Norfolk Southern unveils latest ESG report

Norfolk Southern Railway yesterday released its 15th annual environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, which highlights the company's efforts to reduce its environmental impact, create a culture of inclusion, invest in its people, strengthen governance practices and help customers achieve their sustainability goals.

"Norfolk Southern is a customer-centric, operations-driven company, which means helping our customers achieve their supply-chain emissions goals and reducing our own carbon footprint," said President and CEO Alan Shaw in a press release.

The Class I's accomplishments over the past year include:

• creating a carbon calculator to help shippers make more informed transportation decisions and reduce carbon emissions from their own supply chains;

• hosting an inaugural Sustainability Summit in partnership with Sustain SC, welcoming state leaders and more than 30 companies to Brosnan Forest, NS's 14,400-acre ecological preserve in South Carolina; and

• hosting a chief mechanical officers meeting with leaders from all Class Is to share ideas, insights and best practices to improve rail industry efficiencies.

Also, the company reported making a 5% improvement toward its science-based target of 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2034 (since a 2019 base year); improving locomotive fuel efficiency by 7% from 2019; and establishing a team dedicated to operationalizing inclusion and using nationwide benchmarking to further a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.

To read the report, click here.