Sustainability has been one of our company's core values for many years. We actively contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a better planet.  First and foremost through our core mission, as our business involves pooling mobility that, without public transportation, would result in 167,000 more cars on the streets of Geneva - equivalent to 19 times the traffic volume on the ring road! But also through a whole range of concrete actions - in terms of operations and management - that make our commitment tangible.

2023–2024 Sustainability Report

The 2023–2024 Sustainability Report, which you can view and download here, is the first published by tpg. 

While public transportation is inherently a sustainable solution because it limits environmental impacts, this publication highlights the many actions we are taking in our day-to-day operations to promote a more responsible future: reducing our carbon footprint (fleet electrification, sustainable financing, inclusivity, etc.); ecological transition (infrastructure, waste management, responsible digitalization, etc.) and social responsibility (internal, external, partners).  

With this first sustainability report, we are making our commitments and actions public, along with their quantified results, and we are highlighting the work of our employees - as attested by numerous labels and certifications - for future generations and the well-being of the Geneva region.   

tpg is partnering with the Hospice Général to offer recipients of supplementary benefits (SPC) an annual travel pass for CHF 66.00. This accounts for about 15% of our annual travel passes. In doing so, it helps make transportation accessible to everyone, regardless of the financial hardships faced by the most disadvantaged.

Our goal is to fight against waste, promote more responsible consumption and promote the health of our employees. tpg is working to achieve SDG 2 by improving nutrition and promoting sustainable - and therefore local - agriculture through its partnership with, among others, the manager of the company cafeteria. 

The service contract between tpg and the State of Geneva sets the goal of having a GRTA Index of at least 10 points for at least 3 product categories.  Over the past 2 years, the company cafeteria has met the target with, on average, 11 points for starchy foods, 26 points for fruits and vegetables and 11 points for dairy products.

In addition, our suppliers and event partners must also sign our declaration of commitment to the principles of sustainable development, adhere to them and implement them.

Learn more about GRTA

Quality of Life

Committed to ensuring a high quality of life at work for our employees, we have developed a modern, supportive approach that empowers individuals and helps them feel heard and supported.

• Management staff are trained in compassionate management and mindful leadership.
• Staff can consult an internally trained counselor to support the development of their ability to function effectively in the workplace.
• The Confidential Advisory Group of the State of Geneva and other specialized support organizations can be contacted by our staff as needed.
• Training is available for employees to strengthen their skills, particularly in managing stress and building constructive interpersonal relationships.
• Programs and activities designed to promote the well-being and good health of all are offered to tpg staff: on-site fitness classes, professional massage sessions at our facilities, discounts for fitness centers, etc.

Safety

tpg implements preventive, reactive and enforcement measures to ensure everyone’s safety, through initiatives targeting various groups:

• Awareness campaigns targeting our customers are organized, particularly for the elderly and people with reduced mobility, through communication materials or practical workshops. In addition, a team dedicated to safety and security acts daily for prevention, awareness raising and enforcing the measures put in place on the network. We also regularly share information to raise awareness about safety issues related to our vehicles.
• Our teams regularly visit schools to educate the younger generation about safety issues related to transportation. In 2023, 110 students attended the safety training course offered by the tpg Network Safety and Security Division.
• Our driving staff receives monthly training on high-risk areas and the proper actions to take in the event of an accident. Training in accident investigation is also provided for the drivers involved. 

tpg promotes lifelong learning, employee training, youth training and personal development through three key areas:

• Initial vocational training takes place at tpg; trainees are supported by our staff throughout their training program. In 2023, we trained 23 apprentices.
• Advanced vocational training is designed to enable the acquisition of the qualifications necessary to perform complex professional tasks or those involving a high level of responsibility.
• Continuing education and specialized courses are designed to maintain and acquire new skills with a focus on employability and alignment with the company’s needs. In 2023, continuing education averaged 5.8 days per employee, for a total of 14,000 days.

tpg was the first Swiss public transportation company to offer a certification program, recognized by the Office for Career Guidance, Vocational Education and Continuing Education, to anyone hired as a driver since 2017 who has successfully completed the tpg training program. This program leads to the award of a public transportation driver's certificate.

tpg is committed to promoting equality and the inclusion of women at all levels of the organization and across all job roles.

Workforce Composition

Since 2016, the chair of the board of directors has been a woman. After serving an eight-year term, Anne Hornung-Soukup stepped down and was succeeded by Stéphanie Lammar. And since 2024, the company’s board of directors has had an equal number of men and women. As for the tpg management team, 25% of its members are women. Finally, 13.39% of managers are women.

Nevertheless, women remain underrepresented in the public transportation sector. On 31.12.2023, 13.39% of tpg employees were women. This figure remains modest and has even declined slightly (-0.7% compared to the previous year), despite our efforts to recruit without discrimination. In an effort to reverse this trend, our major driver recruitment campaign, conducted throughout 2024, focuses on recruiting female drivers. 
 

• Our hiring process is based on the skills and requirements of the position, regardless of any other criteria.
• We promote the presence of women in certain roles, such as drivers and fare inspectors, through our communications and events.

Inclusive Communication

tpg is committed to communicating in a way that respects all forms of diversity. That is why, in 2021, it decided to adopt the principles of inclusive writing so that no woman would feel excluded from issues related to mobility and our company.

In addition, we strive to create communications in which gender, age and cultural, ethnic and social diversity are represented in a balanced way.

Setting an example for our customers

tpg aims to set an example on major societal issues, such as prioritizing the safety of all our passengers, taking everyone’s needs into account and ensuring respect for all forms of diversity.

We intend to uphold a policy of zero tolerance against any form of abuse or harassment on board our vehicles, at our sales points and across all our sites.

Setting an example for our staff

Committed to being an exemplary employer, tpg works to eliminate all forms of discriminatory practices and to provide a healthy work environment for all employees. It follows a pay policy that is independent of individual performance and therefore promotes equality.

• tpg regularly communicates about issues related to harassment and trains every new employee on this topic. It encourages anyone who feels they are at the center of a conflict or the target of inappropriate comments to reach out to the Geneva State Trust Group, among other available resources.
• tpg offers favorable conditions for the birth of a child, going beyond the legal requirements for paternity leave.
• It promotes telework for all eligible employees, with the aim of achieving a better work-life balance.
   

Vehicle maintenance, including washing, requires a significant use of water. It takes 300 liters to wash a tram and 200 liters to wash a bus.

• All of our wash tunnels are equipped with a water recovery, treatment and recycling system. We are able to recycle more than 70% of the wash water for reuse on other vehicles.
• Our washing strategy is to wash vehicles only when they are visibly dirty (e.g., on rainy days or when roads are wet).
• Since 2020, dedicated meters for the car wash tunnels have provided more accurate data on weekly water consumption and the number of wash cycles performed.

tpg is fully committed to energy transition. We are committed to consuming less and better every day.

tpg has joined forces with eco21, the energy-saving program run by SIG and Energy Savers. We have implemented energy efficiency measures aimed at reducing the company’s electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the universal agreements we have had with the Energy Agency for the Economy (AEnEC), for over 10 years, we have made significant investments to reduce our energy consumption.

The energy savings targets for each site are outlined in the AEnEC’s annual reports. 

According to these reports and our commitments under universal agreements, we have a total target of 977 MWh in savings between 2020 and 2029 for the Bachet-de-Pesay site and 516 MWh between 2017 and 2026 for the Jonction site.
Our electricity consumption is 100% hydroelectric (according to the contract with SIG) and therefore 100% renewable (as hydroelectric power is considered a renewable energy source).

In 2023, we undertook the following actions to achieve our goals:

• Completion of the renovation project for the La Jonction building (improvement of energy performance).
• Replacement of lighting fixtures in the Bachet-de-Pesay parking garage with LED lighting.
• Implementation of various measures to improve the energy efficiency of our sites in the context of a potential energy crisis (in accordance with cantonal recommendations: lowering temperature settings by 20%, turning off tpg illuminated signs).
• Replacement of the video wall (screens) at our traffic control center (-11 GWh/year).

Thanks to these measures, electricity consumption in our buildings has decreased by 15% compared to 2022.

Regarding our network infrastructure, we aim to significantly reduce our annual primary energy consumption from 99 GWh/year to 61 GWh/year by 2030, thanks to the improved efficiency of our electric vehicles and the renewal of our fleet. Our annual consumption of 6.3 million liters of diesel (-63 GWh/year) will be effectively replaced by 25 GWh/year of electricity to cover the 11 million kilometers of our bus network. 
The increase in electricity consumption represents approximately 0.9% of the current electricity consumption of the Canton of Geneva.

We ensure strict pay equity through a single pay scale that is published annually within the company. The salary structures established by company policy apply across the board to all company employees. 

We support the right to union representation, with four active labor organizations at tpg that management meets with on a monthly basis. Joint statutory committees (e.g., vehicle committee, occupational health and safety committee, scheduling committee, etc.) are also active in monitoring the status of the issues assigned to them and proposing adjustments as needed.

We also take action to promote the reintegration of job seekers from the OCE, the Hospice général and the OCAS (AI), including for temporary assignments. In 2020, 40% of new hires were job seekers; this figure is 25% for 2021, 36% for 2022, and 39% for 2023 (36.24% for non-driving staff and 42% for driving staff).

Finally, we promote culture by supporting various events through heavily discounted transportation fares or internal offers for various events (e.g., concerts, theater, sports, etc.).

Since 2018, tpg has been testing autonomous driving technologies and participating in the European research project AVENUE (Autonomous Vehicles to Evolve to a New Urban Experience). We are convinced that this service is a viable solution in areas where transportation demand is scattered and where traditional scheduled routes are not very effective.

Building on the AVENUE project, the four-year ULTIMO project aims to lay the groundwork and deploy the very first economically realistic and viable automated, on-demand public transportation solution. With the goal of operating without a driver on board. 

Public transportation is an essential service for the public: to visit family and friends, to run errands, for leisure activities, to get to work or school, to go to the doctor, etc.
Whether you have a permanent disability (wheelchair user, visual impairment, or other) or a temporary one (following an accident, for example), whether your mobility is reduced (seniors, illness, or other) or whether you are traveling with young children (stroller), it is essential that access to public transportation be as simple as possible for everyone. 

Planning your trip

• The tpg website was designed in partnership with an association for the visually impaired to ensure accessibility. Most pages offer tailored content.
• The tpg website provides plenty of tips on how to plan your trips on the tpg network in a dedicated section.
• “Mobility for All,” a free, personalized assistance service offered by the Foyer Handicap Foundation in partnership with tpg, helps people who have difficulty getting around on their own, including those in wheelchairs. Volunteers pick them up, help them purchase their tickets and assist them throughout the trip until they reach their destination.
• We also work to raise awareness in order to make it easier to support seniors in their daily lives. This is why tpg participates several times a year in Avivo workshops as well as in the ATE’s “Being and Staying Mobile” course.

During the trip

• Passenger information kiosks feature high-contrast displays suitable for people with low vision.
• Information from the kiosk can be announced vocally using a remote control   compatible with European Union audible traffic signals.
• A voice announcement of the line number and destination can be activated by the driver on the platform, outside the vehicle, on certain vehicle models.
• All our vehicles have low-floor access and are equipped with access ramps. However, not all bus stops (which are the responsibility of the municipalities or the canton) meet the required standards yet. To address this, tpg offers a special shuttle service.
• Our drivers are trained to pay special attention to the needs of passengers with special needs, particularly when deploying the ramp.
• We announce key connections on board the vehicles as we approach busy stops.
• When boarding or exiting the vehicle, the button with the "wheelchair" or "stroller" icon located near the second door provides safety for those who need it, as the driver manually opens and closes the doors.

Thanks to tpg’s extensive network, which operates at attractive frequencies, the public has constant access to public transportation that makes mobility accessible to everyone, at the particularly affordable price of CHF 1.37 per day with an annual pass - CHF 1.10 for youth and seniors.

• The constant expansion of our network accompanies the construction of new neighborhoods to enable residents to travel in an eco-friendly manner by promoting public transit.
• We are developing a multimodal service that allows people to optimize their trips by adapting their mode of transportation to the situation.

In partnership with the “Nomads Foundation,” we are contributing to the development of mobility hubs. The goal is to provide alternative modes of transportation - such as bike-sharing and electric city vehicle-sharing (two-wheeled or four-wheeled) - at certain strategic stops, in addition to the usual public transportation options. The first hub was installed at the Lancy-Bachet-Gare transit center; a second one is currently being installed at Lancy-Pont-Rouge, and a third is planned for Le Grand-Saconnex.

Eco-mobility Label

tpg has been awarded the “Eco-mobile Institution” label by the State of Geneva.
This certificate attests to our efforts to encourage our staff to prioritize sustainable mobility in their commutes through our corporate mobility plan (Mobility Plan).& We are delighted that our actions - and more broadly, our Cap2030 strategy - are contributing to the achievement of the ambitious goals of the 2030 Cantonal Climate Plan.

In 2023, we expanded our Mobility Plan by offering our employees access to shared bicycles. From May to December 2023, a total of 7,600 km were traveled using this mode of transportation, across 5,000 trips.&

* per million francs invested by the government, conservative estimate

We are concerned about chemicals and waste management. We take great care in recycling and repurposing professional materials, and we expect the same from our suppliers, with whom we share a commitment to sustainability.

Responsible digital consumption

While digitalization is on the rise, it is nevertheless important to manage it effectively in order to limit its environmental impact. That is why we are implementing a responsible digital strategy - including employee awareness campaigns, training, monitoring tools and more - to reduce our carbon footprint. We have been members of the Responsible Digital Institute since 2023 and were awarded the "Responsible Digital" label in early 2024.  

Waste Management

Our company generates a wide variety of waste: paper, oil, construction debris, glass, wood, PET, etc. Recycling programs exist for the vast majority of these materials. Consequently, responsible waste management is necessary to extend the lifespan of various resources. This involves, in particular, sorting and recycling waste, but also reducing it, or even eliminating it in certain situations.

Furthermore, waste sorting is a major challenge for the State of Geneva, as it is the only canton that has not implemented a bag tax.
The Geneva authorities have opted for individual responsibility rather than imposing an additional tax, with the imperative goal of reducing the amount of incinerable waste produced within the canton by 25%, or 40,000 tons, by 2024 (reference: 2018).
Waste sorting is now mandatory in Geneva for everyone: households, businesses, autonomous public institutions and public authorities.

In partnership with SIG, tpg is participating in the Eco21-Waste program, which includes training and awareness-raising on proper waste sorting. The company receives financial incentives based on the reduction in incinerable waste and improvements in the quality of municipal waste sorting. Thanks to the numerous recycling stations at our sites, batteries, aluminum, scrap metal, stainless steel, brass and copper are collected separately and sold to various specialized companies. 

In 2023, our overall recycling rate was 77%, and 40% for municipal waste. Although we have, give or take 2%, the same amount of waste for incineration as in 2019, given the increase in the number of employees, we have reduced waste for incineration per employee by 18%, from 90 kg to 80 kg.

Chemicals

All pipes at our three maintenance centers collect wastewater in retention tanks. Each center is equipped with a water treatment plant in order to discharge out of our walls only already treated water.

Green Bond

Download the green bond framework and the independent auditor's reports for each year here.