Norfolk Southern Corporation announced Wednesday that it received two Sustainable Company Awards from Environmental Finance, a news and analysis service reporting on sustainable investment. The Environmental Finance Sustainable Company Awards 2023 recognize leading corporations that are transforming their business practices to achieve a net-zero future.

"We are honored to be recognized by Environmental Finance, as part of their Sustainable Company Awards," said Josh Raglin, Chief Sustainability Officer at Norfolk Southern. "At Norfolk Southern, sustainability means not just forging a better tomorrow, but actively building a better planet for future generations."

Environmental Finance awarded Norfolk Southern the Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year, Americas for its sustainable and energy-efficient corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. This honor recognizes companies that have created or used groundbreaking energy-efficient technologies, strategies, or business models to reduce energy. The headquarters used innovative building design and technology to achieve its LEED Gold Certification and earned 100 percent of LEED credits within the water category for water efficiency and conservation efforts, including capturing at least 75 percent of stormwater and reclaiming it for site landscaping, wastewater conveyance, and cooling tower water.

Norfolk Southern was also awarded Nature-Based Initiative of the Year, Americas for its regenerative nature project Brosnan Forest, a 14,400-acre preserve located in South Carolina and the largest intact coastal ecosystem on the East Coast. This award recognizes businesses leading an initiative that conserves and restores the natural environment and improves biodiversity. Norfolk Southern donated a third land conservation easement to the Lowcountry Land Trust at Brosnan Forest, with a commitment to safeguarding the forest's diverse ecosystems. This includes initiatives such as repairing six miles of streams and 600 acres of wetlands, restoring 348 acres of longleaf pine, planting over 300,000 native plants representing 32 distinct species, and preserving habitats vital to sustaining the endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers.

"Our headquarters embodies innovation and our commitment to a greener future," Raglin said. "Our ongoing restoration efforts at Brosnan Forest underscores our long-term dedication to environmental stewardship. From enhancing energy efficiency to implementing nature-based solutions, we're focused on creating a positive impact for our customers, communities, and the planet."