Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Collaboration, Exchange and Growth

From industry events and on-site meetings to the growth of our network, the past year once again highlighted the power of working together across the full rail value chain.

Industry Events: Driving Dialogue Across Europe

Throughout 2025, Railsponsible actively participated in a wide range of industry events, contributing to discussions that help shape a more sustainable, resilient and future-ready rail sector.

These events brought together operators, suppliers, policymakers and innovators to explore current challenges and emerging opportunities:

Railway Supplier Summit
Rail Operators Decarbonization Roundtable
DB Railway Forum – where we announced our Railsponsible Supplier Award Winner KONI
CCS+ Summer School
Siemens Mobility UK Supplier Days
EU Rail Infrastructure Managers & Sustainable Procurement
SNCB Supplier Days
Siemens Mobility Supplier Event
Rail Live
H&Z Railway Roundtable

Why these events matter

These touchpoints enabled the exchange of best practices, strengthened partnerships and deepened our work on key topics such as sustainability, circularity, decarbonisation, digitalisation and supply chain resilience.

Above all, they highlighted the importance of bringing the full rail value chain together – from operators and OEMs to suppliers and innovators – to move the industry forward collectively.

On-Site Meetings: From Discussion to Action

Alongside industry events, our on-site meetings once again played a central role in 2025. They remain one of the most effective ways to connect the Railsponsible community, combining real-world experiences with open dialogue and practical collaboration.

Our 2025 On-Site Meetings

Focus: Supply Chain Due Diligence
March – Hosted by HÜBNER Group in Kassel (Germany)

Focus: Circularity
July – Hosted by NS in Utrecht (Netherlands), followed by the celebration of Railsponsible’s 10-year anniversary and the introduction of our new Board

Focus: Decarbonisation
October – Hosted by SBB CFF FFS in Bern (Switzerland)

Why these meetings matter

Each onsite created space for open discussion, shared learning and hands-on collaboration across the rail value chain. Just as importantly, our working groups ensure that insights gained during these meetings translate into action.

They help turn strategic ambitions into concrete guidance, tools and everyday practices – supporting members in embedding sustainability into day-to-day operations, not just high-level goals.

Community Growth: Welcoming New Members

2025 was also a year of growth for the Railsponsible network. We were pleased to welcome five new members, each bringing valuable expertise and fresh perspectives:

HÜBNER Group – a global mobility supplier known for gangway systems, vehicle components and safety technologies
Hitachi Rail – a leading provider of rolling stock, signalling and integrated mobility solutions
Stadler – an international manufacturer of high-quality rolling stock and signalling systems
La Farga – a specialist in sustainable metal and infrastructure materials
KONI – our 2025 Railsponsible Supplier Award Winner, recognised for its innovative refurbishment model that extends product life cycles and significantly reduces emissions

Why this matters

With these new additions, Railsponsible now represents an even broader part of the rail supply chain. This diversity strengthens collaboration and accelerates progress towards responsible procurement and sustainable innovation across the sector.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we reflect on the past year, one thing is clear: meaningful progress in sustainability depends on collaboration, openness and shared responsibility.

We look forward to continuing this momentum in 2026 – with new events, new on-site meetings, growing working groups and an expanding community committed to shaping a more sustainable rail sector together.