Better Health for All
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Delta Air Lines is facing a lawsuit alleging that emissions from its aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport contribute to higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues among nearby residents
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, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority communities
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. To mitigate environmental impacts, Delta doubled its sustainable aviation fuel intake to 3.5 million gallons in 2023
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, as part of its strategy to decarbonize operations and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
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. The company's wellness strategy includes expanded mental health support, fertility assistance, and reduced prescription costs for employees
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, demonstrating a holistic wellbeing approach
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. Delta's core business of air transportation has no direct health impact, and its revenue is not derived from products with direct health harms. The company does not offer health-related products or services requiring price accessibility, specific vulnerable population reach, or considerations for pharmaceutical patents, nutrition, addiction mitigation, or clinical trial ethics.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
Delta Air Lines Inc. operates as an airline and does not offer lending, deposit, or other financial services to consumers. Therefore, most KPIs related to financial products, pricing, and customer financial outcomes are not applicable to its core business. The company does implement internal financial wellness programs for its employees. In 2024, Delta announced a $1.4 billion profit-sharing payout to employees, reflecting over 10% of eligible salaries.
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It also launched an Emergency Savings Program, in partnership with Operation HOPE and Fidelity Investments, providing financial literacy education and coaching.
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Over 35,000 employees have participated, with more than 21,000 receiving up to $1,000 for emergency savings.
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Earlier initiatives, like the HOPE Inside the Workplace program for employees, showed participants improving credit scores by an average of 30 points and reducing debt by over $1,500.
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Additionally, Delta is committed to supplier diversity and creating career opportunities for at-risk young adults, focusing on racial equity through programs like 'Unlock Potential'.
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While these initiatives are positive, they fall outside the scope of 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' as defined for financial institutions serving external customers and communities.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
20
The company's Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) was 3.83 in 2024
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, an 11% reduction from 2023
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. However, in August 2024, a tragic accident at the Atlanta TechOps facility resulted in two fatalities and one serious injury
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. The average employee engagement score for the 2024 survey was 83 out of 100, an increase from 80 in 2023
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. The voluntary employee attrition rate was 6%, which is 1.4% lower than in 2023
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.
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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Delta Air Lines demonstrates a commitment to ethical sourcing through several initiatives. In 2024, the company expanded its Ethics and Compliance Ambassador Program to over 30 representatives
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and enhanced vendor due diligence processes.
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All employees receive annual training on 'The Way We Fly,'
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which, along with the 'Rules of the Road,' outlines ethical standards. The Delta Group Supplier Code of Conduct, effective April 30, 2024,
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prohibits forced and child labor,
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limits working hours to 60 per week with at least one day off every seven,
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and requires responsible sourcing of minerals like tantalum, tin, tungsten, gold, cobalt, and mica in line with OECD Guidance.
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Delta assesses risks identified by organizations such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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In 2023, Delta spent $2 billion with Tier I diverse suppliers
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and $79 million with Tier II diverse suppliers,
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collaborating with 1,344 diverse businesses.
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Diverse suppliers are defined as at least 51% owned by minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ, or disability groups.
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By the end of 2023, 52% of Delta's supply base by spend was onboarded to the EcoVadis platform for sustainability performance assessment,
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and Delta became a founding member of EcoVadis’ Sustainable Airlines Initiative.
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In October 2024, Delta delivered over 7,000 gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from a traceable supply chain.
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However, the provided articles do not contain the specific quantitative data required by the rubric to score KPIs such as the percentage of fair-trade certified spend, average supplier audit frequency, number of forced or child labor incidents, overall supply chain traceability coverage, remediation speed for violations, the percentage of contracts with enforceable ethical clauses, or the share of spend on high-risk materials as a percentage of total procurement.
Honest & Fair Business
0
No specific, quantifiable evidence was found in the provided articles to assess Delta Air Lines against the defined KPIs for Honest & Fair Business. While some articles mention a refreshed Code of Ethics
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, an Anti-Corruption Policy
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, an Ethics and Compliance Ambassador Program
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, and a lawsuit regarding carbon neutrality claims
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, these do not provide the precise data points (e.g., specific fine amounts, index scores, percentages of audit coverage, resolution times, or detailed policy enforcement metrics) required by the rubric's quantitative and highly specific qualitative thresholds for scoring.
Kind to Animals
0
Delta Cargo joined United for Wildlife's Transport Taskforce, adopting 11 actions to combat illegal wildlife trafficking
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. These actions include implementing a zero-tolerance policy and increasing awareness to disrupt the illegal wildlife supply chain
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. Delta also collaborates with MANG Foundation to restore coastal ecosystems by planting mangroves, supporting biodiversity conservation
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.
No War, No Weapons
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Delta Air Lines' core business is scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo, operating without direct involvement in military operations. This indicates no revenue from arms or defense contracts and no exposure to controversial weapons. The company also has no defense assets to divest. Delta supports veterans through partnerships like the Army Partnership for Your Success (PaYS)
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and by funding organizations such as the Fisher House Foundation and United Service Organizations (USO) facilities
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. In 2023, Delta and The Delta Air Lines Foundation contributed $2.68 million to children's hospitals globally
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and $1 million to humanitarian efforts in the Middle East
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, along with $250,000 for wildfire relief in Maui
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and $100,000 for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria
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.
Planet-Friendly Business
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Delta's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions were 60,570,033 tCO₂e in 2024.
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The company's medium-term target to reduce well-to-wake Scope 1 and 3 jet fuel GHG emissions by 45% per revenue ton kilometer by 2035 from a 2019 base year was validated by SBTi in 2022, aligned with holding warming to well below 2°C.
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Validation of its 2050 net-zero goal is pending updated SBTi guidance for 1.5°C alignment.
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Delta states its approach to climate change and its reporting align with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
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The company conducted an initial climate risk assessment and scenario analysis in 2021, undertaking a more detailed assessment in 2023 using IPCC RCP scenarios for physical risk and IEA WEO 2023 scenarios for transition risk.
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As of year-end 2023, 52% of Delta's supply chain by spend was onboarded to the EcoVadis platform for carbon tracking.
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Respect for Cultures & Communities
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Delta Air Lines has established a significant number of formal partnerships, including over 100 educational organizations worldwide
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and numerous other community and charitable groups. The company also demonstrates a commitment to cultural site protection by taking steps to repatriate a Chilkoot Totem Pole to its indigenous origins.
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No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported.
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However, Delta has faced at least two widely publicized incidents of discrimination or uncivil treatment on its flights
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, to which it responded reactively by banning a passenger
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, issuing an apology
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, and initiating new diversity training for flight crews in January 2017.
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Safe & Smart Tech
20
Delta mandates annual cybersecurity and privacy training for all employees and contractors with access to company information, with new hires completing it within 30 days and content updated for emerging issues.
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In November 2024, the company confirmed a data leak involving employee information from a third-party vendor, though no internal systems were compromised.
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Earlier, in July 2024, Delta experienced an operational disruption and over 7,000 flight cancellations due to a faulty software update from CrowdStrike, leading to a $550 million lawsuit against the vendor.
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Delta utilizes AI algorithms to optimize flight schedules and dynamically adjust crew assignments.
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In 2024, the Board of Directors delegated cybersecurity risk management oversight to its Audit Committee, which receives biannual updates from the Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer.
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In March 2024, the USDOT initiated a review of data handling practices for major U.S. airlines, including Delta, to ensure proper data safeguarding.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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Delta Air Lines has implemented waste reduction initiatives, including the introduction of amenity kits that eliminate five single-use plastic items, reducing plastic use by up to 90,000 pounds annually.
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The company has also electrified ground support equipment at hubs in Salt Lake City and Boston, with Seattle and New York City nearing similar status, contributing to waste reduction in aviation operations.
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Delta has set company-wide waste reduction targets, aiming to divert 100% of waste from landfills by 2050, with an interim target of 65% diversion by 2035.
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