CN, CSX earn sustainability accolades

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index has named CSX and CN Sustainability Leaders.

“Building on its record of leading sustainability performance in the transportation sector, CSX was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for the fifth consecutive year. We view sustainability as a winning strategy for both our business and the communities in which our employees, customers and neighbors live and work,” said Chairman and CEO Michael J. Ward. “Through our commitment to sustainability, we minimize our impact on the environment, lower operating costs, and offer our customers an attractive transportation solution to reduce their carbon footprint.”

CSX is the only U.S. railroad recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America and among just four transportation companies on the 2015 list. CSX said it “showed strong performance across the assessed criteria, specifically in the areas of environmental policy and management system, fuel efficiency, climate strategy, corporate governance, and stakeholder engagement. In 2014, CSX achieved record-setting fuel efficiency and has reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 4.5% since 2011, bringing the company closer to its voluntary goal of reducing GHG emissions intensity by 6% to 8% from 2011 levels by 2020. In addition, CSX invested more than $18 million in community organizations in 2014 and logged nearly 25,000 volunteer hours working with national and local organizations to support safety, environmental, community and wellness initiatives across its network.”

To learn more about sustainability at CSX, view the company’s most recent Corporate Social Responsibility Report at www.csxcsr.com.

CN’s sustainability practices have earned it a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI). This marks the fourth consecutive year that CN has been listed on the DJSI World Index and the seventh consecutive year that CN has been listed on the DJSI North America Index.

“Our sustainability agenda integrates our activities and shapes our thinking in a way that allows us to go further,” said CN Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena. “CN leads the North American rail industry in fuel efficiency, consuming 15% less fuel per gross-ton-mile overall than our peers. This important recognition highlights our ongoing commitment to operating a safe and environmentally responsible railroad. CN’s sustainability achievements are also marked by our ongoing commitment to our EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up program, which since 2012 has sponsored tree-planting projects in 85 communities. In combination with a mass reforestation program, this has resulted in more than one million trees being planted across Canada and the U.S.”

The DJSI World Index selects for inclusion the top 10% of the 2,500 largest companies in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index from each sector based on their sustainability score. The DJSI follows a best-in-class approach, surveying sustainability leaders from each industry on a global and regional level. The annual review of the DJSI family is based on a thorough analysis of economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards, stakeholder engagement and labor practices.

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading, sustainability-driven companies. The indices serve as benchmarks for investors who integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios, and provide an effective engagement platform for companies who want to adopt sustainable best practices. They are a partnership between the Dow Jones Indexes and RobecoSAM Sustainability Assessments, which tracks the financial performance of the world’s leading companies according to rigorous economic, environmental and social criteria.