Customers at the center of Norfolk Southern sustainability program

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Aug 10, 2022, 10:00 ET

2022 ESG report highlights progress delivering low-carbon economy

ATLANTA, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today released its 15^th annual Environmental, Social, and Governance report. The 2022 report highlights the company's progress reducing its environmental impact, creating a culture of inclusion, investing in its people, strengthening governance practices, and helping customers achieve their sustainability goals.

"Norfolk Southern is a customer-centric, operations-driven company, which means helping our customers achieve their supply-chain emissions goals and reducing our own carbon footprint," said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw. "Our report highlights initiatives and technologies that are delivering the low-carbon economy, serving customers, and adding value for all our stakeholders."

In its 2022 report, Norfolk Southern highlights the importance of partnerships in its sustainability strategy – with customers, industry partners, and other stakeholders. Accomplishments this past year included:

Creating an industry-leading carbon calculator for shippers, empowering companies to make better transportation decisions and reduce carbon emissions from their own supply chains.
Hosting an inaugural Sustainability Summit in partnership with Sustain SC, welcoming state leaders and more than 30 companies to Brosnan Forest, Norfolk Southern's 14,400-acre ecological preserve in South Carolina.
Hosting a Chief Mechanical Officers meeting with leaders from every North American Class I railroad to share ideas, insights, and best practices to further improve rail industry efficiencies.

"Norfolk Southern is making strides to advance sustainability for both our customers and our planet, and we know it will take a collaborative effort to reach the environmental goals required to protect our planet for future generations," said Norfolk Southern Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin. "The more companies work together across their supply chain, the quicker we can achieve measurable progress."

Other milestones highlighted in the report include:

Delivering the low-carbon economy, making a 5% improvement toward its science-based target of 42% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2034 (since a 2019 base year).
Applying new technologies, improving locomotive fuel efficiency by 7% from 2019 and enabling Norfolk Southern to move one ton of freight over 460 miles on a single gallon of fuel.
Strengthening governance practices, appointing an independent Chair to its Board of Directors.
Investing in its people, creating a $1.2 million scholarship fund to support children of Norfolk Southern railroaders annually.
Cultivating biodiversity, permanently protecting 1,105 acres of ecologically significant land in South Carolina – adding to nearly 14,000 acres already under protection – while restoring over six miles of streams and 500 acres of wetlands.
Developing a corporate DEI strategic plan, establishing a team dedicated to operationalizing inclusion, and using nationwide benchmarking to further a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
Preserving its history, donating complete historical archives from its predecessor companies and $1.25 million to museums in Virginia and Georgia, while creating paid internship opportunities at both museums for underrepresented communities over the next five years.
Minimizing waste in its supply chain, reclaiming over 1.6 million gallons of used oil and recycling 100% of both used crossties and rail.
Advancing energy efficiency, increasing its total renewable energy usage in deregulated markets to approximately 26%, or 12% across its entire network.

To access the full 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance report, visit norfolksouthern.com.

About Norfolk Southern

Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.

SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation