July 31, 2014
Norfolk Southern
named to 'green' supply chain list
NORFOLK,
VA. - Norfolk Southern Corporation has earned a place on Inbound Logistics' 2014
75 Green Supply Chain Partners list in recognition of sustainable supply chain,
logistics, and transportation practices.
The
transportation industry magazine cited Norfolk Southern's Trees and Trains
tree-planting initiative and its investments in track and rail facilities to
increase freight rail capacity across the company's eastern U.S.
network.
"Norfolk
Southern strives to provide customers with unrivalled service while mitigating
business impacts on the environment," said Blair Wimbush, vice president real
estate and corporate sustainability officer. "We are proud and gratified to be
recognized by Inbound Logistics for these efforts. Employees at all levels of
the railroad are working hard to be more efficient, less resource-intensive, and
innovative in the way we do business."
In
announcing its "G75" list, Inbound Logistics said a company's
corporate sustainability initiatives, collaborative customer-driven projects,
and participation in public-private partnerships were considered. Four
benchmarks carried weight: measurable green results, sustainability innovation,
continuous improvement, and industry recognition.
"We
found Norfolk Southern to be one of those companies that is truly 'walking the
walk' when it comes to supply chain sustainability," said Felecia Stratton,
editor of Inbound Logistics.
Norfolk
Southern launched Trees and Trains in 2011 with a five-year, $5.6 million
commitment to reforest 10,000 acres in the Mississippi Delta with more than 6
million native hardwoods and cottonwoods. The railroad also is working with
conservation partners to restore longleaf pines and American chestnut trees.
These forest habitats offer carbon sequestration and watershed protection, with
the Mississippi Delta initiative projected to generate 1.12 million tons of
carbon-offset credits. That is equal to nearly one-fifth of Norfolk Southern's
2013 carbon emissions, primarily from its diesel-powered locomotive
fleet.
In
the current year, NS expects to spend $2.2 billion on strategic investments in
its rail franchise, including projects to improve capacity and network flow.
Inbound Logistics singled out NS' ongoing investments in its Crescent Corridor
public-private improvement project, which spans 11 states and has the potential
to ease highway congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting
long-haul freight from trucks to trains. More companies are shifting transport
of their products from highway to rail to reduce their supply-chain carbon
footprint and achieve business sustainability goals.
Norfolk
Southern in July released its seventh
annual sustainability report,
which details the company's Trees and Trains carbon mitigation strategy and the
economic and environmental efficiencies of the railroad's network.
Norfolk
Southern Corporation
(NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk
Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route
miles
in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in
the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail
carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial
products.
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Norfolk Southern
contacts: