Thomson and First Choice’s Offsetting Project Listed “Gold Standard”

Money raised by Thomson and First Choice customers for ClimateCare is being used to fund a new wind farm in Turkey, which is listed on the prestigious Gold Standard registry.

The Mazi wind farm, based in Zeytineli, Turkey, and close to the resorts of Marmaris and Bodrum, will consist of 12 wind turbines. The farm is forecast to generate 118,500 MWH of electricity annually – enough to power 59,250 Turkish family households – and will save around 77,000 tonnes of carbon each year. Construction of the wind farm is due to begin in March 2009 and is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. The project will create 50 new jobs while in construction, and be used to promote wind power as a real renewable energy solution throughout Turkey.

The Mazi wind farm follows the success of the Gold Standard hydro-electric project in Zambia, carbon finance provided by the World Care Fund, which is now a source of clean electricity for local schools and the local hospital. As more buildings are connected to the electrical grid supplied by the hydro, they will have access to reliable and consistent electricity for the first time. For local people, being connected to the grid will lower the cost of living considerably as they will no longer have to rely on diesel-powered generators, which were unreliable, expensive, and the fumes are both damaging to the local people’s health as well as the wider environment.

Gold Standard, an independent foundation supported by over 60 charities including WWF, certifies carbon-offsetting projects which can prove their environmental and social benefits. The Zengamina Hydro project in Zambia is currently the only Gold Standard-registered small hydro-electric project, and is one of the first ten projects worldwide to gain accreditation. All ClimateCare projects funded by Thomson and First Choice are undergoing the accreditation process, and are expected to receive certification in the next few months.

Both First Choice and Thomson are committed to environmental initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of their business on the environment. The money donated by Thomson and First Choice to ClimateCare comes from the World Care Fund customer donation scheme, which gives holidaymakers the opportunity to donate £1 per passenger (50p per child) on an opt-out basis, which is then matched by the company. Originally launched by First Choice in 2007, the scheme raised over £1,000,000 in its first year for project partners ClimateCare and The Travel Foundation, who organise projects benefiting the environment and local communities overseas.

Sarah Perry, Sustainable Development Manager, TUI Travel PLC, said: “It is so exciting to see our second ClimateCare project being listed onto the Gold Standard registry. Carbon offsetting is an important part of our commitment to reduce our climate impact, and we’re delighted that our projects have passed Gold Standard’s rigorous process to show that they have a positive impact not only on the planet, but also on people. I’m sure our customers, who helped us raise this money for the projects, would agree.”

Other Thomson and First Choice Sustainable Development initiatives include:

Sustainable Aviation

The newly merged Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways joint fleet is now the UK’s third biggest airline. Over the past year Thomsonfly and First Choice have removed weight from aircraft, changed flight patterns and taxied from runway to the terminal on one engine rather than two where possible. These and other efficiency measures have saved around 34,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking nearly 10,000 family-sized cars off the road for a year.

First Choice and Thomson are founder signatories of Sustainable Aviation, a voluntary scheme devised by the key aviation business sectors within the UK. www.sustainableaviation.co.uk

Boeing 787 Launch Customer

Together, Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways have ordered 23 super-efficient new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which will reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent when compared with jets of the same size operating on similar routes today.

Eco-friendly hotels

Travelife is an independent scheme pioneered by the Federation of Tour Operators to encourage hotels to look after the environment, their employees and local communities. In an industry first, First Choice S08 brochures featured Travelife Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards that highlight those hotels that live up to strict sustainability criteria, and the Summer 09 brochures feature 22 hotels with an award. First Choice has audited 300 of its most popular hotels, and Thomson will begin the audit process this year.

Charity contributions

Blue Flag: Since 2000, First Choice has supported the Blue Flag Campaign, run by the Federation for Environmental Education. The organisation awards a Blue Flag to beaches that meet its high standards of cleanliness and environmental management, which is indicated in our brochures.

NSPCC: First Choice has supported the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) since 2004, raising over £130,000 in the past four years through charity days in our destinations. Our overseas teams also support local charities where they can: last year we raised over £48,000 for charities in our destinations.

Family Holiday Association: First Choice supports the Family Holiday Association, a UK charity helping families take a much-needed holiday they would otherwise be unable to afford. Many First Choice employees run the London Marathon to raise money, and customers can donate on their flight.

Born Free: Thomsonfly has supported the Born Free Foundation since 1995, raising over £2.5 million through in-flight collections and staff fundraising. This has provided vital support for polar bear rehabilitation in Canada, a wildlife ambulance in Scotland, an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Uganda, and elephant relocation in Kenya.

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