Sustainability
Letter from the President
Dear Stakeholders,
We are particularly pleased to present our first Sustainability Report, in which we have reported not only our environmental, social, and governance performance, but also our approach and corporate policies for managing the Group’s most relevant sustainability issues.
Although this is the first year of ESG reporting, our Group, particularly through its subsidiary Ferrovie del Gargano S.r.l., has implemented a series of initiatives over the years that are fully in line with corporate environmental and social responsibility, demonstrating a firm commitment to these issues.
Consider the Group’s most traditional activities, namely operating a railway company and managing its infrastructure, operating in a geomorphologically complex region like the Gargano. Public transport in a region that is at times vulnerable, isolated, or difficult to reach, plays a primary social role, helping to connect people and local communities, fostering mobility and socioeconomic development.
Turning to the 2024 ESG performance, and starting with corporate governance, it should be emphasized that, given ongoing regulatory developments in sustainability, including those regarding mandatory reporting, the Group has decided to promptly implement a structured reporting process. While this sustainability report is prepared on a voluntary basis, the more technical chapters, such as the environmental, human resources, and governance sections, have been structured to present information not only in accordance with the GRI standards (the most widely used and applied ESG reporting documents worldwide), but also in anticipation of the future adoption of the European ESRS standards, pending clarification of the regulatory framework for mandatory sustainability reporting.
Furthermore, during the year, an initial sustainability due diligence process was implemented, resulting in a materiality analysis based on the dual approach envisaged by the European ESRS standards: impact materiality and financial materiality, which are interrelated. The Group continued to strengthen its two railway safety management systems (transport and infrastructure), key elements for the safe operation of local public transport services, as demonstrated by the travel and passenger safety indicators recorded during the year.
in addiction, the Group’s main companies have appropriately certified management systems, such as ISO 9001 (quality management), SA8000 (social responsibility), and ISO 14001 (environmental management). On the environmental front, the main environmental policy initiatives in 2024 involved the renewal of rolling stock and buses. No. Four new-generation Alstom POP ETR 103 electric trains, co-financed by the Apulia Region, fully comply with the environmental sustainability policy and improve passenger travel comfort. The new electric trains consume 30% less energy than the previous generation, with associated environmental benefits in terms of lower indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption for traction, and are 95% recyclable. Electric rail transport is the mobility solution with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per passenger. The increased energy efficiency guaranteed by the latest-generation trains significantly contributes to mitigating and improving the environmental impacts of company operations.
The renewal of the bus fleet was marked by the entry into service in 2024 of 92 units with Euro 6 environmental class (the latest and most stringent European standard for polluting emissions for newly registered road vehicles). Euro 6 vehicles represent over 72% of the Group’s fleet. The bus service covers a network of 4,228 km and represents an important infrastructure for mobility in the region.
It should also be noted that the subsidiary Ferrovie del Gargano S.r.l. has contributed to the national production of energy from renewable sources since 2010 through the wind farm located in the municipality of Volturino, in the province of Foggia, thus acting as a key player in the energy transition. Various environmental initiatives were implemented during the year, for which please refer to Chapter 6, which provides detailed information and metrics reported in numerous tables and graphs.
Regarding social aspects, it should be noted that almost all of our human resources come from local communities, demonstrating the strong connection between the company and the local community that has always distinguished us. Furthermore, 93% of the workforce has permanent contracts and 98% has full-time employment contracts: these aspects strengthen the job stability of our human resources and contribute to the social well-being of both them and the local communities.
Finally, the Group places particular emphasis on professional training, as demonstrated by the numerous hours of training provided throughout the year, detailed in Chapter 7 along with numerous other personnel-related metrics.
Happy reading!
Giuseppe Scarcia Germano
Chairman of the Board of Directors