Sustainable design together

The certification according to TourCert at RIGI BAHNEN AG was an eye opener - for all of us in the entire company. For the certification process has shown us not only positive findings but also a need for action. A pleasing fact here is that a great deal can be implemented quickly and in the short term. For example, pitfalls in the shop could be eliminated. Secure containers were purchased for the storage of switch lubricants. Waste in the track area is collected systematically. Motion detectors were installed throughout the company, neon lighting was changed to LED lighting, emergency exit lighting was improved. At the same time, we have improved customer guidance and safety. Bio-diesel fuel is now used to operate the leisure facilities. Finally, we motivate employees to form car pools and increasingly use public transport to get to work.

It is crucial that the employees are transformed from participants to stakeholders at an early stage. Thanks to the «Ecomapping Day», which is a prerequisite for certification, some of them were brought on board right from the start. Another essential aspect is that the management and the board of directors exemplify the idea of sustainability and regularly communicate the importance of this process in a credible manner. In general, internal communication is the be-all and end-all. We have therefore formed a comprehensive sustainability team. This is responsible for ensuring that everyone can contribute themselves and their initiatives appropriately.

What is to have an effect on a large scale, starts small. So, we try to pick up the best sustainability stories in the staff magazine and at information events. For example, there are the apprentices who are fighting the battle against PET. There are the carpenters who make their own constructions for easier disposal of coffee cups. Or there is the receptionist who laminates order lists so that they can be rewritten again and again. The catering department is also getting involved: Those who pick up their coffee in a sustainable cup at the Rigi Pic restaurant or the Bahnhöfli restaurant pay less for their coffee. Small deeds, admittedly. But talking about it creates an impact. And respect. At RIGI BAHNEN AG, we have made a conscious decision to take an appropriately communicative and thus modest approach. Because we don't want to educate others. We want to motivate them.