corporate responsibility report - Virgin Trains

The on-board experience
We were the first train operating company to introduce Fairtrade drinks on all trains
and at stations, and in 2009 we launched our sustainable First Class offer,
featuring British produce as the cornerstone of the menu.
We are uncompromising in our commitment to using free range poultry, eggs, outdoor reared
meat and sustainable fish stock approved by the Marine Conservation Society.
Our ethos has lead to recognition by Compassion in World Farming who have awarded us with
their prestigious Good Egg, Good Chicken and Good Pig awards, from the RSPCA with their
Good Business award and MIDAS (menu innovation & development awards) award for our
innovative menu concept.
Our catering supplier provides the food on all our trains as such they can have an important
impact on sustainability. As part of our contract with them, we agreed a series of sustainability
incentives, these included:
• Reducing energy use
• Reducing packaging waste and moving towards recyclable on board packaging
• Providing healthy, seasonal products, that are environmentally
and economically sustainable
Our supplier also signed up to implement our Supplier Ethical Code of Conduct through their
whole supply chain. We will continue to work closely with our supplier to ensure these factors
are delivered sustainably and consistently.
A safe and secure service
Safety and security are absolute priorities for us. We publish an annual Safety Plan, available to
all our people, which outlines our targets and commitments.
This covers a wide range of areas where we have an opportunity (however small) to further
improve our safety arrangements. We are extremely proud of our safety performance, which
like all our performance, is rooted in the behaviour of our people.
Our effort goes into maintaining a safe business. However, when incidents do happen, we
properly investigate them and learn lessons to avoid repetition.
Security
Security is an important issue for both staff and customers. We have a ‘Violence at Work’
policy which focuses attention on security risks and how we control those risks. It also acts as
a means of engaging all employees on issues of violence at work.
Our Secure Car Parks programme is making station facilities safer for both employees
and the public. All the stations and car parks we operate have been accredited under the
relevant schemes.
The risk of terrorism is an increasingly significant issue for all rail operators. We undertake
routine reviews of security at all our stations and on board our trains to ensure our
arrangements are working at an optimum level.
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