About the scope of this report

NS is a company based in the Netherlands and has a single, Dutch shareholder, the Dutch State. In this annual report, which was published on 27 February 2024, we primarily render account to our Dutch stakeholders for our potential impact in the Netherlands. Even so, we also report on our international operations and have included a separate chapter for that purpose. NS focuses on passengers and enabling them to enjoy a comfortable door-to-door journey. To that end, NS’s main priority is to improve operational performance on the railways, supported by the provision of, for instance, bicycle facilities and station services and by optimised door-to-door journeys thanks to public transport bicycles and collaboration with partners in the public transport sector and elsewhere. In addition, we aim to remain financially healthy so as to be able to continue investing in services to meet the growing mobility needs in the Netherlands, and to keep train fares affordable. Indeed, this is what our stakeholders expect from us. They also want to see accountability for our sustainability performance in the Netherlands.

NS carries out international operations through Abellio Germany. We monitor the extent to which our results in Germany add value for passengers in the Netherlands, in terms of cross-border travel, for example. Our international activities have to benefit the interests of our stakeholders in the Netherlands. In the annual report, data for Abellio Germany is not included in the calculations of our sustainability performance indicators; it is reported separately in our ‘Abellio’ section.

In addition to the financial statements, auditor’s report and assurance report, the NS 2023 Annual Report includes other information:

  • The Report of the NS Executive Board, which has the following chapters: Foreword by the CEO, Profile of NS, Dilemmas, How NS adds value to society, Trends and developments, Our strategy, Main rail network franchise 2025–2033, Activities and performance in the Netherlands, Activities and performance abroad and Finances in brief, as well as the following sections included in the NS Group chapter: Corporate Governance, Risk management, Group risks, Dialogue with our stakeholders in the Netherlands, Statement by the Executive Board, About the scope of this report, and Scope and reporting criteria;

  • The Report of the Supervisory Board;

  • Other data, in accordance with Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.

This annual report is subdivided into three blocks:

  • The core report with the Foreword by the CEO, Profile of NS, Dilemmas, How NS adds value to society, Trends and developments, Our strategy, Main rail network franchise 2025–2033, Our activities and performance in the Netherlands, Our activities and performance abroad and Finances in brief. For the operational results, the core of the report consists of the results that we have achieved within the franchise agreements with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for the Dutch main rail network.

  • A section with other information including Corporate governance, Risk management, Group risks, Dialogue with our stakeholders in the Netherlands and the Statement by the Executive Board.

  • Financial statements.

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