LATAM Airlines Group today was named in the ‘World’ category of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for a fifth consecutive year.
The DJSI World comprises the leading 10% of companies in the ‘S&P Global Broad Market Index’ in terms of sustainability, based on an annual independent assessment of economic, social and environmental criteria. LATAM is the only airline group in the Americas listed in this category.
“Businesses have to think and act sustainably to deliver value both today and in the long-term for customers, shareholders, partners and the communities in which they operate. For LATAM for example, this means advocating sustainable tourism and supporting relief efforts in the event of natural disasters in the region,” said Enrique Cueto, CEO, LATAM Airlines Group. “To be recognized as one of the world’s leading airline groups in this field for a fifth year running is the culmination of a company-wide commitment to incorporating sustainable practices into every aspect of how we operate.”
Some of LATAM’s recent sustainability initiatives and milestones include:
- In 2017, LATAM transported 438 tons of humanitarian aid (equivalent to nine cargo aircraft) and more than 2,000 people to support the disaster relief of forest fires in the south of Chile, floods in Brazil and Peru, the earthquake in Mexico as well as hurricane-hit Puerto Rico.
- In total, over 1.1 million people in Latin America benefited from LATAM’s social actions in 2017 including the Cuido mi Destino sustainable tourism program, in which volunteers help to repair or reconstruct tourist sites, restore green areas and promote local culture and traditions.
- In 2017, LATAM reduced its overall carbon footprint by 2.46% – marking a 13% reduction since 2012 – and LATAM Airlines Colombia achieved carbon neutral operations for its domestic flights.
- LATAM has also reduced the emissions of its ground operations by 36% since 2012, achieving carbon neutral ground operations in Colombia and Peru. As part of its commitment to achieve this at a group level by 2020, LATAM Airlines Chile recently has signed a contract with Acciona to use 100% renewable energy in its Santiago operations from November 2018.
Criteria measured by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index evaluates companies based on economic, environmental and social criteria including corporate governance and compliance, social reporting, development of human capital, efficiency, customer relations management as well as environmental reporting.
The evaluation system adopts a ‘best in class’ logic which selects the companies with the leading performance in their respective industries each year.
As part of the corporate sustainability assessment, LATAM achieved a 100% score for ‘efficiency’ as well as the highest scores in the aviation industry for ‘brand management’, ‘codes of business conduct’ and ‘environmental policy and management systems’.
Manjit Jus, Head of ESG Ratings, RobecoSAM, said: “I congratulate LATAM for being included in the DJSI World. Companies that compete for a coveted place in the DJSI challenge themselves to continuously improve their sustainability practices and we are pleased to see that the number of companies that commit to achieving measurable positive impacts continues to rise.”
This year, DJSI invited 3,504 companies – covering 60 industries in 47 countries – with the best financial performance measured by market capitalization in the S&P Global Broad Market Index to participate in its annual corporate sustainability assessment. Out of the companies invited, 317 (including LATAM) qualified for the DJSI World Index.