SWISS & Swiss WorldCargo obtain first-ever recognition for the company’s environmental management system

SWISS has recently secured its first-ever validation under Europe’s EMAS provisions for its environmental management system for the 2023 reporting year. SWISS, including Swiss WorldCargo, has also earned the international ISO 14001 certification for environmental management systems. As a result, SWISS will now be publishing an annual environmental report to further underline its commitment to sustainable and responsible business management.

For the first time, the environmental management system of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), including Swiss WorldCargo, has been validated under the strict criteria of Europe’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and has also been certified under the ISO 14001 international norm. The system is based on the continuous improvement principle and puts a particular focus on the main environmental impacts of the company, and of its business and operations.

EMAS is a voluntary-membership framework, established by the European Union to help companies continuously improve their environmental performance. EMAS validation requires the company to meet all the standards of the ISO 14001 international environmental management norm and satisfy further demands regarding transparency and continuous improvement. EMAS is regarded as the world’s most demanding environmental management system.

In the corresponding EMAS audit, the entire SWISS organization was evaluated by the external environmental verifiers on the extent to which sustainability is anchored within the company’s organization and management, as well as on the overarching collaborations across all staff levels on the ground and in the air. The successful audit of SWISS’ systematic environmental data collection activities and of the management of its environmental objectives applies to the company’s Zurich and Geneva operating sites for the 2023 reporting year and extends to its airfreight division Swiss WorldCargo. The 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.