CNR Canadian National Railway Company

CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) is pleased to announce that it has, for the 10th year in a row, earned a place on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. This also marks the 13th consecutive year that CN has been listed on the DJSI North America Index.

“Our inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for both North America and the World validates our ongoing commitment to be a sustainability leader and is the result of the hard work and dedication of our railroaders. Over the last weeks, we have announced important partnerships regarding renewable fuels testing and the purchase of a battery-electric locomotive for a joint pilot. We will continue to take meaningful steps towards our goal to be the safest and most carbon‑efficient, operationally effective, and customer‑centric railroad in North America.”

• JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer of CN.  

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 management, stakeholder engagement and labour practices.

CN’s ESG targets and goals include:

• Reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 43% per million gross ton miles by 2030 from a 2019 base year and reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel and energy related activities 40% per million gross ton miles by 2030 from a 2019 base year
• Interim 6% intensity-based reduction in locomotive GHG emissions by 2022, from a 2017 base year
• Reduce Criteria Air Contaminants intensity by 6% by 2022, from a 2017 base year
• Eliminate serious injuries and fatalities from our workplace and reduce train accidents as we progressively move towards a zero‑injury work environment
• Attain by 2022 and thereafter, maintain an executive management team in which at least thirty percent are women
• Attain by 2022 and thereafter, maintain, a Board composition in which at least fifty percent (50%) of the non-management Board members come from diverse groups, including gender parity
• In addition, CN will benefit from its new Indigenous Advisory Council, which will reinforce diversity and inclusion values, and help the Company to foster meaningful and long-lasting relationships with Indigenous peoples
• CN’s Executive compensation is tied to ESG factors, specifically through our safety, employee engagement, customer centricity and fuel efficiency performance expectations

To learn more about how CN is working towards a more sustainable future, please visit https://www.cn.ca/en/delivering-responsibly/.

The full results and list of DJSI constituents are available at https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/.

The Dow Jones Sustainability™ North America Index comprises North American sustainability leaders that represent the top 20% of the largest 600 North American companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index (BMI).

The Dow Jones Sustainability™ World Index comprises global sustainability leaders that represent the top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global BMI based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria.

About CNCN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. CN cautions that its assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “outlook,” “plans,” “targets,” or other similar words.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of CN, to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions relating to: CN’s fuel efficiency ; the Company’s ability to implement certain initiatives, including emissions targets, scenario analyses, risk mitigation strategies, changes to enterprise risk management, future investments in and the availability of carbon emissions-reduction tools and technologies including through CN’s fleet upgrades; the impacts of existing and planned capital investments; North American and global economic growth; applicable laws, rules, regulations and government policies; the availability and cost of labour on the timelines anticipated and with the capabilities required, as well as the availability and cost of services and infrastructure; and capital investments and technology developments by third parties. Reference should also be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors relating to CN.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward- looking statement.

   Contacts:

Media	Investment Community
Mathieu Gaudreault	Paul Butcher
Senior Advisor	Vice-President
Media Relations	Investor Relations
(514) 249-4735media@cn.ca	(514) 399-0052investor.relations@cn.ca