From Committed to Gold: Wascosa’s Journey Towards Greater Sustainability

In 2024, Wascosa received the EcoVadis Committed Badge. Just one year later, the Silver Medal followed. This year, receiving the Gold Medal marks another significant milestone for Wascosa.

This places Wascosa in the top 5% of companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide over the past 12 months, regardless of industry.

This progress is no coincidence. It is the result of a continuous improvement process and a clear strategic decision.

As a medium-sized company, Wascosa could limit its sustainability reporting to a relatively streamlined framework, such as the voluntary VSME standard (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs). This means that, given its size, Wascosa could decide for itself which sustainability topics to report on.

However, as one of the largest players in the European freight wagon market, Wascosa recognises its responsibility and its impact within the industry.

Wascosa has therefore decided to go beyond minimum requirements when it comes to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and to undergo an independent external assessment by EcoVadis. This requires transparent reporting, voluntary commitments and the continuous development of internal processes.

On its journey towards the Gold Medal, Wascosa has implemented a range of measures. These include introducing and further developing internal policies, committing to external initiatives and institutions, and working closely with specialised partners.

Innovative technologies also play an important role. By integrating the AI-based solution from Palau, Wascosa is harnessing new opportunities to make ESG-related processes more efficient. For example, the ESG Report 2025 can be interactively searched using an AI chatbot.

As Anna Bechen, Head of ESG at Wascosa, explains: “The journey towards the EcoVadis Gold Medal was certainly challenging. The requirements for sustainability assessments are constantly evolving. This makes it all the more important to build understanding and acceptance of new standards, processes and responsibilities, both internally and externally. This achievement shows that, together, we are on the right track.”

The EcoVadis Gold Medal confirms that Wascosa is heading in the right direction while also providing motivation to maintain this high standard over the long term. For Wascosa, sustainability is not simply about meeting requirements. It is about taking responsibility, continuously improving existing measures and actively shaping the future of European rail freight transport.

Special thanks go to all employees and external partners who have made this achievement possible and whose commitment will help maintain this high standard in the years to come.

“The EcoVadis score (0–100) reflects the quality of a company’s sustainability management system at the time of the assessment. EcoVadis medals and badges recognize companies that have completed the EcoVadis Sustainability Rating assessment and demonstrated, relative to other assessed companies, a strong management system addressing sustainability criteria, as outlined in the EcoVadis methodology. The eligibility criteria for medals and badges are reviewed periodically.” Source: ecovadis.com (Retrieved on 5 November 2026).