{"id":407709,"date":"2026-04-17T21:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T11:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=192168"},"modified":"2026-04-17T21:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T11:06:00","slug":"crosscountrys-social-value-report-highlights-184m-contribution-to-communities-and-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=407709","title":{"rendered":"CrossCountry\u2019s Social Value report highlights \u00a3184m contribution to communities and the environment"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Long-distance train operator CrossCountry has launched its 2026 Social Value report, outlining the positive impact of the business on people, places and the planet.<\/p>\n

Launching today (Friday 17 April), the report demonstrates how CrossCountry embeds social value into everyday work – from improving rail accessibility and creating inclusive employment opportunities, to supporting communities and enabling lower carbon travel.<\/p>\n

In the last year, CrossCountry\u2019s reported Social Value has risen to \u00a3184 million*. This increase reflects more transparent reporting and improved social value monitoring across community, social and environmental activity.<\/p>\n

This work on social value aligns with CrossCountry\u2019s wider Sustainability Strategy and is structured around the same three pillars: people, places and planet. Social value acts as the \u201ccommon currency\u201d to consistently measure and understand the impact of each aspect of the Sustainability Strategy.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s report is more transparent than ever, including both direct and avoided emissions** within the reporting. This enables CrossCountry to more accurately measure its positive social impact in supporting UK decarbonisation and sustainability ambitions.<\/p>\n

Jessica Lockwood, CrossCountry\u2019s Environment & Sustainability Manager, said: <\/strong>\u201cSocial value gives us a clear way to understand and measure the difference that the CrossCountry network makes – beyond just the journeys we operate.<\/p>\n

\u201cExpanding the scope of our reporting means we can better tell the story about the outcomes we deliver for people, communities and the environment \u2013 and ensure our strategy drives meaningful long\u2011term impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

CrossCountry\u2019s renewed focus on social value is having real-world impact. Work with the Newcastle Rail Academy has led to two onboard job roles taken by Rail Academy students \u2013 the beginning of two promising new rail careers.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, work with conservation partners GreenTheUK and the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) is improving biodiversity on the Lias Line: a National Cycle Network route which passes through Leamington Spa.<\/p>\n

Xanthe Caldecott, MD & Co-Founder of GreenTheUK, said: <\/strong>\u201cOur partnership with CrossCountry shows how targeted investment in local nature recovery can deliver meaningful benefits for both communities and biodiversity. By supporting biodiversity enhancement along the Lias Line, this project is creating connected habitats that help wildlife thrive while making greener, more nature-rich routes for people to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a strong example of how transport networks can support local action that links biodiversity recovery with healthier, more sustainable ways to travel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jim Whiteford, Head of Biodiversity at the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, said:<\/strong> “We\u2019re incredibly grateful to CrossCountry for supporting our wildlife conservation work along the Lias Line Greenway. With support from their colleagues and local volunteers, we\u2019ve been able to plant trees, install a range of wildlife boxes, and sow native wildflowers along the route. These improvements are helping to create a greener, more biodiverse and climate\u2011resilient space for everyone to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>Crucially, their support has also allowed us to train and upskill our volunteers, ensuring this work leaves a lasting legacy.”<\/p>\n

Not only supporting local community projects in CrossCountry\u2019s key routes, this investment also reinforces CrossCountry\u2019s focus on improving multi-modal journey connections and on low carbon, active travel opportunities.<\/p>\n

Thomas Raynor, CrossCountry\u2019s Head of Strategy, said: <\/strong>\u201cOur Social Value Strategy reinforces that CrossCountry\u2019s purpose goes far beyond running trains. It\u2019s about creating opportunity, supporting regional growth and enabling lower\u2011carbon choices at a national scale.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis approach allows us to turn our values into measurable outcomes \u2013 building a railway that generates real, lasting value for the places and people we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read and download CrossCountry\u2019s Social Value report at: https:\/\/www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk\/community-hub\/social-value<\/a><\/p>\n

Image credit: CrossCountry \/ Rob Hinds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Long-distance train operator CrossCountry has launched its 2026 Social Value report, outlining the positive impact of the business on people, places and the planet. Launching today (Friday 17 April), the report demonstrates how CrossCountry embeds social value into everyday work \u2013 from improving rail accessibility and creating inclusive employment opportunities, to supporting communities and enabling [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16013,16017,47,16016,913,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-407709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-interest","category-industry-news","category-rail-news","category-train-operating-companies","category-travel","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/407709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=407709"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/407709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":407714,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/407709\/revisions\/407714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=407709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=407709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=407709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}