 porterbrook the rolling stock asset management company has recorded an improved performance on the global real estate sustainability benchmark gresb gresb is an internationally recognised global benchmarking tool used to assess and compare the environmental social and governance esg performance of real estate and infrastructure organisations this year porterbrook improved its gresb ranking from three to five stars beating its peer average this is the fourth year that porterbrook has participated in the annual gresb assessment the gresb assessment considers a companys esg performance across a range of competency areas including how well esg issues are integrated within the companys management policy and what actions the company is taking to reduce its environmental impact according to the gresb porterbrook stood out in three key aspects where it scored more than 80 100 management stakeholder engagement and policy disclosure this reflects porterbrooks efforts to develop clearly defined esg policies and reporting practices and also implement a broad stakeholder engagement programme which included outreach to customers suppliers and special interest groups in 2018 for example porterbrook held its first annual supplier conference attended by more than 100 companies from across the rail industry supply chain porterbrook has also played a leading role in developing new technologies help make train travel more environmentally sustainable particularly by supporting the shift away from diesel powered traction and therefore reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions notably in 2018 porterbrook began its collaboration with the university of birmingham to develop britains first hydrogen powered train hydroflex which was recently granted approval for mainline testing mary grant ceo of porterbrook said sustainability is one of our core values at porterbrook so i am very pleased to see our efforts being recognised by the rigorous assessment carried out by gresb we will seek to build on this years strong gresb score and continue to embed esg considerations within all our activities and decision making 