CN recognized as a transportation industry sustainability leader: named to Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI) for third year in a row

MONTREAL, Sept. 11, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) said today its sustainability practices have earned it a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI). This marks the third consecutive year that CN has been listed on the DJSI World Index and the sixth consecutive year that CN has been listed on the DJSI North America Index.

The DJSI follows a best-in-class approach, surveying sustainability leaders from each industry on a global and regional level. The annual review of the DJSI family is based on a thorough analysis of economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards, corporate citizenship, stakeholder engagement and labour practices.

Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of CN, said: "Delivering Responsibly is a core pillar of our sustainability strategy and What CN Stands For.  We are committed to building on what we have achieved to minimize our impact on the environment, while providing cleaner, more sustainable transportation modes to our customers. So, it is an honour for CN again this year that DJSI has recognized us as a leader in the area."

The DJSI World Index selects for inclusion the top 10 per cent of the 2,500 largest companies in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index from each sector based on their sustainability score.

CN said it has also earned a spot on the DJSI Index North America for the sixth year in a row.

CN's sustainability achievements are marked by its continuing leadership in fuel efficiency within the North American rail industry, consuming, overall, approximately 15 per cent less fuel per gross-ton-mile than the rail industry average. In addition to improving fuel efficiency, CN is committed to engaging communities across its network through the EcoConnexions From the Ground Up program, which, in 2014, sponsored tree-planting projects in 35 locations across the country, as well as the planting of 400,000 tress as part of a mass reforestation program.  The company also expects to make $2.25 billion in capital expenditures this year to improve service and grow the business.

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading, sustainability-driven companies. The indices serve as benchmarks for investors who integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios, and provide an effective engagement platform for companies who want to adopt sustainable best practices.

CN is a true backbone of the economy, transporting approximately 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 spanning Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries -- serves the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information on CN, visit the company's website at www.cn.ca. 

SOURCE: CN

Media: Mark Hallman, Director, Communications & Public Affairs, [phone]; Investment Community: Janet Drysdale, Vice-President, Investor Relations, [phone]