Championing Sustainable Travel For A Better Journey

At LNER, we are committed to being a responsible business and continue to demonstrate this by our purpose, our vision and the long-standing care we have shown for our customers, colleagues and communities. 

Each year we produce a Responsible Business Report to not just mark how we’re doing against the targets and goals we’ve set ourselves, but also to celebrate all the work being done by colleagues across our business that makes a positive difference. This year’s report, titled ‘Responsibility in Motion’ shows significant progress in areas such as accessibility, diversity and inclusion, social value and conserving and protecting our environment, but we know we need to continue to push forwards.   

For many reasons 2023/24 has been a busy year for us but we never waiver from our commitment to do things better for our people, places and planet. Our newly named Azuma train, Our Planet, is now travelling the East Coast route as a reminder of the benefits of choosing rail to our customers. Data shows that LNER trains produce fifteen times less CO2 than flying and seven times less than driving. In 2024, we were the first operator to use a partially bio-based product to apply new wraps to the outside of our trains and have since made a pledge to use the most environmentally sustainable materials available when applying any new livery.   

This summer we unveiled our ‘Carbon Saving Departures Board’, a modern take on the traditional split-flap information boards to help demystify ‘carbon jargon’ and show customers the impact of their travel choices in a simple and creative way. Presenter Kate Humble was recruited as our first Carbon Saving Conductor to share tips for greener travel and more about the benefits of using rail. Kate also opened ‘Our Planet Can’t Wait-ing Room’ at Edinburgh Waverley Station to showcase some of our proudest initiatives and inspire people to travel more sustainably.  

A look back

Our carbon emissions have reduced by 47 per cent since 2019, following the introduction of our Azuma fleet. Almost 1300 tonnes of waste have been saved from landfill during the past year – two proud moments as we continue to do things better for the planet. 

Our customers and colleagues have helped raise more than £530,000 for the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) since the launch of our groundbreaking partnership in 2018.  

Additionally, LNER now has 59 mental health first-aiders. Our people delivered more than 1,300 volunteering hours supporting communities this past year, as we strive to do things better for the places we serve. 

Nurturing skills and talent within our business continues to be a focus. This year we welcomed 104 apprentices. We are committed to building a diverse, healthy and safe workforce where people can be themselves. LNER now has six inclusion networks, enabling colleagues to feel like they can belong and have the opportunity to build a truly fulfilling career. 

Looking ahead

We’re working to make travel with us even more accessible, with further Passenger Assist and Family Lounges planned to open at stations along our route over the coming year.  LNER continues to track the social value of large contracts and are pledging to deliver £40 million in social value between now and the end of 2026. 

To date we’ve supported more than one hundred charities and community groups through our Customer and Community Investment Fund (CCIF).  

Next year will be another year closer to our 2032 target of a 50 per cent reduction in diesel emissions from our train fleet and we are currently actively retrofitting two of our stations. This includes the major installation of heat pumps and solar as we progress to making our estate carbon neutral. 

Our drive to deliver positive and sustainable change across our business continues as we look forward to plans for 2025 and beyond.    

Full details of our latest Responsible Business Report can be found here: Responsible Business Report 2023/24.