Our Continued Commitment to Sustainability

It’s not easy being green, but at Amtrak, we are dedicated to sustainability on and off the rails for a better tomorrow. Did you know that according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, commuter rail can be more than 10 times more efficient than driving alone? That means that every time you ride Amtrak, you’re choosing the greener way to travel.

Below are three recent achievements that summarize just how critical sustainability is to America’s Railroad:

• 2014 Sustainability Report: Covering environmental, economic, and social sustainability performance for 2014, this report focuses on progress and challenges in fleet management; energy conservation; safety performance; operational efficiency; emissions reduction; and employee health and wellness. This report is one of the many ways in which Amtrak is fulfilling the objectives of its Sustainability Policy and corporate-wide Sustainability Program.  The 2014 Sustainability Report marks our first comprehensive, cross-company sustainability report and was developed in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines. GRI is the industry standard sustainability reporting framework used by companies around the world, including other transportation and rail entities.

• Carbon Disclosure Project Score: Amtrak received a score of 99B on its most recent submission to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) covering 2014 climate change information. The 99 out of 100 reflects our commitment to comprehensive and transparent reporting of greenhouse gas data and climate-related risks and opportunities. The B represents the performance band and measures the company’s positive actions to promote climate change mitigation, adaptation and transparency. Amtrak has been reporting to CDP for three years.  For its first submission to CDP, Amtrak received a score of 85B.  That score improved to 96B last year and again to 99B this year.

• International Union of Railways Climate Responsibility Pledge: In November 2015, Amtrak signed onto the International Union of Railways (UIC) Railway Climate Responsibility Pledge. This international partnership exemplifies our commitment to a global effort towards a cleaner transportation future within and beyond our borders.By signing the pledge, Amtrak has committed to do the following:

• Reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions
• Stimulate modal shift to rail in national and international markets
• Actively communicate climate friendly initiatives undertaken by the company
• Report data on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions to UIC.

“At Amtrak, our mission is inherently focused on sustainability.  We’re proud of our work to provide reliable, energy-efficient transportation, draw more customers to rail, and ultimately reduce the carbon footprint of the traveling public,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman. “We are continually improving the sustainability of our business and operations.  We are committed to being a good steward of our resources and having a positive impact in the communities we serve.”