DALLAS, May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest
Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") announced today
it has donated to the National Forest Foundation (NFF) in honor of
the Company's 50th Anniversary. To commemorate this
special occasion, Southwest® is working with NFF to plant 1,000
trees for each of the carrier's 50 years of service. The 50,000
trees will be will be planted throughout California, Georgia, and Oregon, in an effort to help support wildfire
recovery, restore native ecosystems, improve water and air quality,
and reduce soil erosion. This $50,000
donation is being funded through the Southwest Airlines Foundation,
a corporate advised fund housed within the Silicon Valley Community
Foundation.
Protecting the Planet for future generations is important to
Southwest, and the Company encourages Employees and Customers to
support these efforts by visiting swa.is/treeplanting.
For every dollar donated to the NFF, the organization will
plant one tree—supporting efforts to conserve the nation's forest,
watersheds, wildlife, and recreation resources. Every donation made
through this site will also count toward Southwest's one million
Acts of Kindness challenge.
One Report Launch
Today, the carrier also announces
the launch of its annual corporate social responsibility Report—The
Southwest Airlines One Report. This integrated citizenship report
highlights Southwest's three-pronged approach to the triple bottom
line of People, Performance, and Planet. The One Report highlights
significant social, economic, and environmental events that
occurred throughout 2020, all through the lens of citizenship.
New this year, the One Report includes expanded citizenship
reporting. Since 2009, Southwest has reported on its citizenship
efforts using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. In line
with Southwest's efforts to continue providing transparency to its
Stakeholders, 2020 marks the first
time Southwest has also used the Sustainability Accounting
Standards Board (SASB) and United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals (UNSDG) as guides for its One Report. This is in addition to
expanding its previous GRI reporting.
"For 50 years, Southwest has connected People to what's
important in their lives by providing friendly, reliable, and
low-cost air travel," said Gary
Kelly, Southwest Airlines' Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer. "This Purpose is at the core of our citizenship
efforts and drives our desire to bring People together while being
a good neighbor where our Employees and Customers work and live.
Our ongoing work with organizations like the National Forest
Foundation demonstrates one way we put our Heart in action, and
there are many other great examples shared in the 2020 One
Report."
To view the 2020 One Report and learn more about Southwest's
citizenship efforts, including a video message from Gary Kelly, visit southwestonereport.com.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 50th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines
Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air
carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than
56,000 Employees to a Customer base that topped 130 million
Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust network of
point-to-point service with a strong presence across top leisure
and business markets. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest
operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101
destinations in the United States
and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier added service to
Hilo, Hawaii; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami; Palm Springs,
Calif.; Steamboat Springs;
and Montrose (Telluride/Crested
Butte), Colo. Thus far in 2021, Southwest has initiated
service to Chicago (O'Hare) and
Sarasota/ Bradenton, both on Feb.
14; Savannah/Hilton Head and
Colorado Springs, Colo., both on
March 11; Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif., both on April 12; as well as Fresno, Calif., on April 25; Destin/Fort Walton Beach on
May 6; and will begin service to
Myrtle Beach S.C., on May 23; Bozeman,
Mont., on May 27; Jackson,
Miss., on June 6; and Eugene,
Ore., on Aug. 29. The Company
also has announced an intention to initiate new service to
Bellingham, Wash., later this
year.
The carrier issued its Southwest® Promise in
May 2020 to highlight new and
round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees
well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning
efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, along with a federal
mandate requiring every person to wear a mask at all times
throughout each flight. Additional details about the Southwest
Promise are available
at Southwest.com/Promise.
Southwest coined Transfarency® to describe its
purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and
low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S.
airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second
checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some
carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified
circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees, though fare
differences might apply.
Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world,
known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the
carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of
its People and the communities they serve, and an overall
commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the
carrier gives back to communities across the world by
visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at
Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.