“Climate-conscious travel”: Project supported by SKW Schwarz wins German Sustainability Award

The ‘Climate-conscious travel’ project, initiated by the sustainability initiative Futouris e.V. and the German Travel Association (DRV), has been awarded the German Sustainability Award Products 2026. SKW Schwarz provided comprehensive legal support for the core of the project, the KlimaLink emissions data platform, in the implementation of the project goal.

The KlimaLink platform, which for the first time provides a standardised, ISO-compliant basis for calculating and presenting emissions data for flights, accommodation, buses and cars in the form of climate footprints, thus makes the climate impact of travel, a previously difficult-to-access area, transparent. In its statement, the expert jury of the German Sustainability Award Products emphasised: ‘The initiative shows that reliable and consistent data is key to involving both consumers and providers in more sustainable decision-making processes.’ Through a combination of standardisation, broad industry participation and integration into existing distribution systems, the project paves the way for a more climate-conscious travel market.

SKW Schwarz supported the project with a focus on the legally compliant communication of CO₂e data and the avoidance of potentially misleading or ambiguous environmental claims. This was based on a risk assessment report prepared by the law firm, which specified the requirements for transparency, scientific traceability and competition law.

‘Clear legal certainty is particularly important in the area of sustainable product labelling,’ says Dr. Daniel Kendziur, partner at SKW Schwarz. ‘In order for sustainability innovations such as KlimaLink's emissions data platform to build trust, they must be transparent and robust not only methodologically but also legally. The award impressively demonstrates how legal diligence and sustainability innovation can go hand in hand.’

The German Sustainability Award for Products honours products that make particularly effective contributions to sustainable transformation in one of five areas of transformation: climate, resources, nature, society and value chain.