2015
Manufacturing & Transportation
Chantale Despres headshot
Clean16 Award Logo

Chantale Despres

Director - Sustainability, Canadian National Railway

Chantale has pioneered CN’s EcoConnexions program, which has found innovative ways to embed sustainability into CN’s corporate culture, starting day 1: Personal water bottles for new employees with an environmental message!   Some of the savings have been big enough to fill a box car: An alliance with B.C. Hydro and led by CN’s Rick McFadyen resulted in a 20% reduction in energy use in CN’s largest yard in B.C. with $182,000 annual energy savings.  A similar partnership with Manitoba Hydro reduced GhG by 3,000 tonnes.   With great executive support, CN and Chantale have built an “EcoFund”, reinvesting savings into capital projects to increase energy efficiencies.