TAP’s Carbon Offset Programme distinguished as “Most Innovative Sustainable Product”
TAP Portugal was distinguished by UNESCO and by the International Union of Geological Sciences with the IYPE “Planet Earth Award 2010”, in the category of “Most Innovative Sustainable Product”, thus recognizing the achievements of the company’s Carbon Offset Programme.
The award was presented yesterday to Fernando Pinto, TAP CEO, at TAP Headquarters in Lisbon, by Luísa Sousa Otto, UNESCO’s Project Manager for IYPE – International Year of Planet Earth.
TAP was the first airline worldwide to launch, on the World Environment Day (June 5th 2009), its Carbon Offset Programme with IATA (International Air Transport Association). This programme is available at TAP webpage www.flytap.com and allows customers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions (CO2) from their flights, on a voluntary basis, thereby contributing to emissions reduction projects in developing countries and supported by TAP.
While presenting the award to Fernando Pinto, Luisa Sousa Otto stated: “The Board of the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), that assessed and evaluated TAP CO2 Offset Programme, recognized it as being an innovative project representing a great advance to aviation sustainability”.
Fernando Pinto expressed, on behalf of the company, his appreciation for the award granted to TAP, saying at the occasion: “At TAP we are strongly committed to our environmental responsibility, having thus elected environment as a top priority for our 2009 agenda. Therefore, we are very happy and proud with this UNESCO award, which comes as the recognition of all our efforts throughout this year, and translates into such an important incentive for us to pursue our work”.
“The air transport has, in recent times, taken significant steps to protect environment”, added Fernando Pinto. “That proves the industry’s growing concern for environmental issues through the launch of sound projects and by taking effective measures to help protect the environment in a sustainable way”.
This IYPE award recognizes TAP’s strong engagement and commitment to its environmental responsibility and its achievements.
Along with the launch of its Carbon Offset Programme last June, and amongst other relevant initiatives put in place, TAP has also developed another environmental project, designated the “Agir Eco” (Eco Act), which runs internally across the entire company and gathers all workers’ efforts together in practical and day to day actions leading to the preservation and protection of environment and our planet Earth.
