CN’s ‘Sustainable Family’
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive EditorCN has teamed with a youth-focused Canadian environmental organization to expand EcoConnexions, its employee engagement program on sustainability.
Earth Rangers will help the Class I railroad bring that program to the families and children of its railroaders, according to CN President and CEO JJ Ruest.
CN launched EcoConnexions in 2011, in partnership with Earth Day Canada. Its aim is embedding sustainability into the corporate culture, and its initiatives support “reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste and improving housekeeping practices at CN yards and offices across North America,” according to the railroad.
“We are thrilled to partner with CN to build on their innovative EcoConnexions program,” said Tovah Barocas, President of Earth Rangers, which was founded in 2004 and includes more than 250,000 current global members and alumni. “It is our shared commitment to creating a lasting legacy of sustainability for present and future generations that will drive this partnership.”
Since EcoConnexions started, CN said its employees have helped reduce carbon by 36% at key yards (140,000 tons); divert 208,000 tons of waste from landfills; facilitate 1,500 housekeeping projects “leading to cleaner, more efficient and safer work environments”; and achieve approximately $50 million in cost savings.
