PJSC Aeroflot (ticker on the Moscow Stock Exchange: AFLT; hereinafter — the Company, Aeroflot Group) publishes its first report on activities in the field of sustainable development. Previously, aspects related to ESG (activities in the field of ecology, social issues and corporate governance) were disclosed in the form of integrated reports as part of the annual report. They reflected a significant contribution to the development of the country's economy, ensuring transport accessibility of regions and mobility of the population, which the Company ensured throughout its activities, as well as systematic work on improving the efficiency of operations and activities aimed at taking care of the well-being of employees. This year, Aeroflot Group has presented its first report on activities in the field of sustainable development prepared in accordance with the main version of the standards of the Global Initiative for Reporting on Sustainable Development (GRI Standards). The report reveals the Group's approach to managing sustainable development issues and demonstrates the impact of the Group's operations on the environment as well as on the economy and society as a whole.
The key and unconditional priority of Aeroflot Group is safety in every process and division. Therefore, the Group is constantly working to improve flight safety and aviation security, passenger data security and information security as well as monitoring the provision of safe working conditions for personnel. During the pandemic, Aeroflot Group provided delivery of vaccines, significantly modified maintenance procedures in order to ensure the safety of the health of passengers and crews during the flight, and also took proactive steps to encourage employees and passengers to vaccinate.
Aeroflot Group makes an important contribution to the social and economic development of the country connecting 68 Russian cities. In order to improve ties with hard-to-reach Russian regions and increase the mobility of the population, the Group is implementing a program of flat tariffs. In 2014, in order to develop low-cost transportation the Group launched the first Russian low-cost airline Pobeda, which has become one of the most efficient and fastest-growing low-cost carriers in the history of aviation. The Group's operations stimulate the economic development of the regions and cities, and promote business development within its supply chain, as well as the result of passenger flights.
Aeroflot Group pays great attention to reducing the adverse effect on the environment. For the period from 2009 to 2019, the Group managed to reduce the specific CO2 emissions from air travel by 34.0% through the use of high-performance aircraft and conservation programs, improving the fuel efficiency and environmental protection. In some segments, the company was able to become even more environmentally efficient. In 2021, Pobeda Airlines became one of the greenest companies in Europe in terms of CO2 emissions — 61.1 g/pcm.
Aeroflot Group plays an important role in the development of domestic high tech, in particular the aircraft industry being the main operator of Russian aircraft. At the end of 2021, the Group's fleet consisted of 76 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. Aeroflot Group also plans to replenish the fleet with MS-21 aircraft.
Aeroflot Group as a socially responsible company, understands the importance of participating in charity projects and does everything possible to help people in need. Among the Group's charitable initiatives are assistance to orphanages, set-up of educational programs as well as the implementation of the Miles of Mercy project, which allows passengers to donate miles received from flights to charitable foundations. The Group also pays attention to sponsorship projects.
Aeroflot Group's Sustainable development report addresses itself to various audiences: customers, business partners, shareholders and investors, employees, the public, state and municipal authorities as well as other interested persons and organizations.