Our responsibility

The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF for short, reduces CO₂ emissions from flying by at least 80 percent compared to fossil fuels. SAF is made from biogenic waste sourced from renewable materials, such as used cooking oils. SAF is a crucial pillar in the transformation towards more sustainable aviation. The Lufthansa Group, of which Eurowings is a part, centrally organizes the purchase of SAF. In 2021, the group secured SAF worth $250 million to meet the increasing demand in the coming years.

SAF is blended with conventional aviation fuel at Lufthansa Group airports and flows into the aircraft during the refueling process. Using SAF directly reduces carbon emissions rather than compensating for them through other means. The technological complexity of SAF results in a significantly higher cost per ton of reduced CO₂ compared to carbon offsetting solutions.

Here you can find more information about SAF and how it is used at Eurowings.

Less weight in our aircraft means less fuel consumption. We regularly subject our aircraft to a 'body check' to find ways of reducing weight. Every kilogram we reduce across the entire Eurowings fleet generates a CO₂ saving of 37 tonnes.

We have already greatly reduced the weight by using lighter trolleys, seats and carpets, and by using thinner paper for our CO₂-neutral customer magazine WINGS and the bistro menu. In future, all flight documentation will be digital to reduce the use of paper while also reducing emissions through less weight.

Eurowings and Cologne/Bonn Airport have planted 6,000 trees in the Königsforst nature reserve near Cologne/Bonn Airport in a joint initiative. This sustainability initiative supports environmental protection in the region and complements a variety of measures, such as introducing new aircraft and investing in sustainable fuel, which directly reduce carbon emissions. Together with the Cologne-based environmental organisation ‘Planted’, 6,000 climate-stable trees have been planted in the Königsforst – one tree for each employee plus additional trees for future colleagues. Eurowings is contributing to local environmental protection at its home base of Cologne/Bonn with this initiative, after already having supported the moorland at Königsmoor in Hamburg through its customers’ voluntary carbon offsetting. Forests are true climate heroes and essential for the protection of our planet. They not only take CO₂ out of the atmosphere, but also act as air and water filters. They also support biodiversity, as they provide habitats for many different animal and plant species, and are highly valued by local residents in recreational areas.

Less waste and the use of sustainable materials are inextricably linked to sustainable business management. That is why we are continuously reducing the amount of waste we generate, and with this our impact on the environment. Our packaging on board will be 100 percent sustainable and reusable by 2025. Passengers are encouraged to bring their own cup with our 'Bring your own cup' initiative which is already in place. Not only do they receive a 20 percent discount on their drink, but they also make an active contribution to reducing packaging.

We are also concerned about food waste. To reduce this still further in the future, we are using 'Load Planner', a machine learning platform that uses historical data as well as data on passengers, vacation periods or public holidays to calculate the day’s likely demand for fresh products. This digital tool helps us better predict the demand for food on board and reduce the amount of food that has to be disposed of later by up to 19 tonnes.

With our new “Natureflex” foil we are taking another great step forward towards our goal of 100% sustainable packaging. By switching our foil we are able to reduce over four tons of plastic waste a year.

Our new sandwich packaging is a fully compostable, biodegradable and European regulation approved solution that consists of cellulose and is a further investment Eurowings is taking towards a more sustainable onboard offering.

We offer a fair, secure and attractive workplace for our employees. Diversity and equal opportunities are particularly close to our hearts. That is why we have joined various initiatives, such as the Cologne 'Women in Leadership' alliance, and founded the Wings.WoMen network. Our aim is for women to occupy a quarter of management positions by 2025.

Every year, we give pupils the opportunity to get a taste of the various technical professions found in the airline industry with our 'Girls’ and Boys’ Day'.

We support our employees to invest in themselves. Our individual training programme offers many webinars to give employees the opportunity to learn foreign languages or expand their knowledge in a wide range of subject matters via LinkedIn Learning.

We also support the younger generation through a Lufthansa Young Network (LYN). In addition to this, we regularly offer traineeships for young talent.

The well-being and health of our employees is essential for the company’s success. That’s why we regularly conduct what we call pulse checks. These give a snapshot of the current mood and explore potential for improvement in our daily work environment. Our new hybrid way of working also enables flexible working between office and home office.

We are continuously working on digitalising the customer experience and are constantly developing our digital travel companion. This already supports our passengers with relevant information and intelligent services throughout the entire journey. For example, the Eurowings Travel Guide currently also offers important and up-to-date information at a glance on the Covid-19 situation at the destinations.

Dialogue with our stakeholders is essential for sustainable and responsible action. That is why regular exchanges of views are important to us, so we can meet interests, wishes and expectations in the best possible way. This also includes transparent reporting in both internal and external communication. We use many modern media channels for open and transparent stakeholder communication to keep employees, customers and investors informed.

Our social commitment to children is particularly close to our hearts. That is why we are involved in a variety of ways in the help alliance, the Lufthansa Group’s charitable organisation – from financial donations to personal individual commitments from our employees. The goal: to give young people access to education and empower them to lead self-determined lives. For example, we have been supporting the Chancenwerk project 'Destination Education' since 2015. This supports disadvantaged pupils in their learning. Our employees take the opportunity to get involved in the project, for example with professional job application coaching or school field trips to an airport hangar. On board, we also encourage our passengers to donate 1 euro to finance a meal for two children via a help alliance project in India.

Eurowings provides support in times of crisis with relief flights and airlifts. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, more than 100 return flights were provided at short notice to bring around 20,000 stranded holidaymakers safely back home from holiday destinations. Numerous special flights were also organised to bring more than 30,000 urgently needed harvest workers and seasonal workers to farms to relieve shortages of thousands of seasonal workers due to strict entry and exit regulations.