About the report

GRI2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5

Russian Railways Sustainable Development Report 2023 highlights our contribution to the country’s economic development, well‑being of our employees and the general population, combating climate change and protecting the environment.

Focus of the report

Russian Railways is firmly committed to sustainable development. Care for people, environmental responsibility, and economic development are all our major priorities.

The report’s slogan (Russian Railways: Empowering Action‑Minded Professionals) embodies the core principles of our Company, which currently has around 700,000 employees. At Russian Railways, we employ exceptional individuals – professionals who prioritise action over words. They drive progress and develop their skills to advance the Company, society, and nation at large. Every day, they take another step forward on the path to sustainability through practical, daily achievements.

The year 2023 was declared the Year of Health at Russian Railways. One of the report’s key topics highlights the results of our major projects aimed at improving the health of our employees and people in the regions where we operate.

Standards and recommendations

The report has been prepared with reference to the GRI Standards 2021 and in accordance with the disclosure requirements of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) for the railway industry. It also discloses the Company’s contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (the “SDGs”).

The report aligns with the Recommendations on Disclosure by Public Joint‑Stock Companies of Non‑Financial Information Pertaining to Their Activities (Annex to Information Letter of the Bank of Russia No. IN‑06‑28/49 dated 12 July 2021); Recommendations for the Board of Directors (Supervisory Board) of a Public Joint‑Stock Company to Consider ESG Factors and Sustainable Development Issues (Information Letter of the Bank of Russia No. IN‑06‑28/96 dated 16 December 2021); Guidelines for Sustainability Reporting No. 764 dated 1 November 2023, as well Moscow Exchange’s Guide for Issuers.

Material topics

The Company determined the report content using the applicable standards and guidelines in collaboration with its stakeholders. The report’s material topics are listed in the Material Topics annex. The report describes a general management approach to sustainable development (Sustainable Development Management section). Management approaches in key sustainability areas are presented in the respective subsections. The Managerial Aspect section gives an overview of general corporate governance matters.

The Russian Railways Sustainable Development Report 2023 is the eighteenth annual report on the Company’s sustainable development activities (pre‑2014 – corporate social responsibility reports). The reporting period extends from 1 January 2023 through 31 December 2023. The previous report was published in August 2023.

The report was prepared under the supervision of the Russian Railways Environment and Technosphere Safety Department.