CN Releases 2015 Sustainability Report

CN today issued its fifth sustainability report, Delivering Responsibly, outlining the company’s programs and achievements in safety, corporate governance, community involvement, human resources and environmental sustainability. 

“CN has intensified its commitment to build a sustainable future,” said Luc Jobin, CN executive vice-president and chief financial officer. “I am proud to say sustainability is an integral part of our business strategy touching all aspects of our operation. CN’s long-term success depends on running a safe, sustainable railroad.”

The Delivering Responsibly report highlights key CN accomplishments such as:

• Rail industry leadership in fuel efficiency: CN consumes 15 per cent less fuel per gross ton mile compared to the industry average.  CN’s fuel efficiency improved 2.5 per cent in 2014 and CN has achieved a 17 per cent reduction in GHG emission intensity (green house gas emission per gross ton mile) since 2005. 
• Energy conservation and waste reduction: CN EcoConnexions employee initiatives have helped CN reduce its waste by approximately 20 per cent in the last two years alone. Energy consumption in CN’s key facilities has been cut by approximately 15 per cent in the last five years. 
• One million trees planted: Partnering with customers and communities across North America, CN has funded the planting of one million trees since 2012. 
• Award winning performance: CN has been listed on the DJSI World Index for four consecutive years and on the North America Index for seven years.
• Building Stronger Communities: Contributing $18.3 million to communities across North America in support of safety, education, and diversity. 

“One CN train, on average, can move a metric tonne of freight about 200 kilometres on a single litre of fuel,” said Sam Berrada, CN vice-president of safety and sustainability. “Operational efficiency is the hallmark of our success. We remain committed to investing in new technology and training to improve our fuel efficiency and reduce our emissions even more.

“Beyond the impact of our initiatives on operations, CN continues to work with communities to create positive social, economic and environmental benefits,” Berrada added. “From the communities we engage for emergency response training programs, to the students we reach through rail safety education, we believe our sustainability efforts can make a lasting difference.” 

CN’s sustainability report can be accessed at www.cn.ca/delivering-responsibly. The report was developed in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.   

CN is a true backbone of the economy whose team of approximately 25,000 railroaders transports more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information about CN, visit the company’s website at www.cn.ca

CN’s Sustainability Commitment 

Delivering Responsibly is one of the pillars of What CN Stands For. It determines how we conduct our business every day and defines our contribution to building a more sustainable future. A member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, CN’s sustainability commitment is anchored in: environment, safety, people, community and governance. CN trains are four times more fuel efficient than trucks, reduce highway congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce air pollution.