FirstGroup plc, a leading private sector provider of public transport, has been awarded a place on the list of Europe’s 50 Most Sustainable Corporations, one of only seven UK companies to be included.
This new ranking is produced by sustainable business media group Corporate Knights. The report ranks Europe’s largest publicly listed companies, drawn from the STOXX Europe 600 Index and the top 100 Europe-headquartered publicly traded companies.
Earlier this year FirstGroup was also recognised with a place in the Corporate Knights 2025 Clean200 report, for the sixth year in succession. Companies included in this ranking are involved in the provision of infrastructure and services needed to transition to a clean and green economy. FirstGroup is the only passenger transport operator based in Europe to be named in this year’s global rankings.
As one of the UK’s leading transport operators carrying around two million passengers a day, FirstGroup has a critical role to play in the climate transition and recently published its first Climate Transition Plan setting out a comprehensive strategy to meaningfully reduce emissions, manage climate-related risks, drive modal shift and contribute to growth and prosperity in the communities where it operates.
FirstGroup serves more than 20% of the population in the UK with its local bus services, with a fleet of more than 5,800 buses and around 70 depots. The Group is also one of the UK’s largest rail operators, with years of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail services. This includes two Government-contracted rail operations and two open access routes including Lumo on the East Coast Main Line, which is an 100% electric service providing affordable long-distance travel between London and Edinburgh. Lumo has helped to drive modal shift from air travel to rail on this route, while emitting 95% fewer carbon emissions than when people fly between the two capital cities.
FirstGroup’s bus and rail services play a vital role in combating climate change and improving air quality. First Bus is committed to achieving a zero-emission commercial bus fleet by 2035, and already has more than 1,000 electric buses and three fully electric depots, with a further ten depots substantially electrified outside London.
Great Western Railway is carrying out a FastCharge battery trial, as part of First Rail’s commitment to support the UK Government’s goal to remove all diesel-only traction from the network by 2040, while Avanti have started the roll out of its new £350m fleet of electric and bi-mode trains.
FirstGroup Chief Executive Officer, Graham Sutherland, said: “FirstGroup has a leading role to play in the transition to a zero-carbon world to help address the challenges of climate change. We are investing in decarbonisation, enhancing our operations and driving modal shift so that we reduce our environmental impact and support growth and prosperity in the communities we serve. We’re pleased that our activities are recognised through our inclusion in the first ever Europe 50 list of the continent’s most sustainable companies, and our sustainability activities are also a key driver of our commercial success.”
For further details and the full ranking list, please see 2025 Europe 50 | Corporate Knights.