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Focused on environmental stewardship
CN is committed to business practices that protect the natural environment and ensure employee and public safety and health.
The way we run our railroad – using Precision Railroading - is a key factor in enabling us to reduce our carbon footprint. With Precision Railroading, fewer railcars and locomotives are needed to ship the same amount of freight in a tight, effective and efficient operation. Precision Railroading means greater reliability for customers and less impact on the environment.
At CN facilities, environmental protection is an integral part of management activities. Our Environmental Policy (PDF 38KB), programs and processes aim to minimize the impact of our activities on the environment. We have made important progress on a number of fronts:
Highlights:
- Since the Company's privatization in 1995, we have acquired 631 new locomotives under our regular fleet renewal program. Specifically for the period 2009-2010, the Company purchased 135 additional electro-motive diesel (EMD) locomotives. These new locomotives produce 40 per cent less nitrogen oxides and are at least 15 to 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than the locomotives they replaced. More
- For the second consecutive year in 2010, CN was listed on the Canadian Climate Leadership Index of the Carbon Disclosure Project. Click here to read our Carbon Disclosure Project 2010 response
- In 2010, CN was again selected as a member on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index: North America. Our environmental score under the sustainability assessment was 82%.
- In 2009, we enhanced our Greenhouse Gas calculator to estimate the carbon emission for shipments using a combination of marine vessel, rail and truck, the first of its kind in the industry. Shippers can now get a full understanding of the carbon footprint of their shipments along the entire transportation supply chain. More
- CN won the 2009 Environmental Award in the freight category by the Railway Association of Canada for our development of the modal shift protocol that helps customers calculate carbon credits from shifting freight transportation from truck to rail.
- In 2010, CN obtained the prestigious innovator of the year award, which recognizes our efforts in delivering cutting edge supply chain solutions for Wal-Mart Canada's evolving logistics network. Click here for more information about this award. More
- To gain a better understanding of our employee knowledge and sensitivity to sustainability, CN engaged more than 2500 employees in 2010 through a survey and focus groups.
