Amtrak releases FY2018 Sustainability Report

Amtrak’s Empire Builder derailed on Saturday, Sept. 25. (Westbound Amtrak Crescent pictured)

David C. Lester

Amtrak has just released its FY2018 Sustainability Report, in a newly designed and interactive online experience, highlighting company performance against year-over-year sustainability goals. In FY18 year, the company achieved all energy, fuel, recycling and emissions targets with the support of more than 20,000 employees.

“Sustainability is becoming a consistent component in Amtrak’s projects, operations, and strategic plans, which is quickly positioning the company toward being an industry leader,” said Richard Anderson, Amtrak President & CEO. “This report reflects how we incorporate environmental, financial and social sustainability considerations into our decision-making processes.”

This year’s report includes profiles of two unique collaborations with Amtrak –  People for Urban Progress (PUP) and No Kings Collective (NKC). The PUP partnership was a significant shift for rethinking how Amtrak diverts waste at the end of its useful life, furthering the goal of a 20% recycling rate by 2020. They launched the most recent batch on June 25; to date, the PUP team has processed over one-ton of Acela leather.

Amtrak’s work with NKC produced a large-scale customized mural, featuring a bold interpretation of the landscapes found throughout the system’s national network.   Amtrak worked with NKC to provide creative direction throughout the report, and across social media channels, to emphasize the importance of sustainability at Amtrak. The collaboration with NKC was particularly meaningful because it helped emphasize one of Amtrak’s social sustainability goals: contract up to 10% of Amtrak’s total annual spend with diverse suppliers.

Highlights from the report include:

• Successful recycling and waste diversion efforts, which resulted in 194 tons of material diverted from landfills
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 17% over Amtrak’s 2010 baseline
• $52 million investment in stations upgrades for greater accessibility and mobility
• $2 million in energy savings through smart resource management
• A special Q & A with Stephen Gardner, Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) and Chief Operating and Commercial Officer, discussing Amtrak’s operations and planning as they pertain to sustainability

The report features a new look with interactive functionality, and it’s part of a larger communication strategy designed to deliver salient sustainability content across Amtrak’s various platforms throughout the year in addition to this year-end review.