Green enterprise
By engaging in green enterprise, we make a positive contribution to biodiversity, health, and climate change and adaptation. We are providing a greater quantity of more biodiverse nature at our stations and workshops, as well as more plant-based food products in our shops and company canteens. We are also working to deploy nature in our climate adaptation measures.
More greenery at stations
We strive to create greener, more biodiverse spaces in and around our stations, turning our attention anywhere between 2,500 and 5,000 m2 every year together with ProRail and local municipalities. That is why we plant a variety of native flowers, sedum vegetation and flowering plants in planters and borders on the platforms and near our stations, as well as planting characteristic trees that are given the space they need to grow old. This attracts insects and birds and stimulates biodiversity.
Beautiful examples can already be found in and around Leiden Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, Arnhem Centraal, Utrecht Centraal, Bussum-Zuid, Enkhuizen, Bilthoven, Deventer, Santpoort Zuid, Culemborg and Zandvoort. Coevorden station is a prime example of how NS joined forces with the municipality to make the station area greener.
More plant-based foods available
There is a growing demand for plant-based foods, which are better for the environment than meat and dairy. Among other things, plant-based foods contribute to reducing CO2 emissions, and for this reason, NS wants to increase its range of plant-based items in the station shops.
Examples include the increasing supply of fruit and snack vegetables at the Kiosk and StationsHuiskamer, as well as vegan skewers, non-dairy iced coffee and 2 new salads. Julia's offers soy milk in your cappuccino, grilled vegetable sandwiches, and vegetarian pasta bolognese (without cheese). Our plant-based options have special green price tags.
Climate adaptation measures
Stations are extremely important for keeping the Netherlands accessible. Weather patterns are changing and have an effect on the accessibility, safety and availability of stations. In developing stations, buildings and areas, we take the consequences of climate change into account. To this end, we need to gain insight into the aspects of climate change and develop a plan for adaptive measures.