- Date filed
- 30 November 2023
- Keywords
- Countries of harm
- Current status
-
Filed
- Sector
- NCP
Allegations
On 30 November 2023, Possible (The 10:10 Foundation) filed complaints against British Airways Plc (BA) and Virgin Atlantic Limited (and/or Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited) (Virgin Atlantic) at the UK NCP. The complaints relate to the airlines’ public statements, advertising and communications regarding their efforts to reduce and/or offset their impacts on climate change, which the complainant alleges are misleading consumers and the general public and breach aviation and other industry codes, as well as Chapters VI (Environment) and VIII (Consumer interests) of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct.
The complainants allege that the airlines have made misleading claims about reducing emissions, efficiency, alternative fuels, and Net Zero. For example, the complainants claim that BA’s statement that it is “driving urgent action towards net zero emissions” and has a “clear roadmap to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050” is not supported by its the complainant’s own analysis that BA’s jet fuel emissions increased between 2016 and 2019. They also state that Virgin Atlantic’s “Mission to Net Zero” plan does not mention that the airline has previously failed to meet its emissions targets and that this is crucial information for consumers.
The complainants primarily seek for the airlines to stop misleading consumers, policymakers, and the general public in their communications relating to the current and likely future impact of their operations on the climate. They seek for the companies to take steps to correct the misleading claims and ensure that future communications do not contain such claims.
Alleged breaches of the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct:
- Chapters VI (Environment): paragraphs 1(d), 3, and 5(c)
- Chapter VIII (Consumer interests): paragraphs 2, 4, and 5
More details
- Company in violation
- Other companies involved
- Complainants
- Affected people