Norfolk Southern’s latest report highlights climate and safety progress

Credit: Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern Corporation’s latest “Forging a Better Tomorrow” report outlines the company’s advancements in its Climate Transition Plan (CTP), safety improvements and community investments from 2023 through early 2024. The report highlights efforts to promote a sustainable economic ecosystem, benefiting communities across its 22-state network and providing growth opportunities for customers, including the elimination of 27 million highway miles daily. 

“At Norfolk Southern, we are dedicated to leaving the planet better than we found it, each customer and community well-served, and each employee experience enriched,” said CEO Alan H. Shaw. “Our investments in safety, our people and sustainability align with our strategy of driving innovation, operational excellence and sustainable growth, ensuring long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Norfolk Southern’s first-ever CTP aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 42% by 2034. Key goals include:

• Improving locomotive fuel efficiency by 13% by 2027
• Increasing renewable energy usage to 30% by 2030
• Consuming 20% low-carbon fuels by 2034.

Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin said: “We’ve made tremendous achievements towards sustainability in the past year as we’ve worked further towards our goal of not only forging a better tomorrow but building a better planet for future generations as well.”

Safety enhancements across Norfolk Southern’s network include:

• A 38% reduction in mainline accident rate year-over-year in 2023
• Installation of 187 hot bearing detector systems out of a planned 259 as part of a Six-Point Safety Plan
• Deployment of 17 new acoustic bearing detectors, expanding the safety technology network
• Reduction in the FRA Personal Injury Index from 1.51 in 2020 to 1.09 in 2023, almost 14% lower than the 10-year average
• Introduction of a commitment-driven safety culture
• Participation in the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS).

Community investments within its 22-state network include:

• $3.1 billion in customer investments
• Creation of 4,156 jobs
• $1 billion in infrastructure investments
• Serving 60% of the U.S. population with 19,300 route miles of rail lines.

Norfolk Southern launched several initiatives to ensure safe, sustainable operations and support community development:

• Doubled network-wide corporate giving from 2022
• Created an industry-first Director of Community Engagement position
• Formed a Public Private Partnerships team
• Launched Safety First and Thriving Communities grant programme.

Investments in its workforce included:

• Enhanced conductor training through the Ballast Line Leadership Program
• Establishment of a formal council with labour leaders
• Operationalisation of an Inclusion Leadership Council
• Provision of predictable, scheduled time off for every conductor and engineer, a first for a Class I railroad.

The full report and highlights document can be accessed on the Norfolk Southern website.