The results of the 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) have now been released. China Airlines placed first in the global aviation industry, breaking its own ranking and scoring record and making this the first time that a Taiwanese transportation operator has been crowned.
China Airlines was also the only airline to be chosen as a constituent stock for Emerging Markets for seven consecutive years, another milestone moment for the Taiwanese transportation industry. As part of its corporate anniversary celebrations, China Airlines will implement ” Net Zero Carbon Emission Flight” for all flights departing from Taiwan on December 16. Providing every passenger on the day with “Carbon Neutral” travel is China Airlines’ way of putting its love for Earth into action.

Annual Improvements in Sustainability Performance See China Airlines Top ESG Ratings

DJSI is the most trusted corporate sustainability performance index in the world and is an important reference for global institutional investors. S&P Global, the international sustainability assessment body, evaluates the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of 61 industries around the world and identifies the top 10% of businesses within each. A total of 33 Taiwanese companies were selected this year. China Airlines emerged from a field of 57 participating airlines from around the world and placed first in the global aviation industry for its strong overall performance.

The DJSI assessment awarded China Airlines top marks in the environmental and social aspects. These included full scores in categories such as environmental reporting, social reporting, human capital development, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, passenger safety, sustainable marketing and brand perception. China Airlines also topped the airline industry in ten categories including environmental policy and management system, operational eco-efficiency, climate strategy, food loss and waste. The demonstration of how corporate business strategy can be successfully combined with sustainability ideals showcased the sustainability prowess of Taiwan to the world.

Celebrating with Travelers through Carbon Neutrality with Taiwan’s First “Net Zero Carbon Emission Flight”
As the ESG leader in global aviation, China Airlines announced it will also implement “Net Zero Carbon Emission Flight” through the Eco Travel carbon offset platform it set up with a professional environmental protection organization. Carbon emissions will be offset for all flights departing from Taiwan on December 16. The internationally certified high-quality carbon offsets provided direct support to the development of renewable energy programs and contributed to global energy transformation. China Airlines hopes that this first-ever large-scale “carbon neutrality” initiative in the domestic transportation industry will not only serve to put ESG and sustainability into practice, but also encourage travelers to join in protecting the environment and reducing their carbon emissions by taking public transport to the airport, using online check-in, booking their meals in advance, and bringing their own duty-free eco shopping bags.

Climate change is an important issue for China Airlines. In addition to being the first airline in Taiwan to sign and implement the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) initiative, China Airlines also issued the first independent TCFD report in the global airline industry and signed the letter of commitment for Science-Based Reduction Targets (SBTi). In recent years, the airline also accelerated the introduction of more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient next-generation aircraft such as the 777-300ER, A350, A321neo, 777F and 787, optimized flight operations and ground facilities, adopted Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), installed renewable energy, improved aircraft repairs and performance maintenance, introduced weight-cutting measures on aircraft, and put electric vehicles into service. ESG sustainability management was expanded to the Group and supply chain to boost flying efficiency and reduce overall operational carbon emissions. As a result, China Airlines is now the benchmark on carbon emissions efficiency for the Asia Pacific aviation industry and is well on its way to realizing the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

China Airlines supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has incorporated them into the company’s core philosophy and sustainability strategy. ESG sustainability initiatives are now being actively implemented. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China Airlines conducted transportation missions for epidemic prevention materials, emergency medical supplies, and COVID-19 vaccines. These included the transportation of up to 120 million doses of vaccines across the world. The airline also recently demonstrated its capability for high-quality pharmaceutical transportation by obtaining CEIV Pharma certification for pharmaceutical cold chain logistics from the IATA.

Talent cultivation is another top priority at China Airlines. China Airlines announced that it has joined the “TALENT in Taiwan” alliance to support and promote the sustainability of talent. China Airlines has long paid attention to social issues and disadvantaged groups. Direct support included preparing boxed meals for medical workers, airport police, and epidemic prevention taxi drivers on the frontlines of COVID-19 prevention to thank them for their hard work. China Airlines also hosts charitable activities such as annual banquets, senior citizen support, tree-planting, coastal clean-up, and volunteer teaching to give back to society.

The long-running ESG sustainability initiatives of China Airlines have received widespread recognition both locally and overseas. This year, national awards won by China Airlines included the “National Sustainable Development Awards” by the National Council for Sustainable Development and the ” Giant Thumb Award of the National Enterprise Environmental Protection Awards” by the Environmental Protection Administration. The S&P Global 2022 sustainability evaluation also resulted in a “Silver Class” award in the airline industry. In addition, China Airlines is also a frequent constituent stock in the UK FTSE4Good Index Series and Taiwan Sustainability Index, as well as the winner of consecutive Global Corporate Sustainability Awards (GCSA) and Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA).