Friday, July 12, 2024 Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has recently achieved a significant milestone by securing its first-ever validation under Europe’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) for its environmental management system for the 2023 reporting year. Alongside this accomplishment, SWISS, including its airfreight division, Swiss WorldCargo, has also earned the ISO 14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management systems. These achievements underscore SWISS’s dedication to sustainable and responsible business practices, which will be further highlighted through the publication of an annual environmental report.
For the first time, the environmental management system of SWISS has been validated under the stringent criteria of EMAS and certified under the ISO 14001 international standard. This system operates on the principle of continuous improvement, emphasizing the primary environmental impacts of the company’s business and operations. EMAS is a voluntary framework established by the European Union, designed to help organizations continuously enhance their environmental performance.
Achieving EMAS validation requires adherence to the ISO 14001 standards, along with additional requirements for transparency and continuous improvement, making it the most rigorous environmental management system worldwide. During the EMAS audit, external environmental verifiers thoroughly evaluated the entire SWISS organization. They assessed how well sustainability is integrated within the company’s structure and management, as well as the collaboration across all staff levels, both on the ground and in the air.
The audit confirmed the systematic collection of environmental data and the management of environmental objectives at SWISS’s Zurich and Geneva operating sites for the 2023 reporting year, including Swiss WorldCargo. This comprehensive audit was conducted by state-accredited environmental verifiers in the second quarter of 2024. “I’m very glad that our consistent sustainability efforts at SWISS and Swiss WorldCargo are being validated with the EMAS quality seal.
One of our key responsibilities remains to always operate to the highest standards and this applies to the sustainability field as well, where we constantly strive to progress and act for a more sustainable air cargo industry” says Lorenzo Stoll , Head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines. As part of its broader commitment on the sustainability front and in the context of its EMAS validation, SWISS will now be publishing an annual report on its environmental performance. In taking this step, SWISS is further underlining its commitment to sustainable and responsible business management.
In addition to detailed information on the company’s environmental management system, the SWISS 2023 Environmental Report presents key corporate, transport and environmental facts and figures. The report is available for study or download at swiss.com.
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