Dialogue with our stakeholders in the Netherlands
NS interacts with passengers on a daily basis. In addition, NS maintains close relations with many external partners and stakeholders. We have a trust-based dialogue with these parties. This enables us to seize opportunities together, identify potential risks at an early stage and manage them where possible.
Discussions with our external partners and stakeholders provide our organisation with valuable knowledge and ideas. They also help to improve passenger services and make them more sustainable. This ongoing dialogue provides us with input and helps us make decisions in order to keep the Netherlands accessible in a sustainable manner, for everyone.
Our external partners and stakeholders
We consider all organisations that represent an interest of a group of people who are affected by our actions to be NS stakeholders. Often, these groups of people in turn affect our organisation and services. NS also has external partners, such as our contracting authority the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and sole shareholder the Ministry of Finance. We work closely with ProRail and our partners within the Mobility Alliance. At NS, we are continually monitoring who our external partners and stakeholders are.
The nature of our contacts with external partners and stakeholders is determined in some cases by legislation (as in the case of government ministries and regulators), in some cases by collaboration in the transport sector (with carriers and ProRail) and in other cases by the public nature of our service (passengers, politicians, the media and interest groups). Even stakeholders with whom we are only temporarily involved due to an issue can have relevant input and we give them a voice. Over the past year, dialogue with stakeholders has covered issues including the new concession, social safety and the affordability of rail travel. Dialogue with our external partners and stakeholders occurs at various levels within the organisation. The Executive Board is also actively involved in this dialogue.
Collaboration in the transport sector
'Together' is an explicit part of our mission: ‘Together, we are making the Netherlands accessible in a sustainable manner – for everyone’. We believe it is vital to collaborate with partners in the transport chain in order to offer the best possible door-to-door journey. This is reflected at all layers of our organisation: operational and strategic. We collaborate with other parties including as a member of OVNL and the Mobility Alliance: organisations that strive to improve and optimise mobility within the Netherlands. Other collaborative organisations in which NS is represented include KNV, Railforum, VNO/NCW, CER Brussels, UIC Paris, MVO Nederland, Green Business Club, and Coalitie Anders Reizen.
Vision for the Future of Public Transport up to 2040
National and regional parties have joined forces to address the societal challenges associated with future accessibility and liveability in the Netherlands. In 2024, NS made a major contribution to the reassessment of the Vision for the Future of Public Transport (TBOV2040) programme: due to persistent behavioural effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices, public transport is facing lagging demand and increasing costs. This is why, last year, the public transport sector discussed additional policy options that could be added to the Vision for the Future of Public Transport development agenda. NS also actively helped to quantify the effects of the notional high-frequency rail transport continued growth reference. This provided insight into impact on areas such as passengers, operating costs and equipment.
In addition, NS is closely involved in establishing the new Circular Public Transport workflow and in the creation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) action agenda. Governments and transport operators can use this action agenda to make joint agreements to remove barriers to BRT and speed up the creation of BRT connections and corridors.
We also participated in and provided input to knowledge sessions with partners on public transport hubs and contributed to a digital tool for creating an action perspective for such hubs.
Tailored regional solutions
Every year, regional administrators and the NS Executive Board discuss their shared themes and collaboration between the various regions and NS. The regions and NS focus a great deal of effort on the development of public transport and rail infrastructure and the role of the train in accessibility programmes. Regional authorities in the Netherlands are facing major tasks and complex challenges, such as the mobility transition, large-scale infrastructure work, and housing construction and the associated accessibility and mobility issues. NS can make a key contribution to help solve these issues. NS intends to continue its intensive cooperation with regions and to jointly advance plans and realise measures.
Dilemmas in discussions
By sharing dilemmas with external partners and stakeholders at an early stage, we seek to provide insight into our considerations and jointly reach solutions. We give external partners and stakeholders feedback on their ideas and recommendations and show how the dialogue impacts our policies. We do this through regular consultations, thematic sessions and reports. The aim is that passengers overall should benefit, although choices inevitably have negative side effects for some passengers or NS’s financial position, in view of its concession obligations. We discuss these dilemmas with parties such as consumer organisations. Over the past year we consulted with our stakeholders on a range of issues, including the timetable, fares and the associated range and accessibility.
Consultations with trade unions
NS attaches great importance to maintaining good relations with trade unions. In April 2024, NS agreed with the trade unions on a new collective labour agreement that would run from 1 January 2024 until 1 March 2025. NS held discussions with the trade unions in 2024 on the implementation of the Collective Labour Agreement and various organisational changes.
Reputation
NS commissions The RepTrak Company (www.reptrak.com) to gauge its reputation. Using a stakeholder survey, the RepTrak model reveals which factors influence the reputation of our organisation or our brand and to what extent. NS’s average is determined by the four quarterly figures. The 2024 RepTrak score (62.3) fell compared with 2023 (62.5) and was below the target of 64.0. Operational performance is the biggest determining factor for NS’s reputation (18.7%). The score for this increased from 59.9 to 60.7. The score for financial performance fell this year: 59.4 compared with 60.7. The perception of NS as an innovative company rose from 55.6 in 2023 to 58.1 in 2024. Last year, NS faced criticism of the company's financial performance as well as public debate over train ticket price increases. This resulted in lower reputation scores.
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European |
Nature of dialogue |
Content of dialogue[1] |
Effects of the dialogue on NS policy |
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EU institutions, CER, UIC, ERA |
Informational, creation, determine standpoints |
4, 5, 6, 7, 10 |
• |
Strengthening the position of national and international passengers |
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Promote sustainable mobility in Europe and a level playing field in relation to other modes of transport such as air and road, stimulate international rail traffic (for distances up to 700 km), investments and co-financing, stimulate innovation, facilitate international door-to-door travel, improve international ticketing and customer services |
• |
Sustainable investments in the railway sector that contribute to climate objectives by encouraging the modal shift from air to rail |
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National (NL) |
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Customers (consumers and businesses) |
Informational, creation, monitoring |
1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 12 |
• |
The NS Voordeel Pilot has become the NS national off-peak discount proposition NS PrijsTijd Deal. The discount per train journey is determined by the time of booking and our crowd data and can be as much as 60%. |
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N.B. Some customer groups are represented by interest groups. See also LOCOV. |
Timetable, public transport card (OV-chipkaart), customer satisfaction, handling complaints and inquiries, consumer portfolio, corporate portfolio, collaboration with bus, tram and metro companies, accessibility, public safety |
• |
The travel information boards visualise how long a train is, the direction of travel and which train section, if any, will remain at the station or be added. |
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• |
Innovation in Mobility-as-a-Service: with TIER as the first sub-modality to be offered fully integrated via RiVier through the NS App. Furthermore, Hely has launched a new share bike programme. |
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• |
Checking in and out by (contactless) debit card, credit card or mobile. |
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• |
In the purchase flow of partners buying train tickets. Travellers can purchase a group ticket in the app since this year, travellers can buy e-tickets 90 days in advance in the NS app. |
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• |
Services to international travellers have been improved by making it easier to cancel or change tickets online. |
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• |
Improve range of mobility services for business market, with a focus on eliminating administrative hassle (NS Go). |
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• |
Further professionalise the NS Control Room. |
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• |
Integrated approach to 'nuisance asylum seekers on public transport'. |
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Shareholder Ministry of Finance |
Intensive involvement |
3, 5, 6, 8 |
• |
Practical implementation of financial policy in connection with the 2022 Policy Document on State Participations. |
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NS operations, remuneration, strategy, appointments, major investments, main rail network concession 2025–2033, financial management, CSR, international operations |
• |
Appointment of new Supervisory Board members and Executive Board members. |
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• |
Executive Board remuneration policy. |
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• |
Transparent reporting according to GRI. |
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• |
Progress of GRC measures and saving through efficiency measures. |
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• |
Recalibration of strategy. |
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• |
Restructuring and winding down of foreign activities. |
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• |
Follow-up CSR policy in connection with 2022 Policy Document on State Participations (including Climate Plan, CSRD). |
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Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management |
Intensive involvement |
1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 |
• |
Transport Plan 2025, half-yearly and annual report for 2024. |
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Main rail network franchise 2025-2033, NS performance, door-to-door journey, travelling and working in safety, international connections, HSL South train services, personal and railway safety, OVpay, accessibility, timetable, transparency, sustainability, accessibility |
• |
Timetable for 2025-2026 and beyond. |
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• |
NS staff shortage, integrated approach to staff shortage, consequences for timetable. |
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• |
Preparation of new concession. |
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• |
KPIs/fulfilment of concession obligations. |
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• |
International train services. |
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• |
Passenger spread. |
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• |
International benchmark |
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National political bodies |
Informational, intensive involvement |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 10, 11, 12 |
• |
A focus on the Betrouwbaar Beter (‘reliably better’) improvement programme developed following a motion by Olger van Dijk (NSC). |
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Operational performance, public transport affordability, ERTMS, accessibility, public safety, regional accessibility, staff shortage, space and mobility |
• |
The affordability of public transport, specifically the fare increase with effect from 2025. |
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• |
Greater focus on public safety, both for staff and passengers on the train and at the station. |
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• |
Commitment to improve connections to and from regions. |
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• |
Follow-up study for the Lely Line. |
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Regulators – ACM, IL&T, Dutch Data Protection Authority |
Involvement, consultation (‘guidance’) and information |
4, 7, 11, 12 |
• |
Improve execution and service provision. |
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Responding to regular and ad hoc requests for information, |
• |
Continue to promote compliance. |
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discussing topical subjects such as achieving a more professional safety culture, market issues, acceptance of rolling stock, safety incidents, incident investigations, accessibility, clarification of new regulatory requirements, and providing input for market studies and consultations |
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Transparency. |
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• |
Position statements. |
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Increasing safety on the track, both for NS and throughout the sector. Implementation of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). |
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ProRail |
Intensive involvement |
1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
• |
Cooperation on seasonal measures, e.g. implementation of winter weather scenarios. |
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Long-Term Rail Agenda, timetable development, performance of the |
• |
Cooperation in the field of security (policy). |
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Cooperation on sustainable business practice and accessibility. |
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• |
Cooperation with regard to stations (management, maintenance, development and new construction). |
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• |
Better alignment between infrastructure and the timetable. |
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Cooperation with regard to the planning of large infrastructure works. |
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• |
Cooperation on start-up after major disruptions and communication to passengers. |
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• |
Cooperation with regard to sustainable development and placing it on the political agenda. |
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• |
- Cooperation on joint performance indicators in the new concession. |
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LOCOV (National Public Transport Users’ Forum), interest groups, NGOs and green partners like the NVDE. |
Intensive involvement (LOCOV), involve, consult, inform (interest groups, NGOs and green partners) |
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12 |
• |
Better train product by incorporating suggestions from consumer organisations in theme sessions and advice (timetable, pricing policy, |
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NS timetable, fares, travel information, service delivered to passengers, transport plan, new rolling stock, customer satisfaction, punctuality, rolling stock, accessibility, sustainable enterprise, international connections, HSL services |
• |
Adoption of some opinions regarding the 2025 Timetable (such as between Amsterdam Zuid and Utrecht and between The Hague and Amsterdam Zuid). |
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Adoption of several recommendations regarding the NS terms and conditions. |
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Identify barriers for people with disabilities and, on this basis, jointly improve products and services for people with disabilities. |
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• |
Collaboration with various ministries and the NVDE in respect of mobility climate targets. |
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Trade unions |
Intensive involvement |
3, 7 |
• |
Implementation of CLA. |
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Negotiating new collective agreement 2024, employee interests, |
• |
Various organisational changes. |
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labour market issues, personnel and social consequences of organisational changes |
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Suppliers, subcontractors |
Consulting, negotiating |
1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
• |
Focus on cost reduction for NS as a result of financial situation. |
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Operational performance, sustainable business practice, innovation, financial performance, integrity and compliance, risk management, quality assurance |
• |
Focus on reliability, availability and costs of products and services for business-critical processes. |
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• |
Encourage cooperation and innovation with suppliers and make the supply chain more sustainable. |
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Media |
Informational, intensive involvement |
All NS-related subjects |
• |
Position statements |
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• |
Improving NS image in line with operational performance. |
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Regional authorities and official representatives of the provinces, metropolitan regions and municipalities, other carriers and consumer organisations |
Informing, negotiating, collaborating |
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
• |
New, more modern stations and redevelopment of the station environment, including chain facilities. |
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Quality of train services, crowded trains, mobility behaviour/spreading passengers, punctuality, network development, redevelopment of existing stations, public transport and railway discussion platforms, vision of the future of public transport and the public transport development |
• |
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Regional customisation for train replacement bus transport in the event of train service disruptions. |
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Customisation in the main rail network timetable and improved connections to regional public transport |
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Various bicycle parking facilities free for first 24 hours, expansion of P+R locations |
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Collaborating on regional challenges and ambitions for Vision for the Future of Public Transport |
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• |
Door-to-door journey (including MaaS projects) |
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• |
Collaborate and explore options with municipalities on large-scale housing construction around stations as part of national-regional programmes such as Uned (Utrecht), Samen Bouwen aan Bereikbaarheid (SBaB), MoVe (Zuid-Holland), SmartwayZ, Spoorzone Zwolle |
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Measures around Meppel for more reliable and faster connections between the north of the Netherlands - Randstad |
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IC Randstad-Aachen and accelerating Berlin train |
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• |
Intensification of cooperation with stakeholders based on our commitment to broad mobility, deployment of extra mobility developers |
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• |
Cooperation in the region on, among other things, availability payment, passenger spread (education and business) and sustainable recovery |
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Internal: central and local works councils, vocational training |
See: NS as an employer |
[1] The dialogue content figures refer to the various 'material themes', which can be found here.