Environment

Union Pacific Achieves Best-Ever Climate Change Performance

Sep 27, 2013 3:15 PM ET

Union Pacific Railroad achieved its best-ever performance in CDP’s Global 500 and Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) climate change 2013 reports. The railroad’s carbon disclosure score is 98, out of a possible 100, and in the top 10 percent of all companies in the Global 500 and S&P 500 samples, securing Union Pacific a leadership position on the Global 500 and S&P 500 Climate Disclosure Leadership indexes.

Union Pacific is the only North American railroad to achieve a place on both indexes. Its carbon disclosure score is an 11-point improvement over last year. The company also attained a B rating in CDP’s performance band.

“Union Pacific’s annually improving CDP performance indicates our solid understanding of climate change-related issues affecting the company and our continued dedication to taking data-driven actions that reduce our environmental impact,” said Bob Grimaila, Union Pacific vice president-Safety, Security and Environment. “Environmentally sustainable business practices are an essential component of Union Pacific’s ongoing commitment to safely deliver the goods American families and businesses use every day.”  

Just last month, Union Pacific unveiled its Arrowedge® production version, a new employee-designed aerodynamic technology for fuel and locomotive emissions reductions on double-stack intermodal freight trains. The Arrowedge® is the latest innovation in Union Pacific’s continual efforts to design, build and implement fuel- and emissions-reducing technologies.

Key 2012 environmental achievements include:

  • Eliminating an estimated 33.5 million tons of greenhouse gases from shipments by customers who move their products by rail instead of trucks.
  • Purchasing 200 new fuel-efficient locomotives, replacing older, less fuel-efficient units.
  • Diverting from landfills an estimated 75 percent of the company’s waste.

Additional information about Union Pacific’s environmental efforts can be found in the company’s Sustainability and Citizenship Report.