Sustainable development 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 of all, we do so through our raison d'être, since our activity consists in bringing together mobility that, without public transport, would have 167,000 more cars on the streets of Geneva, the equivalent of 19 times the use of the bypass motorway! But also through a whole range of concrete actions - in terms of operations and management - that make our commitment tangible.

Sustainability report 2023

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

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

With this first sustainability report, we are sharing our commitments and actions, along with their quantified results, and highlighting the work of our employees—as evidenced by numerous labels and certifications—for the benefit of 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. Through efforts to improve nutrition and promote sustainable—and therefore local—agriculture, the TPG is working to achieve SDG 2 through its partnership with, among others, the manager of the company cafeteria. 

The service contract between the TPG and the State of Geneva sets a target of achieving a GRTA index of at least 10 points for at least three product categories. Over the past two years, the company cafeteria has met its targets, averaging 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 statement of commitment to the principles of sustainable development, adhere to them, and implement them.

Learn more about GRTA

Quality of life

Concerned about the quality of life at work of our employees, we have developed a modern and benevolent methodology that allows us to take responsibility and feel heard and supported.

• Management staff are trained with a view to benevolent management and conscientious leadership.
• Staff may call on an in-house trained counsellor to support the development of the capacity to act in the workplace.
• The Trust Group of the State of Geneva and other bodies specialized in support can be requested by our staff if necessary.
• Training is available for employees to strengthen their skills, including managing stress and building constructive interpersonal relationships.
• We offer tpg staff a range of programs and activities designed to promote well-being and good health for everyone, including on-site fitness classes, professional massage sessions at our offices, and discounts at fitness centers, among other benefits.

Security

tpg put in place preventive, reactive and coercive measures to guarantee the safety of all, through actions on the different audiences:

• Awareness-raising operations for our customers are organized, especially for the elderly and people with reduced mobility, through communication media or practical workshops In addition, a team dedicated to safety and security acts daily to prevent, raise awareness and enforce the measures put in place on the network. We should also note regular communications to raise awareness of topics related to safety on board our vehicles.
• Our teams regularly visit schools to raise awareness among younger generations about the safety issues related to transport. In 2023, 110 students attended the safety and security course offered by the TPG Network Safety and Security Division.
• Our driving staff is sensitized monthly on the at-risk places and the right actions to adopt in the event of an accident. Accident training for the driving staff involved is also provided. 

tpg encourages continuous learning, employee training, youth training and individual development, through three major axes:

• Initial vocational training takes place at the tpg; our staff provide guidance to the trainees throughout their training program. In 2023, we trained 23 apprentices.
• Higher vocational training aims to enable the acquisition of the qualifications essential for the exercise of a complex professional activity or involving high responsibilities.
• Continuing education and specialized courses aim to maintain and acquire new skills in a logic of employability and coherence with the needs of the company. In 2023, continuing education averaged 5.8 days per employee, for a total of 14,000 days.

tpg was the first Swiss public transport company to offer certified training, recognized by the Office for Guidance, Vocational and Continuing Education, to anyone engaged in driving since 2017 and having successfully completed the tpg training course. This program leads to the award of a public transportation driver's certificate.

tpg works for the equality and integration of women at all hierarchical levels of the company as well as in all professions.

Composition of staff

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 executives are women.

Nevertheless, female employees are still under-represented in the public transport 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, launched in 2024, focuses on recruiting female drivers. 
 

• We hire based on the skills and prerequisites of the position, regardless of any other criteria.
• We value the presence of women in certain professions such as that of ticket controller through our communications and events.

Inclusive communication

tpg is committed to communicating in a way that is respectful of all types of diversity. As a result, in 2021 it decided to adopt the principles of inclusive writing so that no woman feels excluded from issues related to mobility and our company.

In addition, we strive to send out communications where gender, age, cultural, ethnic and social diversity is represented in a balanced way.

Exemplary customer relations

tpg wishes to display an exemplary attitude on major societal issues such as the attention paid to the safety of all our passengers, the consideration of the needs of each and every one and the assurance of respect for all the diversities by our communities.

We are committed to setting an example by enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against any form of abuse or harassment on board our vehicles, at our retail locations, and across all our sites.

Exemplary staff relations

In its quest to be an exemplary employer, tpg strives to eliminate all forms of discriminatory practice and to offer a healthy working environment to all its employees. It applies a wage policy that is independent of people and therefore egalitarian.

• tpg regularly communicates on issues related to harassment and trains any new employee in this theme. It invites those who consider themselves to be at the heart of a conflict or the subject of inappropriate language to call on the services of the Geneva State Confidence Group, among other resources made available to staff.
• tpg offers advantageous conditions for childbirth beyond the legal requirements for paternity leave.
• They encourage remote work for all eligible employees, with the aim of promoting 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 for a bus.

• All our washing tunnels are equipped with a water recovery, purification and recycling system. We manage to recycle more than 70% of wash water to reuse it on other vehicles.
• Our washing strategy is to wash vehicles only when they are visibly dirty (e.g. rainy days, wet roads).
• Since 2020, counters dedicated to washing tunnels have made it possible to know more precisely our weekly consumption as well as the number of washing cycles carried out.

tpg is fully committed to energy transition. We are involved daily in consuming less and better.

tpg is committed to eco21, the GIS energy saving program, and Energy Savers. We have implemented energy performance actions aimed at reducing the company's electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the comprehensive 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-saving targets for each site are listed in the AEnEC’s annual reports. 

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

In 2023, we took the following steps to achieve our goals:

• Completion of the renovation project for the Jonction building (energy efficiency improvements).
• Replacement of the light fixtures in the Bachet-de-Pesay parking lot with LED lighting.
• Implementation of various measures to improve the energy efficiency of facilities in the context of a potential energy crisis (in accordance with cantonal recommendations: lowering the temperature settings by 20%, turning off TPG illuminated signs).
• Replacement of the display 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.

With regard to 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 accounts for approximately 0.9% of the canton of Geneva’s current electricity consumption.

We ensure strict pay equity through a single pay scale that is published annually within the company. The salary mechanisms defined in the organization's articles of association apply across the board to all employees. 

We support the right to union representation, with the recognition of four active labor organizations at the 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 work to support 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 stands at 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 a variety of events (e.g., concerts, theater, sports, etc.).

Since 2018, the 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 relevant solution in areas where transport demand is diffuse and where conventional regular lines are inefficient.

Building on the AVENUE project, the four-year ULTIMO project aims to lay the groundwork for and deploy the very first economically feasible and sustainable automated, on-demand public transportation solution. With the goal of having no driver on board. 

Public transportation is an essential service for the public: it allows people to visit family and friends, go shopping, engage in leisure activities, commute to work or school, visit the doctor, and so on.
Whether you have a permanent disability (such as being in a wheelchair, having a visual impairment, or other), a temporary disability (such as following an accident), reduced mobility (due to age, illness, or other reasons), or are traveling with young children (using a stroller), it is essential that access to public transportation be as easy as possible for everyone. 

Travel preparations

• The tpg website was designed in partnership with an association of the visually impaired, to ensure accessibility issues. A majority of the pages offer adapted content.
• The TPG website offers 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 the TPG, helps people who have difficulty getting around on their own, including those in wheelchairs. Volunteers pick them up, help them get their tickets and assist them throughout the journey and to their destination.
• We also raise awareness to facilitate the accompaniment of seniors in their daily lives. As a result, the TPG participates several times a year in Avivo workshops as well as in the ATE’s “Staying Mobile” course.

During the trip

• Passenger information kiosks offer a contrast suitable for the visually impaired.
• Information from the kiosk can be announced verbally using a remote control compatible with European Union audible traffic signals.
• On certain vehicle models, the driver can activate a voice announcement of the line number and destination while on the platform, outside the vehicle.
• All of 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, the TPG is offering a special shuttle service.
• Our drivers are trained to pay special attention to the needs of passengers with special needs, including how to deploy the ramp.
• On board the vehicles, we announce the main connections as we approach high-traffic stops.
• When boarding or exiting the vehicle, the button marked with the "wheelchair" or "stroller" symbol located near the second door ensures safety for passengers who need it, as the driver can manually open or close the doors.
   

Thanks to the dense tpg network, offering attractive frequency, the population has permanent access to a public transport offer that makes mobility accessible to all, at a particularly affordable price of CHF 1.37/day when you have an annual subscription – CHF 1.10 for young people and seniors.

• The ongoing expansion of our network supports the development of new neighborhoods, enabling residents to get around in an eco-friendly way by promoting public transportation.
• We are developing a multimodal offer, which makes it possible to optimize travel by adapting your means of transport 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 has been installed at the Lancy-Bachet-Gare mobility hub; a second is being installed at Lancy-Pont-Rouge and a third is planned for Le Grand-Saconnex.

Eco-Mobility Label

The TPG has been awarded the "Eco-Mobile Institution" label by the State of Geneva.
This certificate attests to our efforts to encourage our employees to prioritize sustainable transportation in their commutes through our corporate mobility plan (Mobility Plan). We are pleased that our actions—and, more broadly, our Cap2030 strategy—are helping to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Cantonal Climate Plan.

In 2023, we expanded our Mobility Plan by offering our employees access to bike-sharing services. 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 public authorities, low estimate
 

We are concerned about chemicals and waste management. The care we place in the recycling and reclamation of professional materials is the same we demand from our suppliers, with whom we share values regarding sustainability.

Responsible Digital Consumption

While digitization 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" certification in early 2024.  

Waste management

Our company generates a wide variety of waste: paper, oil, construction debris, glass, wood, PET, and so on. For the vast majority of these materials, recycling programs are in place. Consequently, responsible waste management is necessary to extend the lifespan of various resources. This involves, in particular, sorting and recycling them, but also reducing their volume, or even eliminating them altogether in certain situations.

In addition, waste sorting is a major issue for the State of Geneva, as it is the only canton that has not implemented a bag tax.
The Geneva authorities have opted for a system based on individual responsibility rather than imposing an additional tax, with the clear goal of reducing the amount of incinerable waste produced in the region 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 the amount of waste for incineration per employee by 18%, from 90 kg to 80 kg.

Chemicals

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

Sustainable financing

TPG is committed to innovative and eco-friendly mobility solutions; our goal is to have a 100% electric vehicle fleet that produces zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This strategy is fully in line with the 2030 cantonal climate plan. To achieve this goal, we have decided to issue a green bond to finance the renewal and expansion of our fleet through the purchase of all-electric vehicles. The tpg Green Bond is dedicated to improving accessibility and promoting sustainable, low-carbon transportation.

To fulfill these commitments, we have developed a green bond framework that complies with the ICMA Green Bond Principles (GBP) 2021. We are committed to strictly adhering to the intended use of proceeds as outlined in the framework. To that end, an internal committee was established to ensure the project is managed effectively.

Each year, we publish a fund allocation report and an impact report demonstrating the successful implementation of the project, the metrics of which will be included in the annual management report.

This data is reviewed annually by an independent auditor.

Reducing our carbon footprint

The TPG’s first carbon footprint assessment was conducted in 2012, followed by a second in 2016 and a third in 2020. With these three carbon footprint assessments, we have a clear overview of the various emission sources for which we need to implement tools and/or measures to control or even reduce emissions. While we can expect a 60% reduction in our CO2 emissions by replacing our conventional fleet vehicles with so-called “clean” vehicles, our carbon footprint assessments have shown that all other categories increase by approximately 11% every four years.  The three main categories involved are purchases of goods and services, capital expenditures, and commuting expenses. We are addressing these issues through initiatives that are integrated into the company’s Significant Environmental Actions (SEA) program, which is managed in accordance with ISO 14001.

Green bond

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