Sustainability at Dellner: Our contribution to a liveable future

Climate change is the greatest ecological, economic and social challenge for the foreseeable future. As a company and as Dellner employees, we want to do our part to ensure that our planet remains just as safe to live on for future generations as we have known it to be. For this reason, we launched an initiative in 2020 to make the topic of sustainability even stronger. For us, sustainable business also includes important values such as the fight against corruption, support for human and labour rights, diversity and integration in the workplace as well as the well-being, health and safety of our employees.

We see sustainability as a holistic task that covers the entire company and its actions. Our agenda is driven by our owner, board and management and targets the entire value chain, including customers, business partners, investors and society at large. To achieve our ambitious goals, we have identified a risk universe  that will be assessed and actively addressed with appropriate risk mitigation measures. This risk assessment is reviewed and updated every year. As the leading supplier of Train Connection Systems in the most important industry for sustainable traffic and transport, we see ourselves in a good position to make a meaningful contribution to protecting our environment.

Dellner Ecovadis 2023

Ecovadis Sustainability Rating

In 2015, Dellner became part of the Ecovadis network – the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. The Ecovadis rating covers a broad range of non-financial management systems including environmental, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement impact.

Between 2019 and 2023, we improved our score from 49/100 to 61/100. This achievement is even more remarkable as our company has grown over the same period and we now have to meet higher standards. In 2023 Dellner is among the top 15 per cent of companies rated by EcoVadis in the railway industry.

Dellner sustainability agenda: ambitions and goals

Sustainability in procurement

Our business partners are also part of our responsible business agenda by signing the Supplier Code of Conduct and we conduct a sustainability audit for high-risk suppliers.

Responsible business

Our Code of Conduct sets out clear guidelines for ethical behaviour in business. It provides the moral compass for how we do business at Dellner. With trainings on our Code of Conduct we raise awareness among our employees for human and labour rights and empower our whistler blowing system which makes it easy for anyone to report violations against our Code of Conduct.

Health and safety

In 2020, we introduced an incident and accident reporting system at all Dellner subsidiaries worldwide. It helps monitor and determine corrective actions to prevent accidents and create a safe working environment.

Diversity

We promote gender equality among our employees in order to increase the proportion of female employees and encourage more women to take up management positions. We see the benefits of having employees with different backgrounds and nationalities within our teams. For example we have more than 15 different nationalities at our headquarters in Falun, Sweden.

Employee wellbeing

We have taken various measures to reduce sick leave among our employees and boost job satisfaction.

Climate

Dellner is committed to the Science Based Target Initiative, SBTi and has sent in our commitment letter.
We are currently working on establishing our decarbonization road map.

Renewable energy

We are reducing our carbon footprint by switching to electricity and gas from renewable energy sources and installing solar panels at our sites to generate green energy.

Air Freight

Air transport is one of the biggest emitters of CO2. To reduce our environmental footprint, we are significantly reducing the overall share of air freight in the transport of goods.

Sustainability on the railways and beyond

For years we have been looking at how we can improve the sustainability of Train Connection Systems. This includes proving that sustainability and cost efficiency are two sides of the same coin. What we have learned along the way: small but effective improvements can have the biggest impact when it comes to sustainability.

Poduction of coupler components

Optimised processes

The production of new components has the greatest impact on the environment: raw materials and energy are needed, and various pollutants are emitted. To ensure sustainability within our supply chain, we have started the work to assess suppliers from an ESG perspective.

Light coupler components

Lighter components

Weight is a cost factor in train connection systems that adds up significantly. This applies to the material used in production and service as well as to the energy required for train operation. In 2021, we therefore launched a pilot scheme to initially design some parts of our train couplers lighter without compromising safety and durability.

Quotes

Jeanette Eriksson
In 2020, we increased our focus on sustainability and structured our work with targeted initiatives to support the UN Global Sustainability Goals, SDGs. Our aim is to be in the frontline of sustainability within our industry. To achieve this ambition, we have initiated  work to set targets in line with the Science-based target initiative (SBTi), intensified our ESG work throughout the supply chain and invested in renewable energy to mention a few of the ongoing initiatives. We have made great steps in the right direction, but we also know that there is much more to do. I am honoured to lead this work. It’s important for our society, and the response and commitment from our employees around the world has been overwhelming, which gives us a lot of energy.
Jeanette Eriksson Director of Quality, Customer Service & PMO
Our employees’ knowledge and insights are our strongest assets as a company, and it is of paramount importance for us to support and engage our people. Securing  safety, well-being and diversity is a natural part of our daily work. A corporate culture in which participation and influence are felt at all levels requires clear and homogeneous leadership. We have therefore organized a customized leadership training course for all managers and executives, including the Group Management. It is definitely a challenge to bring so many leaders from different parts of the world under one roof. But it’s challenges like these together with all my dedicated  colleagues that make my work fun every day.  ”
Susanne Löfås -Hällman Global HR & Communication Director
Jörgen Johansson
95% of Dellner’s total greenhouse gas emissions  comes from scope 3 (indirect emissions), the majority of this comes from purchased goods and services. Dellner also has a global footprint both when it comes to production and supply base, which makes procurement work complex  as it increases the risks due to cultural differences. As a procurement team, we strive for sustainability throughout our supply chain, and I am proud to lead this global team. In recent years, we have greatly intensified our work. For example, we have introduced a code of conduct for our suppliers and developed routines and procedures for supplier ESG self-assessments and audits in collaboration with an external partner.
Jörgen Johansson Global Procurement Manager
Karin Ledin
For years we have been expanding our activities to ensure a more sustainable company: ISO 14001, conversion to renewable energy, biogas and the installation of solar panels are some of the important milestones we have achieved. In 2022, we introduced KPIs to monitor and track waste treatment on a global level and  have also implemented a reporting system for safety and environmental issues as well as  chemical management at all sites. With Dellner’s global footprint, we need to handle the various environmental issues that exist in different parts of the world. It’s a complex and challenging job – but also very rewarding.  ”
Karin Ledin Global Quality and ESH Manager

Dellner Report 2022

All facts and figures can be found in our current report.

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