To secure their future in the face of climate change, businesses need to prioritise adaptability and building resilience. As one of the UK’s largest landowners and responsible for 1.8 billion journeys per year, Network Rail is at the forefront of this. Extreme weather conditions like flooding and drought cost the organisation millions of pounds each year and put passenger safety at risk. These challenges are likely to worsen, resulting in penalties, delays and poor environmental impact.
Challenge
In response, Network Rail has created a pioneering Water Management Strategy (the first transport company to have one), setting out its long-term vision and a framework for operations by 2050.
The strategy's success relies heavily on its effective dissemination and adoption across the organisation’s vast network of 40,000 employees. 
Solution
We worked closely with the Network Rail team to create a suite of assets to breathe life into their strategy; a vision map, infographics, and an animation.
Through a series of workshops, we helped simplify the complexities of water management across all areas of the railway network - from inspection to maintenance to construction - setting out the essential roles each segment must play.
By incorporating bold colours, including shades of blue and green, we sought to convey a positive vision for the future of the rail network, highlighting themes like biodiversity, passenger satisfaction, and overall well-being.
Results
The artwork featured on the front cover of Network Rail's newly-launched strategy document which was shared organisation-wide as well as in an interactive PDF to educate and inform staff. It also took centre stage in briefing packs and videos shared with senior leadership and board members, ensuring buy-in and support at all levels of the organisation.
“This has given us an incredibly valuable asset that has been used in so many ways - at leadership meetings, technical reviews, 'lunch and learns', team briefings and externals presentations and webinars."
Mona Sihota, Network Technical Head at Network Rail.
Mona Sihota, Network Technical Head at Network Rail, says, “This has given us an incredibly valuable asset that has been used in so many ways - at leadership meetings, technical reviews, ‘lunch and learns’, team briefings and external presentations and webinars.
“We have used the image to ask people to ‘find themselves’, to identify their asset groups and to use the image as the positive future image of water management on the railway network,” says Mona.
"We aim to be industry leaders in putting water at the forefront of how we manage our assets, to benefit passengers and the environment for generations to come," she adds.
The animation, shared across social channels, enabled Network Rail to increase visibility of its strategy and commitment to running a reliable railway network to audiences outside the organisation and demonstrate its proactive approach.
The work was a finalist in the Institute of Internal Communication Awards, shortlisted, and won gold at the DotComm Awards 2023.
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