NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- During 2022, Avianca reported its climate change impacts to the Carbon Disclosure Project, a not-for- profit organization that helps companies and cities with climate change management, achieving a ranking as one of the best airlines in Latin America, and obtaining a “B” rating, one of the highest scores.
- In addition, through its alliance with the CHOOOSE platform, Avianca’s customers and employees now have a tool that allows them to directly compensate for the carbon footprint of their flights. The company offset 735,000 tons of CO2 corresponding to 90% of the emissions generated by its domestic operations in Colombia during 2022.
- Additionally, the airline announced today that it received its ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System recertification for its administrative buildings in Bogotá and aircraft maintenance and ground support equipment in Medellin, Ecuador and El Salvador.
BOGOTA, Colombia, June 6, 2023 – On World Environment Day, Avianca Airlines announced that it was recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project as one of the best airlines in Latin America for its climate change management. On this occasion, the airline obtained a “B” rating, one of the highest scores awarded by the international organization. This result follows a rigorous evaluation of the airline’s actions concerning climate change, including governance, risk and opportunities, business strategy, objectives and behavior, methodology and emissions data, energy, biodiversity and carbon pricing, among other items.
In addition, Avianca announced today that it received ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System certification for its administrative buildings in Bogota and aircraft maintenance and ground support equipment in Medellin, Ecuador and El Salvador.
Although the airline industry represents an impact of only 3% of global emissions, Avianca, as well as the airline industry as a whole, takes action for the environment and seeks to improve the results of its operations. Among the company’s initiatives are its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint through investment in new technologies, infrastructure and efficient operations, as well as the implementation of strategies to offset emissions. In 2022 alone, the offset was735,000 tons of CO2, corresponding to 90% of the emissions generated by its domestic operations in Colombia. Avianca has also partnered with CHOOOSE, a platform that has allowed both customers and Avianca employees to directly offset the footprint of their flights.
Thanks to the implementation of software equipped with fuel efficiency technology, the airline prevented the emission of 59,549 tons of CO2, in addition to increasing the capacity of more than 90 of the A320 fleet aircraft with the reconfiguration project, resulting in a 15.35% reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger transported.
Meanwhile, in 2022, 29% of the total energy was supplied through the use of solar energy in the maintenance hangars. And this year, the company recycled 465 tons of non-hazardous operational waste, which was used by professional recyclers, thereby maximizing the company’s efforts in waste management.
“At Avianca, we are aware that sustainability needs to happen today,” said Felipe Andrés Gómez, Avianca’s director of institutional relations and sustainability. “We have the challenge of reducing our environmental impact, without affecting operational costs and access to our services in a region where flying is not a luxury but a necessity. We have reduced emissions per passenger, implemented robust offsetting and fuel efficiency strategies, and added state-of-the-art technology, precisely to be recognized as one of the airlines in Latin America with the best Carbon Disclosure Project rating. All this while expanding access to our services for more and more travelers.”
With these actions focused on climate change mitigation, in addition to those related to the social development of the regions where it operates, Avianca looks to reaffirm its commitment to being a sustainable airline that, under its HOY (which translated to spanish means now) sustainability platform, has an efficient business model that responds to the challenges of the market, and at the same time contributes to the well-being of ecosystems and communities through the implementation of good and best practices in its daily operations.
Source: Avianca.
