Etihad Guest and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), in partnership with Visa, will launch a sustainably-focused credit card. The card will reward shoppers for making sustainable choices in their everyday spending habits.
The FAB Etihad Guest Visa Sustainable Card will introduce a series of sustainability-focused benefits that will educate and reward members for making sustainable choices and provide options to offset emissions for their spending.
The partnership is powered by ecolytiq, provider of digital infrastructure for green finance, which will provide the Sustainability-as-a-Service technology to track sustainable spending. This will support the change of behavior and issuance of rewards for those making sustainable spending choices.
Etihad is the first airline in the region to reward frequent flyers for being more sustainable in the air and on the ground. Through choices, Etihad Guest members are rewarded for offsetting their flights with miles, carrying less baggage on board, and purchasing sustainable products in the reward shop.
In their daily lives, when not flying, members can also earn tier miles by offsetting everyday emissions such as driving, as well as emissions such as cooling your home or cooking your dinner, or by donating miles to a meaningful cause.
FAB maintains a leading position in the regional sustainable finance sector. It was the first MENA Bank to issue a green bond and has financed over US$30 Billion in sustainable projects to date.
Terry Daly, executive director guest experience, brand and marketing, Etihad Airways, said: “We’re delighted to extend our Conscious Choices sustainability offering to consumers and Etihad Guest members by providing more opportunities to reward sustainable lifestyle choices through our partnership with FAB and Visa.
“The FAB Etihad Guest Sustainable Visa Credit Card will allow our members to understand where they can act more sustainably and provide incentives every time they make the sustainable choice in their everyday living and purchasing.”
The launch of Etihad Guest Conscious Choices and the FAB Etihad Guest Sustainable Visa Credit Card are the latest initiatives under Etihad’s overarching sustainability ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and halve 2019 emissions by 2035.
The airline recently completed its IATA Environmental Assessment stage 2, an evaluation system designed to independently assess and improve the environmental management of an airline, and received accreditation in four key operational areas: facilities management, flight operations, Etihad technical division, Etihad Catering Services.
Over the last two years, despite the challenges of COVID-19, Etihad has introduced several significant CO2 reduction initiatives under its Greenliner sustainability program. This includes adopting thousands of mangroves, using sustainable fuels, reducing contrails, flying optimized flight paths, operating more electric vehicles and working with partners who share its vision for cleaner skies.
“It’s important for us to extend our own sustainability ambitions to empower our members and guests to contribute in their own way. We know this is a priority and a cause close to the heart of many of our guests and partners. As a corporate citizen, we are privileged to be in a position to help educate consumers to understand their carbon footprint, not just from travel but from their everyday spend. Consequently, we are proud to reward our guests and members for making a conscious decision to reduce their impact on the environment,” added Daly.
