ELL Sustainability Report 2025

ELL presents: Our sustainability report for 2025!

Please download the sustainability report here: https://www.ell-group.com/en/company/sustainability/

Statement of the CEO

European Locomotive Leasing (“ELL”) owns the largest and youngest fully electric fleet of 269 Siemens Vectron locomotives in Europe (as of December, 2025). With growing demand for sustainable rail transport capacity, ELL is focused on delivering the next phase of its tangible growth strategy by expanding its fleet to 456 locomotives by 2030. This growth strategy is accompanied by a sustainability strategy with ESG targets until 2030. We are convinced that sustainable and ethical business conduct is not only a question of moral responsibility, but also an important basis for our business success.

Portrait CEO Mag. Christian KernCustomer satisfaction is one of ELL’s core business values. With a top availability rate of >98% we are highly committed to our customers, and we are aware of our responsibility to society and the environment.

Progress in Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives drives us. Our key accomplishments in 2025 include the following:

  • ELL has been rated by GRESB for the second time and improved its results to 95 out of 100 points, underlining ELL’s efforts to become one of the top sustainable infrastructure companies worldwide.
  • We were awarded a Silver Medal in our first EcoVadis Sustainability Assessment, placing us among the top 10% of rated companies.
  • We joined the UN Global compact to communicate our commitment to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • For the second time in a row, ELL received the “Great Place to Work” certificate.
  • Our workforce became even more divers. The share of women has reached 28% and ELL employs highly trained staff from 17 nationalities.
  • We have professionalized our ESG Governance, by introducing the role of Group Sustainability Manager and two new policies, the Environmental Protection Policy and Sustainable Procurement Policy.
  • ELL has supported two sustainability initiatives, to promote equal opportunities in the labor market and biodiversity in Austria.

In a challenging economic environment, ELL will continue to develop its business successfully in a sustainable way. Our overall goal is to shift passenger and freight transport to rail, the cleanest and, in our opinion, most sustainable mode of transport. In line with good governance and the highest environmental and social standards.

I am pleased to share ELL’s second audited Sustainability Report 2025 with you and invite you to explore our achievements and ambitions.

We are grateful for the ongoing support and engagement of our employees, shareholders and stakeholders on our journey towards a sustainable future.

Christian Kern
Chief Executive Officer

 

Picture © Andreas Jakwerth/LAIF/Picturedesk.com

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300 Locomotives!

That happened quickly. Over the past few months, we have further expanded our position as the largest operator of Vectron locomotives. This week, we took delivery of our 300th Vectron! This means that nearly 15% of all Vectrons produced by Siemens Mobility are now in our possession.

ELL is the only major locomotive leasing company to rely on a uniform fleet. And for good reason: rail is a complex business and is becoming increasingly complex due to regulatory and technical requirements. Our goal is to make this as simple as possible for our customers. The specialization in a single locomotive type enables a unique depth of know-how and expertise, allowing our customers to prevail against competition.

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New Vectron Marks the Beginning of a New Design Era!

The new Vectron electric locomotive taken over from ELL on 16 December is a very special one – it is the first locomotive to operate in the new CargoServ look. After 25 years in which CargoServ’s distinctive yellow, blue and grey locomotives have undergone an impressive development, the time was ripe for a visual relaunch.

The aim was to create a fresh and modern appearance while preserving the recognisability of the existing iconic yellow locomotive design. A very successful and refreshing result, in our view. 🎨✨

The new design developed by Railcolor Design will now be gradually rolled out across new and existing locomotives – perfectly timed for the 25th anniversary that LogServ and CargoServ will celebrate in 2026. LogServ and CargoServ were founded on 1 April 2001. At that time, a CargoServ limestone train from Steyrling to Linz was – during the early days of rail freight liberalisation – the very first freight train operated by a private railway undertaking on Austria’s public rail network.

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ELL Group awarded EcoVadis Silver Medal 🤝

We’re pleased to share that ELL Group has received a Silver Medal in its first EcoVadis assessment!

EcoVadis is one of the leading platforms for evaluating sustainability and supplier performance. With our initial score, ELL ranked among the top 10% of companies in the areas of Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.

The rating reflects the work we’ve put into building responsible business practices and developing our sustainability performance step by step.

We will continue to support the decarbonization of the transport sector — backed by one of Europe’s most efficient, primarily electric locomotive fleets. 🔄

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A Special Moment for Hungarian Rail Transport!

Our customer MÁV has put its 50th modern electric locomotive into operation – a milestone that we at ELL are proud to contribute to with our high-quality, high-performance locomotives. ⚡️

Christian Kern (CEO) and Thomas Riedler (CSO) were on site in Budapest last week, where they personally congratulated Nándor Csepreghy, Deputy Minister of Construction and Transport, Hegyi Zsolt, CEO of MÁV and László Kormányos, Head of Passenger Transport at the MÁV Group.

The growing modern fleet strengthens MÁV’s efficiency, capacity, and operational reliability.

We value the trusted partnership and look forward to the next steps together. 🌟

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95 out of 100 points in the GRESB rating! 🎉

In the first public assessment by GRESB – an international sustainability rating – we achieved an outstanding 95 out of 100 points! For us, this is wonderful confirmation that economic success and social responsibility are perfectly compatible. This award is the result of our consistent commitment to sustainability and socially and environmentally conscious action. Railways can play an essential role in moving away from fossil fuels. We are leading the way with the most efficient and cleanest locomotive fleet in Europe.

The rating covers Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects and is based on standardized criteria. Institutional investors and funds in particular value the GRESB rating because it makes the sustainability performance of their investments and portfolios transparent and comparable.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our stakeholders for their valuable cooperation and support, which made this success possible!

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NEW ELL Office in Francis, Vienna

Our new ELL office in Vienna’s Francis building was developed together with PLANET architects.

Located on the 7th floor, the space brings together open collaboration areas, quiet focus zones, and meeting rooms designed around how our teams actually work.

Natural light, functional materials, and a clear structure create an atmosphere that feels unmistakably ELL — precise, connected, and in motion.

Thanks to the PLANET team for the great collaboration.

video credits: Kurt Hoerbst

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ELL joined the United Nations Global Compact!

We’re proud to announce that ELL-Group has officially joined the United Nations Global Compact, reinforcing our commitment to responsible, transparent, and sustainable business practices.

By becoming a participant, we commit to operate in alignment with the “Ten Principles” in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, take actions to support society, and report to the UN Global Compact annually on our ongoing efforts.

“Joining the UN Global Compact signifies our engagement to integrate these principles into our business strategies and operations and thereby contributing to a broader movement for responsible business conduct and sustainable development.”

Christian Kern, CEO

Learn more about our sustainability efforts and progress in our Group Sustainability Report.

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TRAKO meets ELL 🌍

We wish we could have more exciting and inspiring weeks like TRAKO 2025. Isn’t it special to have the opportunity to meet our clients, partners, and rail enthusiasts all in one place?

It’s not just business – it’s the future we’re talking about. 🔋

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Deals by day, kilometers by night 👟

Last week we swapped desks for running shoes – 4.3 km at the Business Run together with our customer ecco-rail on the Donauinsel.

ELL Team – you nailed it! 🔥

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