Earth Day: Flix unveils climate strategy and commits to Science Based Targets initiative

+ By securing modern and affordable travel options, Flix allowed passengers to save over 800,000 tons of CO₂ in 2022 alone. On top of that, over 98,000 tons of CO₂ have been offset since 2015.
+ CEO André Schwämmlein: «With a progressive climate strategy and multiple initiatives, we have set out for a change in mobility. Now, we count on institutions to support us along this process»  
+ To ensure transparency in deploying its ESG strategy, Flix has committed to the SBTi and the UN Global Compact. The company is also going to publish its first voluntary ESG report soon

Munich, April 20^th, 2023 – Ahead of Earth Day, taking place Saturday, April 22^nd, Flix unveils its climate strategy and takes stock of the milestones completed within its framework.

Representing a key component of its wider ESG strategy, Flix’ climate strategy rests on four major principles – avoid, reduce, offset and engage – and provides a holistic framework for action within the company’s vision of offering sustainable, affordable and easy-to-use collective travel solutions, with full decarbonization as its long-term goal.

«We have always wanted to be at the forefront of a long-lasting transformation in mobility, with a view to providing as many people as possible with smart and affordable alternatives to private cars. With a progressive climate strategy and multiple, cross-sectoral projects to enforce it, we have set out for this change. Now, we count on decision-makers to support us throughout the process by securing the right infrastructure and enabling scalability of sustainable solutions along the supply chain with concrete and tangible measures», said André Schwämmlein, founder and CEO of Flix.

Flix’s climate strategy and its four principles

1.     Avoid. First relevant data come with respect to CO₂ avoidance: just by choosing Flix’s modern vehicles over other options, passengers saved over 800,000 tons of CO₂ in 2022 alone[1]. Besides, Flix is limiting its impact by maximizing load factor of its fleet with the use of technology, thus optimizing the number of vehicles on duty.

2.     Reduce. As to CO₂ reduction, a key lever is represented by fleet transformation through testing alternative drives and fuels. Along with piloting the first long-distance e-Buses and testing solar energy and biogas, Flix is also involved in the development of a hydrogen fuel cell coach via the funded project HyFleet, in line with its technology-open approach.

3.     Offset. The passengers themselves are a part of this evolution towards more sustainable mobility options: since 2015, over 98,000 tons of CO₂ have been offset, equaling to over 3.7 bn km traveled by FlixBus, thanks to Flix’s passengers’ voluntary donations and a credible offsetting system set up in cooperation with the environmental NGO atmosfair.

4.     Engage. While the fleet transformation process is supported by strategic cross-sector partnerships like that with Daimler Buses, customers’ engagement in CO₂ offsetting and encouraging them to choose collective mobility can also produce a positive impact. Hence, Flix’s acknowledgment of stakeholders' engagement as a key driver for climate protection.

While Flix will keep driving this transformation of mobility forward together with its partners, it is likewise important that decision-makers share and concretely support this vision.

«While welcoming the EU’s commitment to fight climate change, we believe it is paramount that all parties unite and cooperate even more closely for the sake of the communities, actively supporting the evolution of collective mobility to make it the obvious solution for passengers. Together with our partners, we are on our way to foster decarbonization of mobility and are eager to take part and invest in this transformation, but we expect institutions to be walking with us on this path», added Schwämmlein.

Flix commits to SBTi and UN Global Compact. First voluntary ESG report out soon

The prioritization of sustainability as a core guiding value for the business, with ESG building a leading scheme for all its actions, has recently translated into Flix’s commitments.

The company has committed to the Science-Based Target initiative, which provides companies with a clearly defined path to cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals. As of early 2023, over 4,800 companies committed to SBTi, and over 2,500 had their emissions reduction targets approved. With this commitment, Flix will set specific targets for near-term emissions reduction by 2032, as a first goal along its path to full decarbonization.

Besides, Flix is taking part in the UN Global Compact, the world’s biggest voluntary initiative encouraging businesses and organizations to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and practices, involving over 22,000 participants from more than 160 countries.

This provides the company with another universally recognized framework to successfully drive its future developments within the scope of its overarching vision.  

Flix will also soon publish its first voluntary ESG report for the year 2022 in line with the global standard Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This will help the company investigate and measure its sustainability achievements in the best way, as well as identify future steps to improve its practices further in all the areas covered by the report: Environment, Social and Governance.

[1] Based on emission factors from the German Environmental Agency (UBA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, with relation to data retrieved from Flix’s Well-to-Wheel analysis and customer ride surveys