CPKC report highlights sustainability developments

Canadian Pacific Kansas City late last week released its 2022 sustainability data report, which highlights the railroad's developments from an environmental, social and governance (ESG) perspective.

The report contains data for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, which merged into CPKC in April.

"This initial CPKC sustainability data report continues our long-standing practice of transparent sustainability and ESG disclosures. We're focused on harmonizing our approach to sustainability issues across CPKC and benefiting from a history of sustainability practices and expertise within both legacy companies," said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel in a press release.

The report details several sustainability programs helmed by CPKC and its predecessors, including:

• the hydrogen locomotive program to develop North America's first line-haul freight locomotives using hydrogen fuel cells and batteries;
• a new carbon emissions calculator to enable CPKC customers to estimate their potential emissions reductions when shipping by rail versus long-haul trucking; and
• the 60,000 Tree Challenge Monarch Boxcar Tour, a fundraiser to help the monarch butterfly population by planting 60,000 oyamel fir trees at El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacan, Mexico;

Also in 2022, CP and KCS were recognized for sustainability achievements. CP was named to the CDP Climate Change A List with an "A" rating; named to the S&P Global Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the first time and the North American Index for the third consecutive year; and recognized as one of Canada's top 100 employers.

KCS also received an "A" rating on the CDP Climate Change list; placed sixth in the transportation and logistics category on Newsweek's America's List of Most Responsible Companies; and its Mexican division was recognized with the Empresa Socialmente Responsible certification from Cemefi for the eighth consecutive year.

Meanwhile, CPKC has joined the Science Based Targets initiative's Business Ambition for 1.5° C, which seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, leading to net-zero emissions by 2050. The railroad aims to reduce well-to-wheel locomotive emissions by 36.9% per gross ton-mile by 2030 from a 2020 base year.