, we are now looking ahead. We will tirelessly continue our sustainability efforts and elaborate what the concept of sustainability really means in the coming years – in part with a boost from the company’s new holistic vision 360°, which we hope will gain recognition, acceptance and support in our organisation. Sustainability is the very foundation of our survival but also a winning con-
cept that lays a stable foundation for both existing and future business opportunities. To ensure that we play our part in promoting honest and sustainable business, we also continuously combat all forms of corruption. In the foreseeable future, we expect sustainability to be the locomotive that drives our entire organisation, serving as a benchmark for us and for our customers and suppliers. n
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sustainability efforts
Sustainability issues at SweMaint are managed as an integral part of other business issues. The overall strategic direction is set at the board level and then pursued by management.
sustainable service and maintenance since 1905 The strategic direction is governed by the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management system and its sustainability, work environment, and quality & environmental policies in addition to our core values. SweMaintâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in sustainable development from a broader perspective also coincides with our goal as a company: to promote rail freight as the strongest and most competitive choice.
However, the benefits of rail transport over other modes of transport are naturally not only related to costs. The biggest winner is the environment, and that the footprint we leave behind to future generations is as gentle as possible. Politicians have grasped the importance of picking up the pace in the process of increasing rail freight and passenger flow. New vital investments
9
About SweMaint What is currently SweMaint has its roots in a network of workshops that Swedish State Railways (SJ) established in the mid-19th century. Most of our current workshops have thus played a crucial role in the development of the rail industry and have had historical significance in each region across Sweden.
in rail infrastructure are being made mainly in the rest of Europe but also on the home front here in Sweden, and the ageing fleet of freight wagons is being modernised. Although the 2017/2018 sustainability report you are now reading may be the company’s first, we started offering service and maintenance as far back as 1905. n
SweMaint operates in the rail industry and is a leading supplier of maintenance and repair services for wagon owners and other rail freight operators. SweMaint has been in the business since 1905. Our main business goal is to promote the visibility of rail freight as a competitive choice. Our track record in the industry, combined with our focus on and the systematic development of our services, puts us in a unique market position: to serve as a platform for getting more people on board with choosing rail freight. Our head office is in Gothenburg. In 2017, our workforce totalled 233 employees in offices and workshops across Sweden. Our sales for the 2017/2018 financial year were SEK 424 million. SweMaint is a privately held company – its immediate parent company is Kockums Industrier, and K Group is the ultimate parent company. As an industry leader, SweMaint’s goal is to keep our customers’ freight wagons rolling 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is why all of our workshops provide a complete range of services, including wheel maintenance and material supply. Our workshops and mobile units are strategically located at Sweden’s major railway nodes from Malmö in the south to Kiruna in the north and serve a number of renowned wagon owners and operators. Our mobile SweMaint workshops, an increasingly important part of our business, offer fast and efficient corrective maintenance for urgent needs out on the rails. Thus, we do everything we can to keep wagon downtime to a minimum and make sure our customers’ wagons are back in service as quickly as possible. Our business comprises three areas: wagon maintenance, mobile workshops, and the salvage and clearance segment. Our complete range of services includes wheel maintenance, tailored wheel supply programmes and a comprehensive supply of materials, which ensures fast turnaround times for our customers. SweMaint is currently ranked number one in the Swedish market for its level of service, quality and value for money. n
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market overview
The hands-down choice swemaint
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The 2017/2018 financial year was turbulent, and that may have been precisely the reason we were driven to meet several of our goals. We are increasing our focus on our core business, which our acquisition of competitor Midwaggon’s operations in Borlänge clearly exemplifies. In addition, by expanding and modernising our Gävle workshop, we increased capacity there by 40%, which added great business value for our customers. The full capacity utilisation of our Gothenburg wheel workshop during the year is not only good news from a profitability perspective but also a positive sign of a strong response from the market. The closure of our workshops in Norway and the relocation of our Helsingborg workshop to the new hub in Malmö represent further strategic and responsive actions and market adaptation at pace with the constant changes in rail freight flows between continental Europe, southern and central Sweden, and the rest of the Nordics. Our activities during the year also included serious, determined, systematic and sweeping actions to improve
efficiency and cut costs throughout our organisation. We did this while meeting the special demands of the roughest winter in several years with our dedicated mechanics fighting a hardfought battle with mother nature, often on overtime. The experience of the past winter gives us every reason to claim that our brand and our offerings both deliver and embody our vision: “SweMaint – the hands-down choice”. n
By being an attractive employer with strong leadership, SweMaint seeks to be the hands-down choice for employees as well. We are pleased to see that our latest employee survey confirms this view.
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
12 n internal stakeholder
dialogue
stakeholder analysis
1. Environmental impact/chemicals management 2. Ethics, code of conduct 3. Risk management 4. Work environment 5. Customer relationships 6. Supplier relationships
n external stakeholder
dialogue
In progress in 2018/2019
7. Production/technical development/quality 8. Transport 9. Energy consumption 10. Skills and personal development 11. Long-term profitability 12. Strategies
SweMaint always aims for long-term relationships and constructive collaboration with its stakeholders and others. We interact regularly through customer meetings, quality meetings, supplier assessments and several other forums. n Stakeholder dialogue We conduct a stakeholder dialogue with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees and with our external contacts to identify strategically important sustainability topics, what sustainability priorities we should have internally on the individual level, what areas the company sees the greatest need to prioritise, attitudes and similar parameters. The internal dialogue consists of two parts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the materiality analysis and open questions. During the interviews, the parti-
cipants respond by scoring each area on a scale of 1 (least important) to 5 (most important). The point of this scoring is to create a broader spectrum for prioritisation and improvement. The stakeholder chooses their rating from 1 to 5 entirely subjectively based on their knowledge, experience and their own opinions. This is followed by the open questions section for each area. The results of the internal stakeholder dialogue are then compiled for use in our materiality analysis. The external stakeholder dialogue is structured largely the same as the internal dialogue and is designed to give us an outside-in view on what areas of sustainability they think SweMaint should prioritise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; information that thus has great strategic significance to the company. The external stakeholder dialogue is being conducted in 2018/2019. n
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
n sustainability aspect Decreased impact and handling of products and hazardous chemicals. Waste management Anti-corruption, ethics Safety and the work environment, in relation to occupational diseases or injuries Services Supplier evaluation: – Environment – Working conditions Decreased environmental impact of products and services Emissions and impact of CO2 Energy and decrease in energy consumption Employment, health and safety, and career development
n Materiality analysis The materiality analysis is defined as the results and summary of the internal stakeholder dialogue. The purpose is to identify what areas of sustainability should be prioritised. The order in the table above shows the outcome of the dialogues and what priority each sustainability topic was given. The prioritisation takes into account which areas we can influence and where we need to make an extra effort. Plans of action should be in place for the areas of sustainability in which the company has the largest negative impact or where the impact on the company’s results is highest. All key sustainability areas will be covered in the company’s next sustainability report. The strategic sustainability areas (those in which both the internal and external dialogues gave the same score) are the areas that SweMaint will prioritise. n
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Employees
Laws and policies SweMaint always complies with the legislation governing our area of activity and, of course, our own contracts. We have drawn up several policies to ensure compliance with legal and ethical requirements. These include our: • Work Environment and Traffic Safety Policy • Sustainability Policy • Crisis Policy • Sexual Harassment Policy • Alcohol and Drug Policy • Code of Conduct
< 30 years 20%
30–50 years 33%
Core values We continually strive to ensure that all our employees feel safe and proud to be SweMaint employees. Both internally and in relationships with our customers, suppliers and other external stakeholders, SweMaint’s core values serve as the foundation for every employee’s actions and decisions.
> 50 years 47%
Age distribution
Åldersfördelning
A business can only grow and improve with employees who are engaged and involved. Honesty is shown by: • Acknowledging the person you’re talking to by listening with interest • Reacting when something is wrong • Communicating what we see, both positive and negative • Acting consistently, treating everyone equally Trust is shown by: • Always representing SweMaint • Keeping our word • Implementing and backing joint decisions
Ambition is shown by: • Constantly striving for both internal and external improvements • Encouraging initiative • Supporting each other and learning from any mistakes • Not hesitating to ask each other questions to broaden perspectives and understanding • Always thinking from a holistic perspective = the SweMaint level
the sustainable hands-down workplace choice swemaint
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Women 3%
Salaried 26%
Men 97%
Gender distribution
Collective 74%
Distribution, salaried + collective agreement
the industrialpersonalgrupper sector. To be perceived as Being empowered to influence one’s Fördelning Åldersfördelning Könsfördelning
an attractive employer by potential own work environment and situation stimulates initiative-taking, creativity and employees, we must appeal to those who already work for us as well. Another responsibility. A pleasant and confidenaspect we will influence in the future is ce-inspiring work environment is good the gender distribution within the comfor our business – our customers are pany. A more even gender distribution, even more satisfied and our employees are proud. Workplaces that staff especially among our mechanics, also increases our appeal as an encourage involvement and employer. initiative-taking attract more SweMaint’s managers natutalented people. rally have a crucial role to play. Their Young people seek out workplaces leadership must lay the foundation for inwhere they have a voice and can make teresting, engaging and stimulating work, a difference in the world around them. opportunities for career development It’s important to us to be such a workand advancement, and employee satisplace, and we have a responsibility to bring in fresh talent for the company’s faction. A SweMaint manager not only repsurvival. resents the employer but also serves as We will ensure that our employees have the skills we need and that they are a role model for his or her colleagues, stimulates involvement, sets clear goals satisfied, feel that they are advancing and follows up on each individual’s deand want to stay with us. The competivelopment and satisfaction. n tion for labour is stiffening, especially in
vision
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Employees
A business can only grow and improve with employees who are engaged and involved.
“We are doing well as long we are aware that we can always do better”
Paul Søndergaard, HR Manager, SweMaint.
It’s important to us at SweMaint that all employees are given opportunities for training and personal development. As a result, our HR department is responsible for a variety of training opportunities. We have clearly defined training plans available that give an overview of the courses an employee can take. Every course has a curriculum and syllabus. To make it easier to understand, the curriculum is incorporated into the syllabus. The company’s training department creates syllabi in coordination with the employees who have the right expertise in the relevant field of training.
And at SweMaint, training is not just about traditional school-desk courses – no, here we highly prioritise practical components, learning from experienced colleagues and learning by doing. At SweMaint, our training creates new mechanics, welders, wheel maintenance staff and other staff. Our range of courses also includes traffic safety-related courses in areas like switching and final inspection/ functional inspection. All of our training is needs-based, structured according to laws, regulations and other regulatory frameworks. We hire our own trainers – a teacher provides the theo-
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Training at SweMaint Our goal to proactively help shape the rail logistics of tomorrow naturally requires staff with cutting-edge expertise. To accomplish this, we took advantage of Gothenburg’s proud shipbuilding tradition and the change in the city's industrial structure over the past decades that made it possible to hire skilled sheet metal workers, welders and fitters. But our own contribution in the form of several courses to secure fresh talent is also substantial. We provide continuing professional development in: • Traffic safety • Wheel maintenance • Repair • Welding n
ject – this may include a couple days of retical education in the classroom while an instructor/supervisor leads the practical mo- working side-by-side with an experienced dules in a workshop environment. staff supervisor after completion of the course. Some refresher courses only All training initiatives are man consist of practical components and aged by the HR department re there is no written exam. However, gardless of training location or the largely theory-based refresher couremployee’s position. Our courses ses will always include a written exam. normally include a final exam con In traffic-related courses, the stusisting of a theoretical component, dent is passed via a written final exam – a a practical component, or both. practical final exam may also be included. Our basic courses have a theoretical The students will also work in the relevant component that is mandatory and ends position for a couple days after passing with a written exam. They also have a the course’s final exam under the supervipractical component that is determined by sion of an experienced supervisor. n the student’s prior knowledge of the sub-
train ing
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Employees
The work environment sustainability area is largely managed based on the company’s Work Environment and Traffic Safety Policy and the laws and regulations governing all work environment efforts. These include the Work Environment Act and AFS, work environment regulations and relevant guidelines. Sickness absences 2017:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Short (1–7 days) 3.1%
2.9%
2.5%
2.4%
1.9%
2.3%
1.6%
1.8%
3.5%
2.8%
3.0%
2.7%
Long (>7 days)
5.2%
5.0%
4.2%
4.4%
3.5%
3.0%
3.3%
3.9%
2.8%
2.8%
3.0%
2.6%
Total
8.3%
7.9%
6.7%
6.8%
5.4%
5.3%
4.9%
5.7%
6.3%
5.6%
6.0%
5.3%
9%
Sickness absences Total
8% 7% 6%
Sickness absences Long (>7 days)
5% 4%
Sickness absences Short (1–7 days)
3% 2% 1% 0% Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Our goal is to have happy and healthy employees. SweMaint aims to keep short-term sickness absences to no more than 4%.
work
Our Work Environment and Traffic Safety Policy states that we must proenvironment vide a work environment that our employees thrive in. This applies to physical, mental and social conditions at all SweMaint workplaces regardless of whether employees are working in the shop, at a mobile unit, on a business trip or at the office. The work environment must be safe
and stimulating, and we want our employees to be involved in our systematic work environment efforts at SweMaint. It’s also important to us that we constantly evaluate, refine and improve them using preventive measures, training and other actions. A specific example of how we update the work environment to prevent accidents and illness is the extensive renovation of the company’s Gävle workshop. Given that the premises were previously used to
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SweMaint practices equality between women and men – all employees shall have the same rights and obligations regardless of their gender and background. Everyone should feel welcome to work for us. We currently have employees of several nationalities (mechanics in particular), which enriches us all and helps us learn and grow as human beings.
Sickness absences/occupational injuries When one of our employees falls ill, we always look into how we can help them get well. All sickness absences are followed up monthly and if the employee requires further support, rehabilitation or other actions, we work with the company health service and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and ensure the issue is resolved as best possible.
Near-misses and accidents We have created shortcuts on our intranet to make it easier for our Safety Committee to follow up nearmisses and accidents. This increased accessibility enables other units to follow current cases in parallel. The information thus benefits the entire organisation and helps prevent similar accidents next time. The Safety Committee has created a catalogue of the protective equipment the company prescribes. This ensures that everyone in the organisation uses the same fitfor-purpose equipment. The catalogue (also on the intranet) includes laws, regulations and recommendations. We provide internal training for our safety officers in Better Work Environment. We decided not to procure this safety training externally because we see a great advantage in having a programme grounded directly in and fully tailored to SweMaint’s business. Occupational safety is also about prevention. Given clear correlation between a higher wellness allowance and lower sickness absence, we are to SEK 3,000 per year and employee to support a healthier lifestyle. n
Near-misses and accidents, distribution for 2017: Type of injury:
Accident Near-miss* Total
Repetitive strains and sprains 2 2 Eye 1 1 2 Vibration injuries Sharps injuries 2 2 Chemical exposure 2 1 3 Hit/shock/trauma 5 3 8 Travel to and from work 2 2 Crush injuries 1 3 4 Fall/slip/trip 5 3 8 Traffic safety-related 2 2 4 Rail traffic safety-related 2 8 8 Illness 1 1 Vehicle collision 6 6 Other 7 7 Total
23 34 57
*This refers to near-misses without personal injury and indicates to the greatest extent possible what type of injury could have been suffered.
wash, blast and paint freight wagons, the first thing required was a proper cleaning. The major renovation that followed was aimed at improving conditions mainly involving ventilation, welding fume extraction and lighting. The safety of our employees always comes first – safety comes before performance requirements. We follow legislation and government regulations on the work environment and workplace safety. This is also the foundation of our own work environment agreements with the union organisations that collaborate with SweMaint. The follow-up phase is especially important in achieving good occupational health and safety. Our Safety Committee reports the past year’s near-misses and accidents, and it then thoroughly follows up on each case. Accident reporting is a vital tool in our on-going efforts to prevent new accidents. Simply put, it is a key source of information and means of sharing knowledge for all of the company’s units, that helps make SweMaint safer. Unfortunately, we suffered both minor near-misses and accidents of a more severe nature in the past year. Yet we are pleased to see a clear trend in comparison to the year before – all employees are taking great collective responsibility for safety and making an effort to reduce the risks at our workplaces. Another factor that strongly contributes to improving workplace safety at SweMaint is closer communication with the authorities. The Swedish Transport Agency’s rules that require reporting of all traffic safety-related near-misses and accidents have a positive side: better reporting and documentation for investigating accidents give us a better chance of localising risks and addressing them before they lead to new incidents. n
Gender equality and diversity
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suppliers
SweMaint has a well-established supplier base with a range of products tailored to the rail industry. In ongoing collaboration with our suppliers and from a sustainability perspective, we strive to reduce the total environmental impact of these products.
our influence makes a difference
SweMaint is certified to ISO 9001 and 14001. These set the standard that is passed on to our suppliers and, in turn, to their subcontractors. Our purchasing and quality departments share responsibility for developing and following up on our supplier standard. This is done by assessing each supplier individually, conducting on-site visits and, in some cases, conducting audits as well. The parameters we impose requirements for in supplier assessments include quality, product safety, the environment, chemicals and business ethics.
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This is how we obtain assurance that our suppliers are aligned with our standards. The risks of human rights violations associated with SweMaintâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business are found in our supply chain globally in countries where components are contract manufactured and raw materials are extracted. Compliance with our Code of Conduct, legislation, and UN and ILO conventions are absolute requirements that we impose on all suppliers. This is also routine in our purchasing processes and, to give a specific example, may consist of a signed statement upon entering into an agreement. n
Code of Conduct Our Code of Conduct lays out how SweMaint employees are expected to conduct themselves. The Code of Conduct highlights our core values and principles that guide us in our relationships with customers, employees and other stakeholders. It must be followed by everyone working at SweMaint, regardless of their workplace and role.
Ethics At SweMaint, we all have a shared ethical responsibility. We conduct ourselves in accordance with our fundamental core values of honesty, fairness and integrity. We show consideration for the environment, people and animals while taking into account the needs of all stakeholders.
Laws and regulations Local laws and regulations will be observed in the countries in which SweMaint operates or has partnerships. SweMaint also respects and complies with competition regulations, environmental legislation, labour market laws, contracts and other provisions. Child labour as defined in the UN and ILO conventions will naturally not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Anti-corruption SweMaint employees are prohibited from giving or receiving bribes, gifts, benefits or payments that could influence their ability to make objective business decisions. We actively avoid situations where loyalty to SweMaint could come into conflict with personal interests. n
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customers
SweMaint strives for long-term customer relationships based on trust and responsiveness. Visiting our customers on a regular basis gives us the opportunity to better understand their situation, development, needs and preferences, and last but not least, follow up on our own performance.
welcome to swemaint
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Customer surveys are key We conduct regular surveys to figure out what our customers think of us. The customer surveys give us that essential external perspective â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a to-do list for how to improve our business. Our customers have praised us for being highly flexible and keeping a good dialogue with them. We are also appreciated for providing geographical coverage in almost every corner of Sweden â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from Kiruna in the north to MalmĂś in the south. n
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environmental efforts
Everything we do as humans impacts the environment. At the same time, the whole world is looking for new ways to reduce environmental impact, create access to clean water, consume less energy, use renewable energy sources, and so on. SweMaintâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main contribution to a cleaner global environment is by continuing to be the best at what we do: keeping trains rolling and thus making fossilfree land transport more competitive.
no train â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no brain
s
2017/2018 Sustainability Report
Chemicals Wood 2% Metals 1% 2%
Our environmental policy
Business trips 8% Travel to and from work 33%
SweMaint’s own operations shall:
District heating 13%
Electricity 17% Freight shipments 24% Material environmental aspects
Data för utsläpp- och EPS-beräkningar
• Have the least possible environmental impact • Comply with applicable laws, statutes and regulations • Be continuously improved in order to raise efficiency and decrease environmental impact. Environmental certification – a new planning tool SweMaint’s environmental efforts are rooted in our ISO 14001 environmental certification, which we have held since 2010. The certification guides the whole company’s environmental efforts, and we have used environmental reviews to identify material environmental aspects, goals and environmental improvement programmes over the years, which are reported and evaluated annually during our management review. Fresh environmental reviews were conducted in the first and second quarters that brought new environmental aspects to the fore. Goals and environmental improvement programmes are prepared at the management review during the first meeting of the new budget year.
Material environmental aspects • Freight shipments • Business trips • Electricity • District heating
Chemicals In 2017, all employees took courses on chemical products and associated health risks. Everyone can now use iChemistry, a digital service that makes managing chemical products easier. iChemistry also hosts the company’s chemicals register, material safety and health data sheets, labels, and more. In addition, iChemistry can be used to provide training in handling chemical products, identifying health risks, and so on. Additionally, the service can conduct risk assessments on relevant products and generate reports, which is sometimes requested by government agencies. Our goal is for all of our business locations to have a uniform range of chemical products as a basis, with a maximum of 120 different products – all with the least possible environmental impact.
Laws, regulations and compliance monitoring Following the legislation governing the extent of the company’s environmental impact is a hygiene factor. That’s why SweMaint uses Notisum, a compliance monitoring system that continuously provides notifications of updates to laws and regulations that affect the company and its business. Updates from Notisum are then managed in our intranet via a log and a plan of action. This in turn results in a recurring monthly review and follow-up. n
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social responsibility
the art of never falling off track Everyone who works at SweMaint has a shared responsibility for how our conduct impacts those around us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; employees, customers, suppliers, stakeholders and society at large. We must always act in accordance with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Code of Conduct. Remedial action will be taken if anyone or anything deviates from it.
SweMaint is a part of society at large, and the role of company also gives us particularly great responsibility as the measures and steps we decide on have a major impact, affecting many people on both the national and local levels. The company shows consideration for the local community in part by placing workshops outside of highly built-up areas and mainly conducts business there during the day. This has its advantages in terms of noise and traffic levels as well as from the perspective of business strategy. In Gothenburg, we collaborate with Lindholmens Tekniska Gymnasium on a mutually beneficial trainee exchange programme that mainly benefits our Gothenburg workshop. n
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glossary 360° Sustainability is the very foundation of our survival but also a win-win concept from a shorter-term business perspective. In the foreseeable future, we expect sustainability to be the locomotive that drives our entire organisation, serving as a benchmark both internally and for society at large. 360° is our vision and working name for this aim and our continuing sustainability efforts. AFS Our work environment efforts are governed by Swedish legislation and its regulatory frameworks, including the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s Statute Book (AFS). Better Work Environment (Bättre Arbetsmiljö, BAM) A training programme recommended by the Swedish Work Environment Authority and commonly provided at companies and public-sector organisations. The programme teaches the principles of a safe and productive work environment. Certification The confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organisation. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit. (Source: Wikipedia). ECM Stands for Entity in Charge of Maintenance, in other words, the organisation or company in charge of a rail vehicle’s maintenance. The ECM requirements are governed by an EU regulation along with Swedish legislation and the Swedish Railway Act (Järnvägslagen). Note that the wagon owner/operator does not necessarily have to be the ECM – this role can be transferred to another certified organisation or company. EVIC Stands for the European Visual Inspection Catalogue, a reference manual for maintenance staff containing the criteria for wagon axle damage, the measures required for returning to service and/or if/what requires further attention and subsequent inspection. Environmental aspects The parts of an organisation/company’s activities, products or service that have an impact on the environment.
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Environmental costs Costs attributable to actions to prevent and ultimately reduce the environmental impact caused by the organisation’s business. Holism (from Greek “holos”, all, whole, entire). The idea that systems (physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic) and their properties should be viewed as wholes, not just as a collection of parts. (Source: Wikipedia). ISO Comes from the Greek word “isos” for equal and is used for all ISO standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization. Some well-known standards include ISO 9001, which specifies requirements for a quality management system, and ISO 14001, which specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system.
Sustainability The term sustainable development was coined by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 and given the following definition: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Source: Wikipedia). Sustainability area An area that can primarily be divided into three categories: the economy, the environment and society. These key areas will be an important part of the company’s sustainability reporting. Those that emerge when comparing the internal and external stakeholder dialogues and considered the most strategic will be prioritised. This is illustrated in a materiality matrix.
Regulatory guidelines Provide advice on how to comply with legislation – in this case with respect to the work environment and workplace safety.
VPI certification Certification in accordance with the rules of the Association of German Freight Wagon Operators (VPI – Verband der Güterwagenhalter in Deutschland e. V.), which assesses the entity’s skill and capability in conducting maintenance and repair work on freight wagons and associated components. The final inspection consists of a technical assessment of the implementation and distribution of maintenance instructions. The results of the inspection are then used as the basis for approval and ultimately certification. SweMaint Gothenburg is Sweden’s only VPI-approved wheel workshop for freight wagon wheel reprocessing in accordance with international standards.
SS-EN 15085 A European product standard with the status of a Swedish standard for the welding of railway vehicles and components. The standard has been valid since 2007.
Work Environment Act Swedish legislation (Arbetsmiljölagen) that governs rules and obligations for employers in order to prevent workplace accidents and illnesses.
SS-EN ISO 3834 A European product standard with the status of a Swedish standard that defines quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic material.
Work environment regulations Supplements to the Work Environment Act that include provisions for the work of the Safety Committee, and obligations for documentation and archiving. n
Policy A deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. (Source: Wikipedia). REACH The European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Its aim is to improve human health and safety from risks posed by chemicals, in part through more secure handling.
Safety committee Required for workplaces with at least 50 employees under the Work Environment Act. The committee owns, takes up and acts on matters such as those involving the entire company’s work environment, health risks and improvement initiatives.
Utbyvägen 151, SE-415 07 Gothenburg, Sweden. Tel: +46 (0)10 492 95 00. info@swemaint.com www.swemaint.com
SweMaint is Northern Europe’s leading supplier of maintenance and repair services for wagon owners and other rail freight operators. Our complete range of services includes wheel maintenance, tailored wheel supply programmes and a comprehensive supply of materials, which ensures fast turnaround times. Our extensive experience – the company has been in business since 1905 – combined with our focus and systematic development of services gives us a unique position and platform to promote rail freight as the strongest and most competitive choice.