Southwest Airlines Releases Third Annual Integrated Report On Triple Bottom Line Of Performance, People, And Planet

DALLAS, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlighting Southwest Airlines' (NYSE: LUV) commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet, the 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report can now be found online in an interactive web portal at www.southwestonereport.com or www.southwest.com/citizenship.  The award-winning One Report combines financial, corporate citizenship, and environmental reporting into one comprehensive report, which adheres to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an internationally recognized standard for sustainability reporting.  The 2011 One Report achieved a B+ level under GRI guidelines, which means Southwest answered to more than 20 GRI indicators and had the entire report verified by a third party, thus leading to the "plus" designation. 

"Southwest always has been committed to doing the right thing—for our People, for solid financial Performance, and for our Planet.  That commitment to the triple bottom line is detailed in our 2011 One Report," said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO.  "It's what has helped us become the world's most successful airline with 39 years of profitability."

Interesting 2011 statistics from the One Report include:

• PERFORMANCE:  Southwest Airlines achieved record revenues of $15.7 billion in 2011.  It took Southwest its first 24 years (1971-1994) to generate a cumulative $15.7 billion in total operating revenues.
• PEOPLE:  Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 114,000 hours, which is enough time to fly from Baltimore/Washington to Los Angeles 24,516 times.
• PLANET: Southwest Airlines diverted more than 2,600 tons of material from landfills and into recycling facilities through our co-mingled recycling program, which is equal to the weight of more than 61 Boeing 737-700s.

New enhancements within the 2011 One Report feature a "By the Numbers" section for a quick, comprehensive look at each aspect of the triple bottom line, as well as a corresponding GRI and Carbon Disclosure Project index to help visitors quickly find the information they want.  As part of our ongoing commitment to conserve our natural resources, the report can only be found online.  In addition to downloading the full 2011 One Report, readers can create a customized report of only the sections that interest them by selecting the "Build Your Own Report" function.  Visitors also can share interesting facts found within the 2011 One Report on Twitter, Facebook, by e-mail, and other social media channels by clicking the "Share This" button.  Consultants Burns & McDonnell and Curran & Connors assisted Southwest with the One Report.

Since Southwest's beginnings more than 40 years ago, the LUV airline has always approached business differently—the ten-minute turn, Bags Fly Free®, no furloughs—the list goes on and on.  Southwest also is a leader in its industry and among others in the area of corporate reporting.  Southwest is one of only a handful of U.S. companies publishing an integrated report, and Harvard Business School wrote its first case study in 2010 on integrated reporting about the carrier's efforts, making Southwest the subject of the first class taught on integrated reporting. 

One thing that has remained constant since Southwest took to the skies four decades ago is doing the right thing for the carrier's triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To view an infographic highlighting impactful statistics within the 2011 One Report, visit www.swamedia.com.

About Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and has acquired AirTran Airways, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. Southwest serves 73 cities in 38 states and remains one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. Based in Dallas, Southwest Airlines currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day systemwide.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines