Company - Govia Thameslink Railway

How was this solved?

At the end of March 2016 Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) launched the Towards a One Planet Railway Strategy. GTR recognised the importance of culture to embedding SD, so delivery of the strategy was dependent on getting people involved.

During the previous Southern franchise a development pyramid had been created which was designed to encourage voluntary Area Champions for the Environment (ACE) to build their skills.

By the handover of the franchise two of the champions had developed sufficient expertise to be able to apply to join the new Environment Team. Encouraged by this development it was agreed that the new strategy was an opportunity to develop a full competency matrix.

The matrix provides for five levels of achievement:

  1. Awareness (basic knowledge)
  2. Service (able to assist with basic projects)
  3. Champion (beginning to lead small projects)
  4. Leader (identifying projects and securing support through to delivery)
  5. Strategist (clear expertise with professional qualifications where available).

The matrix was designed for flexibility, enabling individuals to steer their own development in line with organisational development programmes with considerable success. The Head of Environment, Jase Brooker, developed his skills to earn promotion from his previous Environment Manager role. The other three roles on the team were filled with individuals who had developed their skills working with the strategy and the matrix.

The recruitment of a refreshed team of ACEs is in progress and everyone who joins is set on the development path. The matrix is now available to the wider organisation, helping to develop skills in all types of role at all levels in the business.

Feedback has been very positive with members of Community Rail Partnerships, who work closely with GTR, also adopting the matrix to help them to learn and strengthen the way they communicate

What were the outcomes?

Enabled internal recruitment to the GTR Environment Team 100 ACEs joined the programme at entry level.

Principles

Being an employer of choice, Reducing our environmental impact.

Asset / operations

Operations

Organisation type

TOC