David Pflieger: Virgin America’s Climate Commitment

As the former Senior Vice President of Legal and Government Affairs and General Counsel for Virgin America, David Pflieger played a central role in the airline’s efforts to become a more environmentally friendly company. These efforts included a number of “green” initiatives, all designed to help reduce emissions and provide transparency to customers regarding the airline’s carbon footprint.

Under David Pflieger’s direction, Virgin developed a reputation as one of the United States’ most environmentally conscious airlines. The company was established with a fleet of new Airbus planes, which featured cutting-edge technology designed to save fuel. In 2008, Virgin joined the Climate Leaders program, an organization that helps companies work with the Environmental Protection Agency to develop action plans for reducing their emissions.

Furthermore, in 2009, the company joined The Climate Registry in order to provide independently verified emissions reports to consumers. Alongside other members of the Registry such as Red Bull, Ford, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Wal-Mart, as well as numerous states, municipalities, and governmental agencies, Virgin America has made a public commitment to shrinking its environmental footprint.