management

AASIGNMENT 1: Discussion –Sustainability and Innovation

The airline industry is one of the most competitive and complex business models. To obtain success in this venue, it requires a great amount of planning, foresight and unity of efforts. They are many variables that can affect the profitability of this industry, like weather, fuel prices, and not to mention employees strikes. Hence improving productivity and reducing overall cost, is paramount if an airline is to stay competitive. Because of these difficulties and challenges, some airlines become major players, and others just survive.

One of the most admired airlines in the industry is Southwest Airlines. Since their inception 43 years ago, in Dallas, Texas, Southwest has many every effort to set themselves apart, from other rivals in the industry. They have based their success, in creating a deeply rooted cultured of excellent customer service and providing low cost fares and short haul routes, and this strategy has made Southwest Airlines very profitable in the last 30 years (1). Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line approach that takes into account the carrier’s performance and productivity, the importance of its people and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the planet.(2) Southwest has been very effective in obtaining maximum utilization of their resources, and reducing airplane ground time. These two initiatives, has proven very profitable to Southwest. However, Southwest has also been very involved in many other stewardship initiatives to solidify they brand.

Southwest among his tenants, is very active in supporting organizations, such as, The Student Conservation Association, which engages in the protection and restoration of national parks and community green spaces, and their motto is of” Building the next generation of conservation leaders”. Among other things, Southwest is also actively involved in charitable giving, community outreach & volunteerism of its employees and many environmental initiates.

Environmental Initiatives and stewardship is an everyday affair in the activities of this airline and is ingrain in the culture of their employees. Southwest participates and supports all government environmental regulations, and is does thru, the Southwest Airlines’ Government Affairs Department has staffed and located in Washington, D.C., available to engage directly with policymakers when needed and also provides data from its own research in formulating some of the same policies.(2)

Southwest Airlines, uses more than a billion gallons of jet fuel each year. Therefore, there is a great need to exercise active environmental and stewardship initiatives constantly in their operations. And this in turn will help minimize damage to our ecology. Based on this premise, Southwest Airlines is heavily engaged in the following stewardship initiatives:

Initiative Results

-Using natural resources efficiently

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• Providing transparency of our environmental performance to our Stakeholders

• Using natural resources efficiently

• Minimizing waste and pollution from our operations and preventing it where possible, while remaining true to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet

Climate Change Commitment

• Recycling: In 2011, we recycled more than 2,600 tons of paper, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard from onboard our aircraft and in our facilities.

our 2011 levels. We are also committed to replacing onboard materials with types that can be recycled including plastic cups, plastic wine bottles, carpet tiles, and seat covers.

• Green purchasing: We have set a goal to conduct at least one environmental audit annually on one of our top suppliers.

• Water conservation: We have identified specific projects aimed at reducing our water consumption including introducing native landscaping and

new irrigation techniques at our Headquarters and employing a green dry cleaning process for the new Evolve interior.

• LEED certification: We are committed to utilizing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards in design, construction, and

Community Outreach & Volunteerism

We champion causes that matter most in the communities we serve by developing relationships with nonprofit organizations on both a local and national level. Building these relationships involves committing our resources of time, tickets, and love to be your hometown carrier that cares. You'll also find Southwest Employees volunteering across the country, as well as serving on local, state, and national boards to assist nonprofit organizations in achieving their missions.