Norfolk Southern Corporation, the Atlanta-based railway freight operator serving the eastern United States and part of Canada, doubled its corporate giving in 2023, underlining its commitment to community engagement and support.

In all, $18.2m (£14.3m) was donated to organisations across the 22 states in which the company operates through Norfolk Southern’s Corporate Giving initiative.

The company’s overall programme aims to foster safe and sustainable operations, develop local workforces and build thriving communities.

New grant programmes were launched and communities, first responders and initiatives around safety issues all benefitted.

The new programmes, which are focussed on communities and safety, awarded nearly $5m (£3.9m) in their first year of operation.

The Thriving Communities Grant Programme contributed around $2.5m (£1.95m) to build up thriving and resilient communities while the Safety First Grant Programme gave a similar sum to support organisations and initiatives involving safety issues and first responders.

Homeless people benefitted from $600,000 (£473,000) worth of grants while $500,000 (£394,000) was donated to the Thoroughbred Scholars Programme to promote educational opportunities.

The Hampton Roads area in Virginia received £1m (£790,000) to build up non-profit organisations. In all, 74 organisations benefitted. Norfolk Southern made a commitment in 2021 to provide $1m each year, until it reaches a total of $5m (£3.9m).

A new internal giving scheme was also launched and employees logged nearly 6,800 hours of community service through the Thoroughbred Giving Portal.

Nabanita Nag, Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer for Norfolk Southern, said: “Our Corporate Giving programme reflects our enduring commitment to building stronger, safer, and more vibrant communities across our network. The increased contributions in 2023 underscore our focus on making a positive and lasting impact where it matters most, affirming our dedication as a catalyst for meaningful change in our communities.”