Southwest Airlines Recognized by D CEO Magazine for Outstanding Sustainability Leadership

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has been honored with the prestigious D CEO Magazine 2023 Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Award in the Sustainability Leadership category.

Southwest Airlines Recognized by D CEO Magazine for Outstanding Sustainability Leadership
Photo by Owen Lystrup / Unsplash
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Southwest Airlines Recognized by D CEO Magazine for Outstanding Sustainability Leadership

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has been honored with the prestigious D CEO Magazine 2023 Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Award in the Sustainability Leadership category. This accolade acknowledges the airline’s remarkable strides in environmental sustainability and corporate citizenship initiatives.

A Commitment to a Greener Future

Southwest Airlines has been steadfast in its commitment to fostering a greener future, embarking on a refreshed climate strategy that aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The strategy also outlines significant milestones, including a 25% reduction in carbon emissions intensity by 2030 and a 50% reduction by 2035, compared to the 2019 baseline.

Four-Pillar Strategy for Environmental Sustainability

The award recognizes Southwest’s comprehensive four-pillar strategy, which encompasses Reduce, Replace, Offset, and Partner approaches to meet its overarching environmental sustainability goals. Reid Grandle, the Senior Vice President of Finance, Strategy, & Sustainability at Southwest Airlines, emphasized the airline's dedication to treating the planet with the same respect and care as it does its customers.

Repurpose with Purpose: A Global Sustainability Initiative

A notable initiative that played a pivotal role in securing the award is “Repurpose with Purpose,” which sees the airline upcycling aircraft seat leather into new products. Since its inception in 2014, the initiative has partnered with various organizations to repurpose thousands of pounds of leather, providing employment, skills training, and other social benefits. Laurie Barnett, Vice President of Corporate Reputation at Southwest Airlines, highlighted the initiative's success, which has donated over $1.3 million in grants and more than 1.4 million pounds of leather to date.

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About Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, a Dallas-based company, operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, serving 121 airports across 11 countries. The airline is renowned for its employee-first corporate culture, having never involuntarily furloughed or laid off any employee in its history. Southwest carries more nonstop air travelers within the United States than any other airline, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent report.

Sustainability Goals

Southwest Airlines is steering towards a sustainable future with a goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The airline has outlined near-term targets and a four-pillar strategy to reach its environmental sustainability goals. To learn more about Southwest's holistic corporate citizenship initiatives, visit southwestonereport.com.