Rail Industry Gears Up for Decarbonisation with RSSB's Supply Chain Framework

The rail industry, a cornerstone of sustainable transportation, is taking significant strides to reduce its carbon footprint. The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), is at the forefront of this movement, focusing on the often-overlooked yet critical area of supply chain decarbonisation.

Approximately half of the rail industry's greenhouse gas emissions stem from its complex value chain. By accurately measuring and reducing these emissions, the industry can accelerate its progress towards net-zero goals. However, challenges such as data availability and confidentiality have hindered comprehensive assessments.

RSSB’s groundbreaking research has identified key carbon hotspots within the rail supply chain, including infrastructure materials like concrete and steel, as well as rolling stock maintenance and new build. To address these challenges, RSSB has developed a suite of outputs that provides a standardised framework for collecting supply chain data across the sector. These will enable rail organisations to:

• Optimise Data Flow: Efficiently transfer and store supply chain carbon data.
• Advance Carbon Accounting: Transition from spending data to activity data and implement a sector-wide carbon assessment model.
• Identify Mitigation Opportunities: Discover cost-effective strategies to reduce supply chain carbon emissions.
• Overcome Barriers: Address key challenges hindering decarbonisation efforts.

RSSB remains committed to supporting the sector's journey towards a low-carbon future. By working together, rail organisations and their supply chain partners can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.

Learn more here: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1228