By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) recently bestowed its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award to Canadian Pacific President and CEO Keith Creel and Kansas City Southern President and CEO Pat Ottensmeyer.
The annual award recognizes individuals and companies that demonstrate a commitment to good corporate citizenship. Formed in 1918, the FPA strives to serve as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding and informed opinions on U.S. foreign policy and global issues.
An awards committee that is part of the association’s board determines the candidates for the CSR honor, which was launched in 2003. Committee members chose Creel and Ottensmeyer because of their roles in planning and spurring the proposed CP-KCS merger.
“Both Keith and Pat are the first railway executives that we have ever honored at the FPA, and not just with the CSR Award,” said FPA Director of Policy Planning Matt Barbari in an email.
The proposed CP-KCS merger would form the only single-line railroad operating in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Canadian Pacific To be called Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the combined CP-KCS entity would become the only single-line railroad linking the United States, Mexico and Canada. The merger application is under review by the Surface Transportation Board.
“We wanted to highlight the deal between the two companies since it merges railways across the borders with Canada and Mexico,” said Barbari.
The FPA also aims to bestow the CSR Award to highlight individuals’ and companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) achievements. FPA Chairman Henry Fernandez also chairs MSCI, which compiles an ESG Index and rates companies based on ESG risks. CP and KCS rate highly for ESG endeavors.
“Henry has a keen interest in environmental policy,” said Barbari.
KCS officials congratulated Creel and Ottensmeyer for the FPA recognition in a Twitter post.
“Connecting communities far and wide, the proposed combination of CP and KCS fosters growth and economic opportunity across all of North America with a steadfast commitment to safety, innovation and environmental responsibility,” the post states.
The other 2022 winners of the CRS Award are Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker and Swiss Re Group CEO Christian Mumenthaler. Past recipients include John Hancock President and CEO Marianne Harrison, and Hilton Group President and CEO Christopher Nassetta in 2021; and Goldman Sachs President John Waldron and Edward Jones Managing Partner Penny Pennington in 2020.
