Some people just seem to be made for their job. Jörg Schneider is one of them. The head of Climate Protection and Energy at DB Cargo has always been a keen environmentalist, and now he can live out his values to the full at work.
The ambitious goal: climate neutrality at DB Cargo
"The new Climate Protection and Energy unit has brought together climate protection at DB Cargo in a central location to drive forward the green transformation in a professional and powerful way," says Schneider explaining the task of his new department. It is working to achieve Deutsche Bahn's ambitious target of climate neutrality by 2040, ten years earlier than envisaged by the EU's European Green Deal. Schneider leads the department with passion, bringing his personal eco-friendly mindset to his professional role: "Working as part of a large organisation gives me many more opportunities than I would have in a purely private capacity to actively do something for the climate and the planet's resources."
Profile: Jörg Schneider
How I came to DB Cargo:
I started at Deutsche Bahn in 2007 in DB Cargo AG's Asset Management team after studying project engineering in Mannheim. Alongside my job, I then completed a part-time postgraduate course in alternative drive technologies in vehicle engineering. From this came a passion to get much more involved in developing innovations and implementing them in various projects at DB Cargo. I am also very interested in environmental technologies, which I find a fascinating topic. At DB Cargo, I have been responsible for the new Climate Protection and Energy unit since July 2022 and for the Energy Management Project since 2018.
Why my job suits me so well:
Living sustainably and conserving resources is something I learned from an early age. That was certainly due in part to the shortages in the GDR, where I grew up. Simply buying something new was not possible in many cases, so we took good care of everything. When something broke, we repaired it rather than throwing it straight in the bin. This was essentially what we would now call a circular economy to extend product life cycles. Sustainability is still very important to me today, and I am also very committed to this principle in my private life. So my daily work fits in perfectly with my personality.
How I relax from my daily work routine:
Away from the daily work routine, I have been volunteering with the German Red Cross for over 15 years. I'm involved in training, working with children and young people, and disaster management. It's fulfilling and also helps me to switch off a little. It's important to me to make a small contribution to society for a better future. And when it all gets too much for me, I just go sailing with my dad. Moving silently, driven only by the wind is pure relaxation for me.
Perfect combination of passion and expertise
The new department will play a key role in achieving the 2040 target. Its responsibilities extend from strategy development and climate monitoring through to the initiation of climate protection measures and climate reporting. Top priority, of course, is given to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions at DB Cargo while remaining competitive in the market. Schneider's main concern is this respect: "How can climate neutrality be achieved as ecologically as possible despite additional market growth?" Monitoring is a key component here because it tells us whether the measures we take are achieving the desired climate protection effect. The results are used to decide on new action or to search for alternative solutions. These efforts focus on vehicle procurement and testing alternative drive systems and fuels, for example. Here, too, Schneider is a perfect fit for the task. Thanks to his Master's degree in alternative drive technologies in vehicle engineering, he is not only passionate about the subject but also has the required technical expertise.
"Climate protection and growth aren't mutually exclusive"
Schneider's department is focusing on three major projects: "We are working on expanding the share of renewable power in the mix, phasing out diesel fuel and transitioning to alternative forms of heating." Topics with which it is an advantage to have not only a technical but an emotional affinity: "My personal convictions and what I can achieve with my work are a perfect fit. I identify with my job. There are many levers that can be pulled to advance climate protection. At DB Cargo, many of my colleagues have a similar attitude to mine. We have to be measured by results – and consistently drive forward climate protection. For me, climate protection and environmental protection don't conflict with other corporate goals. Far from it!"
Climate protection at home, climate protection at work too: Schneider’s credo fits both areas of his life perfectly. "Every year, I resolve to make my life a little more sustainable and question what behaviours I need to change to achieve my goal. And that's what I go ahead and do." Exemplifying the very same values he tries to implement in his daily work at DB Cargo with his team, Jörg Schneider is the right man in the right place.
Go
