Class I Briefs: CSX, CN, UP, NS
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
CSX donates $10,000 to the Red Cross for storm relief efforts. Also, CN and Union Pacific (UP) are recognized by CDP as 2023 Supplier Engagement Leaders; CN sends a “supply chain salute” to MacroSource, LLC for their new facility in Memphis, Tenn.; and Norfolk Southern (NS) honors customer sustainability achievements.
CSX
CSX announced March 15 that it has pledged a donation of $10,000 to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts in the communities affected by a series of severe storms and tornadoes that swept through the Midwest on March 14, leaving a trail of destruction across Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio,
The devastating tornadoes tore through neighborhoods, causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure and businesses, resulting in injuries and reported fatalities. The Red Cross immediately activated its teams, establishing shelters to provide refuge for those impacted by the storms and is working in close coordination with local emergency management teams to deploy additional resources to the communities when it is safe to do so, according to CSX.
The contribution from CSX will help facilitate the Red Cross’s ongoing relief operations, “ensuring that affected individuals and families receive the necessary assistance to begin the process of recovery and reconstruction.”
“The thoughts and prayers of the ONE CSX team go out to our employees and neighbors in the Midwest during this challenging time,” said CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs. “Our donation to the Red Cross underscores our commitment to supporting the communities where we live and work, and we hope it provides some relief to those dealing with the aftermath of these catastrophic events.”
CN
CN announced March 16 via a LinkedIn post that it has been recognized by CDP as a 2023 Supplier Engagement Leader for working together with suppliers to find innovative solutions to tackle climate change.
UP has also been recognized as a 2023 Supplier Engagement Leader. The full list is available here.
In related news, CN is sending a #SupplyChainSalute to MacroSource, LLC for their new facility in Memphis, Tenn.
“Leveraging CN’s network to bring fertilizers to markets across North America, this partnership is transformative to driving sustainable growth for the fertilizer industry. Together, we’re making an impact by contributing to the global food production ecosystem,” CN wrote in a LinkedIn post.
NS
Last week, NS hosted its second annual Thoroughbred Sustainability Partner Awards, honoring 13 partner companies that are leading the way with sustainability achievements across three categories: Energy Efficiency, Innovation, and Environmental Stewardship.
“These companies are all working on parts of this puzzle and finding ways to be more innovative and thoughtful about the important work we are all doing – to preserve and protect the world that we live in,” said EVP and Chief Transformation Officer Annie Adams, who kicked off the event at NS’s Midtown Atlanta headquarters. “Sustainability leadership means supporting each other in these crucial efforts, and our hope is that by recognizing and encouraging each other and our successes, together we will achieve measurable progress towards our shared goals.”
Key items on the agenda included:
- NS’s Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin gave an overview of how the company is partnering with customers and suppliers on sustainability initiatives.
- Vice President First and Final Mile Markets Stefan Loeb spoke to the benefits of choosing to ship via rail to solve supply chain issues.
- Leadership from award-winning partner companies Kuenz America, Inc., The Greenbrier Companies, and Outokumpu Stainless USA participated in a panel discussion on supply chain sustainability, moderated by Raglin.
During the customer panel, Peter Jones, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Automation at The Greenbrier Companies, commended NS for the innovation nature of their partnership together developing a lighter, more sustainable steel gondola railcar. “It’s unusual in the rail industry to experiment with railcar design in the way Norfolk Southern is doing—sustainably, and with a radically different type of steel,” Jones said. “It all comes down to partnerships like this—a railroad willing to take a risk and do something different.”
Partner companies will be able to apply for the 2024 Thoroughbred Sustainability Partner Awards later this year. More information about NS’s sustainability initiatives is available here.
