Environment

Responsibility for our environment

We are aware of our responsibility towards the environment. Wherever possible, we use environmentally friendly technologies and strengthen the environmental awareness of our employees with appropriate information.

Objectives

Edelweiss supports the ambitious climate goals of the Lufthansa Group. We aim to halve CO₂ emissions from 2019 to 2030. In order to achieve this, we are focusing on a continuous renewal of our fleet, and aim to achieve a more efficient design of air traffic with our system partners, but above all with our sister SWISS. We are also committed to the market launch of new technologies and sustainable fuels and promote the implementation of climate protection and social projects at our holiday destinations. 

Fleet

Modern, fuel-efficient aircraft and operational improvements are a tried and tested means of reducing emissions. The consideration of the environmental impact is an indispensable component in our economic decision-making processes, . We systematically record our environmental footprint, assess it and use it to derive measures for improvement. We aim to introduce more modern aircraft in the fleet by 2030 and through this investment, we will make a major contribution to noticeably reduce our footprint. 

Sustainable aviation fuels

Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a real alternative to fossil fuels and are key to a more Co₂ neutral aviation. Sustainable fuels are still only available in small quantities and prices are significantly higher than for conventional kerosene. Together with SWISS, we are therefore using targeted measures and cooperation to promote the development and availability of Sustainable Aviation Fuel together with the Lufthansa Group, its partners and customers.

More information about our Sustainable Choices:

Operational and fuel efficiency

Our cockpit crews are made aware of ecological aspects of flight operations in training courses. We optimise ascent, descent and approach flight procedures and plan our flights in such a way that kerosene consumption can be reduced. We deliberately use the aircraft’s own auxiliary units for compressed air and power generation sparingly. New, ultra-lightweight materials in the cabin and the on-board kitchen also help us to use less kerosene on our flights. 

Waste management

Our basis for action for increasingly circular waste management is the EU waste hierarchy. This categorises waste management from prevention to disposal: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Replace.

When introducing new culinary concepts, the focus is also on the consistent selection of foods produced in a resource-conserving manner and environmentally friendly packaging. Single-use plastic items are to be gradually replaced by sustainable materials by 2025. We are in touch with the Lufthansa Group and various companies in this regard. 

Our office premises at Zurich Airport

The headquarters of Edelweiss have been located in the Circle at Zurich Airport since 2021. The new office building was built to the Minergie standard. This is a Swiss building standard for new and modernised buildings. The focus is on living and work comfort – made possible by a high-quality building envelope and systematic air renewal. The low energy demand and the high proportion of renewable energy via ground probes and photovoltaic systems also play a central role in this context. In our office, we benefit from the use of grey water for our toilets, an automatic shading system that controls the build-up of heat and the need for cooling, and ceiling baffles made from 100% recycled PET for sound insulation. In addition, the photovoltaic system on the roofs of the buildings is an important natural energy source.