JetBlue Releases “The Blue Review” Annual Responsibility Report, Highlights Offsetting and Progress in Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2014
Airline Breaks the Mold by Shaping its Report According to its Five Core Values and Impacts Change for its Crewmembers, the Environment and Community
New York, April 23, 2015 /3BL Media/ – JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) today released its seventh responsibility report – The Blue Review: Environmental, Social and Business Responsibility – outlining progress the airline made in 2014. This report highlights major developments made by the airline in 2014, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from 1.65 to 1.54 metric tons CO2e per 1,000 revenue ton miles from 2013 to 2014, a more than six percent improvement. (Revenue ton miles measure the weight of revenue passengers and cargo flown times the number of miles flown.) The Blue Review notes JetBlue’s commitment to its biggest stakeholders – its 16,266 crewmembers, 32 million customers and the 87 communities and destinations it served throughout the year.
In line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Version 4 standards, this year’s report focuses on JetBlue’s responsibility strategy guided by its five core values – safety, caring, integrity, passion and fun. These values are central to who JetBlue is as a company and corporate citizen and therefore the company organized the report around them instead of the traditional social and environmental breakdown.
“JetBlue values are fundamental to who we are and how we operate. It is only fitting that our approach to responsibility is based on these standards. Our mission is to inspire humanity in the air and on the ground. This only works if both crewmembers and customers believe in this mission,” said Robin Hayes, CEO and president, JetBlue Airways. “The Blue Review showcases our commitment to our crewmembers and the customers and communities that support us. Our core values help guide how we meet our corporate responsibility.”
This year, JetBlue made progress through impact in three key areas: environment, community and crewmembers. JetBlue focused on shrinking its greenhouse gas footprint, preserving the beautiful destinations where it flies to and reducing waste. The airline also made it a priority to focus on diversity and inclusion to ensure that its workforce fully reflected this stance. Additionally, JetBlue helped increase literacy in the communities it serves and contributed to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for underserved groups.
Highlights from the 2014 Blue Review include:
Environment
- Greenhouse gas emissions – From 2013 to 2014, JetBlue reduced greenhouse gas emissions from 1.65 to 1.54 metric tons CO2e per 1,000 revenue ton miles, a more than 6 percent improvement.
- One Thing That’s Green - Since 2008, JetBlue has encouraged a healthier planet through its “One Thing That’s Green” annual environmental campaign. Over the past seven years, 3,000 JetBlue crewmembers and community volunteers have planted more than 3,500 trees and cleaned three tons of trash in cities including New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla.
- Onboard Recycling - In 2013, JetBlue began an onboard recycling program. This began as a grassroots effort by crewmembers in Long Beach Airport in California and expanded into a corporate-wide initiative. During the first six months of 2014, at New York’s JFK Airport alone, JetBlue recycled a total of 1.2 million pounds of cardboard, plastic and aluminum that would have otherwise ended up in landfills.
- Water Conservation - In 2014, JetBlue made it a best practice to fill its aircraft’s potable water tanks to 75%, resulting in an estimated annual savings of 2.4 million gallons of water and 280,000 metric tons CO2-eq emissions.
Community
- JetBlue Foundation - JetBlue is making aviation careers accessible to all students. Through the JetBlue Foundation, the airline is highlighting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and placing aviation as a top-of-mind career choice. Founded in 2013, the JetBlue Foundation is the first airline foundation to focus solely on supporting aviation-related education. In 2014, the Foundation provided three $25,000 grants to schools and educational initiatives that provide STEM and aviation-related programs geared toward underserved groups and communities. The Foundation will also provide support and special consultation to four developing programs to help them expand on fledgling aviation-focused initiatives.
- Soar With Reading - For the past four years, JetBlue had helped children bring their imaginations to new heights through its Soar with Reading literacy initiative. In 2014, JetBlue partnered with author Mary Pope Osborne, the Random House Children’s Books and Magic Tree House author, and actress Victoria Justice to encourage reading and help get books in the hands of more children. Since the program’s inception, JetBlue has worked with its partners to donate more than $1,250,000 worth of books to kids in need.
Crewmembers
- Award-Winning JetBlue Experience - Crewmembers are on the frontline delivering the award- winning JetBlue experience. J.D. Power and Associates has honored JetBlue crewmembers with the highest award for airline customer satisfaction among low cost carriers for 10 consecutive years.
- Workforce - As the airline’s business continues to grow, so does its workforce. In 2014, JetBlue hired 3,150 new crewmembers, bringing its total to 16,266 people.
- The Lodge at Orlando Support Center – In 2014, JetBlue unveiled its plans for a lodging facility specifically for crewmembers in training at JetBlue University. The Lodge offers space for collaboration and community building, all designed with environmental sustainability in mind. Complete with meeting rooms, a fitness center, pool, basketball courts, an herb garden and 196 rooms, The Lodge is a major investment in JetBlue’s biggest asset – its crewmembers.
To view an interview with JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes on the Blue Review, visit https://vimeo.com/124530166.
To learn more about JetBlue’s long-term responsibility platform and to view the full report, visit www.jetblue.com/green/reporting.
About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 32 million customers a year to 87 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 875 daily flights. Upcoming destinations include: Cleveland on April 30; Reno-Tahoe, Nev. on May 28; Grenada on June 11, 2015 (subject to receipt of government operating authority) and Albany, N.Y. on Dec. 10. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.
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