Core Principles

Promise Statement

OnTrackNorthAmerica promises to co-lead society to redesign its industrial systems in support of a sustainable quality of life for all communities.

Code of Ethics

Objectivity
OnTrackNorthAmerica does not accept financial sponsorships that require prioritization of individual business agendas over common interests.

Inclusivity
OnTrackNorthAmerica will invite representation from all involved stakeholder groups and facilitate “level playing field” dialogues wherein all participants’ perspectives are appreciated. Inclusivity is also a core to our approach to planning — to include all regions and all-sized projects.

Nonpartisanship
OnTrackNorthAmerica maintains the autonomy of a politically non-partisan entity.

Coordination and Collaboration
OnTrackNorthAmerica will advance the thoughtful integration of collaboration with useful competition.

Whole System Attention
OnTrackNorthAmerica embraces programs, policies and planning that advance system-wide benefit.

Multimodalism
OnTrackNorthAmerica supports the utilization of all transport modes within a sound multimodal system.

Sustainability Commitment

1. We hold ourselves accountable to current and future generations by working only on projects that align with a sustainable environment and a healthy quality of community life.
2. We believe that return on investment analysis of economic development should account for the environmental and community impacts of freight transportation and site selection.
3. We fully acknowledge that some projects generate a degree of negative impact as an unavoidable element in realizing a net positive contribution.
4. We support investments in projects that enable the transition from fossil fuels and petrochemicals, while acknowledging their legacy and transitional use as pragmatic on the journey to a cleaner economy. We guide our clients to align their investment horizons with the evolution of these markets.
5. We advise clients to relate proactively with community stewards whose influence to advance or block projects can make them valuable partners.
6. We collaborate with stakeholders who are investing in, benefiting from, or impacted by a project. Developing relationships within this ecosystem of community stewards, government agencies, private corporations, shippers, developers, transportation providers, and labor, is a critical factor in the design and implementation of successful projects.
7. We do not hesitate to advise clients that a project may not be economically viable, or not in the best interests of the community or the environment.
8. We embrace innovative, sustainable solutions that benefit the economy, community, and the environment.
9. Our team evaluates the alignment of projects and companies and our participation by applying this decision making process:
   1. Each project’s commodities and activities are clarified and catalogued for team review.
   2. Decisions are rendered on the projects with commodities and activities we clearly understand.
   3. When commodities and activities are involved that we do not understand, we research the activity for its overall environmental and community impacts.
   4. We share the information with the team and invite all perspectives.
   5. Together we decide which projects to take on, and how to proceed to have the right influence on the project’s sustainability, or identify further research needed.
   6. We endeavor to make wise decisions and we recognize the complexity and that we won’t always get it right.