‘Even in economically demanding times, we have never lost sight of how important sustaina-ble management of our company is for our long-term success’, said Carsten Spohr, Chair-man of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, upon publication of the 20th issue of the Balance sustainability report. Over 126 pages, the report once again makes clear the extensive commitment of the aviation group in all aspects of corporate responsibil-ity. Kay Kratky, member of the Executive Board at Lufthansa German Airlines, who presen-ted the report at a joint press conference with system partner Fraport, said: ‘With their highly modern, new aircraft and their engagement in the field of noise research, our airlines are making an important contribution to reducing the effects on those living in the vicinity of air-ports.’
An essential part of reducing noise is the investment in quieter and more efficient aircraft. The largest fleet renewal programme in the history of the Lufthansa Group is currently under way. With the order of 59 state-of-the-art Boeing 777-9X and Airbus A350-900 aircraft in September 2013, the Group is investing in both the interests of residents living near airports and in the interests of the environment, as well as in the latest technology. The new aircraft will be fitted with especially noise-reducing engines, whose noise footprint will be at least 30 per cent lower than that of today’s aircraft. The 100 aircraft in the A320neo family, which the Group ordered in March 2011 and in March 2013, will cut the usual noise footprint in half during take-off and landing.
Lufthansa is also investing in noise-reducing technology on its older aircraft, however. In February 2014, Lufthansa became the first airline in the world to receive an Airbus A320 fit-ted with the aforementioned vortex generators. This will make 157 aircraft in the existing fleet and the more than 40 new deliveries to the A320 fleet noticeably quieter. Flyover measurements showed that the vortex generators eliminate two unpleasant tones and there-fore reduce the total noise generated by the approaching plane by up to four decibels.
The Lufthansa Group is not just quieter, however, but is also consuming less kerosene. The Group airlines have also further improved their fuel efficiency over the past year. In 2013, average consumption was 3.91 litres of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometres, 3.8 per cent lower than in the previous year. A new record was set by falling below the four-litre mark. For the second time in a row, absolute fuel consumption has also fallen. In 2013, the Group consumed 114,152 tonnes less fuel than in the previous year, preventing the emission of more than 350,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. This represents roughly the amount emitted every year by oil-fired heating systems in 50,000 family homes. The 59 Boe-ing 777-9X and Airbus A350-900 aircraft which were ordered will use an average of just 2.9 litres of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometres.
The Lufthansa Group is also an active partner in promoting academic research into environ-mental protection. For 20 years, the Group has supported various climate research projects and has, for example, completed more than 24,000 measurement flights on behalf of the MOZAIC project to improve climate and weather forecasting.
As a responsible employer and in times of organisational development, the Lufthansa Group is committed to programmes which promote career opportunities for women and which ena-ble both men and women to better manage work and family life. In 2013, the Group in-creased the proportion of women in managerial positions in Germany to 16.7 per cent, in comparison with 15.5 per cent in the previous year. The Group also plays a leading role as a training company. There are currently 380 apprenticeships across 20 career paths available for 2015, ranging from chef to aircraft mechanic.
In the reporting year, the Lufthansa Group once again received numerous awards and priz-es, including those awarded for sustainability.The E-PORT AN electro-mobility initiative, in which the Lufthansa Group is a participant and which is supported by the federal state of Hesse, won the renowned Green Tec Award in the aviation category in May 2014, for exam-ple. In connection with a study of consumers conducted by the German “Focus” magazine, Lufthansa was also recognised as being one of the two most sustainable airlines in the world. Once again in 2013, the Group was included in the renowned sustainability indices FTSE4Good and Ethibel Excellence Investment Register, as well as in two well-known and sustainability-focused indices compiled by the ratings agency ECPI.