The freight rail industry has proved pivotal in effectively driving economic growth with its efficient yet cost-effective nature—connecting businesses aiming to utilize bulk transport to their target markets. However, industry leaders today are witnessing disruptive infrastructural challenges—highlighting the need for infrastructural upgrades and investments in better technologies.
In such a situation, a leadership approach that prioritizes innovation and collaboration is the need of the hour. One such leader we want to celebrate today is Diana Sorfleet, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of CSX—a front-running transportation supplier from Jacksonville.
Passion Driven Leadership
Diana’s extensive background in human resources led her to pursue a career in executive management. With a belief that cultural diversity leads to a more engaging workforce, Diana is passionate about transforming organizations to drive enhancing business outcomes. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to creating inclusive environments and improving service delivery.
“Working in executive management allows me to have a broader impact on the company, and on the lives of the people who work there.”
At its core, Diana’s leadership is about valuing every employee’s role and respecting individual differences. She believes in leading by example, showing respect and empathy, and being transparent. To foster a supportive and inclusive work environment, she actively listens to employees and takes necessary action based on their feedback.
A Balanced Approach
CSX maintains profits through innovation and leveraging advanced technologies to enhance services, streamline operations, and simplify customer interactions. Whether it’s an employee or a customer, the organization conducts regular surveys and organizes face-to-face sessions to better understand their needs and identify areas for improvement— meeting their needs by going directly to the source.
By efficiently meeting these needs, CSX prevents waste and enhances overall satisfaction. This proactive engagement helps the company innovate responsibly while maintaining stable profits and allowing it to stay aligned with the real-world requirements of its stakeholders.
Nurturing the Talent
Under Diana’s leadership, CSX is investing in employee development initiatives and diversity and inclusion programs to cultivate a robust talent pipeline and a dynamic corporate culture. Diana is a strong advocate for mentorship, an essential factor for creating an environment of continuous improvement where employees feel valued and included.
Diana has championed the development of the CSX OnTRACK 24: Here SHE Grows women’s leadership program, which aims to provide training and support to empower more women to take on leadership roles. This initiative not only enhances the company’s talent pool but also enriches the corporate landscape with diverse voices and perspectives.
However, CSX’s commitment to talent development extends beyond formal programs and includes a range of internships, multiple development initiatives, and active business resource groups. The company encourages informal mentoring, leveraging the extensive experience of its workforce, where the average tenure is 14 years, to guide and support newer employees. This wealth of wisdom is particularly valuable in maintaining rigorous safety protocols. Moreover, the performance management process at CSX is designed to align employees’ goals with the company’s objectives, offering regular feedback and growth opportunities. This holistic approach ensures that CSX is continually developing well-rounded leaders capable of sustaining the company’s success well into the future.
An Extensive Rail Network
CSX is one of the largest freight transportation providers in the U.S., operating a 20,000-mile rail network that connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern U.S., where nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population resides. CSX offers a diverse range of products and rail-related services, including intermodal terminal operations, bulk commodity transloading, automotive terminals, warehousing, and value-added services. The company differentiates itself from competitors like trucking companies through economic, environmental, and safety advantages, positioning itself as a leader in the transportation sector.
“CSX moves a broad portfolio of products across the country in a way that minimizes the effect on the environment, takes traffic off an already congested highway system, and minimizes fuel consumption and transportation costs.”
Ensuring Safe and Reliable Operations
CSX utilizes technology to cultivate a higher level of safety and reliability in its operations. This process includes leveraging tools such as inspection portals and drones to detect railcar defects from a distance of up to 150 yards, GPS to track locomotives and railcars, employing a chatbot to streamline answering customer queries about utility permits, and an enhanced carbon calculator that enables companies to calculate emissions savings by choosing rail over truck transportation.
At CSX, all the technology initiatives are led by a centralized Technology department and supported by its nearly 23,000 employees through the CSX InnovationX campaign. This structured program encourages employees to contribute ideas for innovation and growth. Through InnovationX, CSX evaluates and develops the most promising concepts to drive continuous improvement in customer service and operational efficiency.
Growth-Driven Vision
CSX is expanding its service offerings and adding more value for its customers. The company is actively rolling out new service products to drive its strategic vision forward.
“The goal is to grow the business by attracting new customers and shifting more freight to rail.”
Recently, CSX acquired Pan Am Railways, extending its service offerings into New England, and Quality Carriers, enhancing the chemical transloading business. The company is also continually introducing fresher value-added services and assisting customers with site-location services for rail-served properties.
CSX invests heavily in its people, focusing on development and investments in diversity and inclusion efforts. As EVP and Chief Administrative Officer, Diana plays a vital role in aligning business objectives across functions and connecting its workforce to the company’s strategic vision—delivering a better customer experience, leveraging technology for transformation, and fostering a workplace culture where every employee feels valued and respected.
Hungry for Improvement
One of the biggest challenges for CSX is to demonstrate to the customers its ability to consistently deliver the services that fulfill their demands. Over the years, the organization has progressed significantly and continues to provide the best service in the rail industry. Despite this, CSX remains hungry to demonstrate it can sustain its performance and improve the labor-management relationship—an essential element to delivering great service.
Three Pillars of CSX
To stay innovative and competitive, The company focuses on three pillars: relentless safety, industry-leading service performance and the people who deliver it. A few years ago, CSX transformed its operating model to achieve the exceptional service it provides today.
More recently, the company introduced ONE CSX, an initiative aimed at enhancing its workforce culture—reflecting the company’s commitment to overcoming historic tensions between labor and management. By working closely with its unions, CSX is establishing unprecedented trust, aligning employees toward common goals, and fostering an environment where innovation thrives and employees are empowered to contribute their best.
“Balancing these operational and cultural transformations keeps us competitive and ensures continued innovation, benefiting both our customers and workforce.”
Company Information:
| Website: http://www.csx.com |
| Industry: Rail Transportation |
| Company size: 10,001+ employees |
| Headquarters: Jacksonville, FL |
| Type: Public Company |
| Founded: 1827 |
| Specialties: Railroad, Transportation, and Intermodal Transportation |
