Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 20-Jan-2022

This CAPA report features a summary of recent aviation sustainability and environment news, selected from the 300+ news alerts published daily by CAPA. For more information, please contact us.

Etihad expands sustainable loyalty programme with Corporate Conscious Choices

Etihad Airways expanded (19-Jan-2022) its sustainable loyalty initiative with the Corporate Conscious Choices programme in cooperation with a number of corporate partners, including CWT and Accenture.

The programme incentivises positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) development amongst organisations and their staff, providing benefits across the key areas of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investment, carbon offsetting, green surcharging and corporate conscious miles.

The initiative expands on Etihad's Guest Conscious Choices offering, launched in Dec-2021 as the world's first loyalty programme to incentivise sustainable choices, as reported by CAPA.

Etihad Aviation Group CEO Tony Douglas stated: "Sustainability has been at the top of Etihad's agenda as the most significant long-term priority of our business for a long time now; but it is more than just a business priority".

Mr Douglas added: "It's a social responsibility, as the influence organisations have on society as leaders, helping consumers make sustainable choices in their everyday lives, is a duty and obligation of doing business". [more - original PR]

Excerpt from original report: Etihad Expands Green Loyalty Offering with Corporate Programme to Reward Organisations and Their Staff for Making Sustainable Choices

Corporate Conscious Choices by Etihad recognises and rewards corporates and their employees with a series of cohesive sustainability initiatives, providing corporate partners a competitive edge through sustainability
The programme allows organisations to offset corporate travel, invest in Sustainable Aviation Fuels and promote sustainable activities
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Etihad Airways has launched its dedicated sustainability-focused corporate rewards programme, designed to facilitate and deliver corporate partner sustainability goals through carbon offsetting, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investments and green surcharge fares.

Corporate Conscious Choices is designed specifically for organisations committed to reducing emissions and operating sustainably, with rewards and incentives designed to proactively support pro-environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and employee behaviour.

The programme provides benefits across four core sustainability pillars: SAF Investment, Green Surcharges, Corporate Conscious Miles and Carbon Offsets.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Sustainability has been at the top of Etihad's agenda as the most significant long-term priority of our business for a long time now; but it is more than just a business priority. It's a social responsibility, as the influence organisations have on society as leaders, helping consumers make sustainable choices in their everyday lives, is a duty and obligation of doing business.

"We have put a lot of focus on what governments and regulators should be doing to battle climate change, but the fact is we need corporates' help and there is an equal responsibility for corporates to do what they can to reduce their own carbon footprint, while leading by example to help consumers to live more sustainably.

"All corporates and organisations need transportation, whether it's for travel or their supply chain. Our aim with the launch of Corporate Conscious Choices is to recognise those corporations that take the most sustainable actions through rewards and recognition."

The programme has already resonated among corporates, with a number of leading global organisations partnering with Etihad to launch the programme, including CWT, one of the largest business travel management companies globally; and Accenture.

Patrick Andersen, Chief Commercial Officer, CWT, said: "Seeking more environmentally responsible travel solutions is a continuing focus, and our initial offsetting partnership with Etihad is the latest in our range of such groundbreaking initiatives."

Accenture is committed to net-zero emissions by 2025 and is working with clients and partners worldwide to achieve their sustainability ambitions. Accenture is also creating new travel guidelines and tools for their people, enabling them to make responsible and climate-smart travel decisions and are happy to partner with Etihad in implementing this pioneering sustainable travel initiative.

Corporate Conscious Choices has been designed as an open platform that can be adapted to the unique needs of individual corporates, so rewards and incentivisation can be tailored against any of the four core pillars of the programme:

SAF Investment: Sustainable aviation fuel is potentially one of the key components to a sustainable future of air travel, with the potential to reduce up to 80% of net carbon emissions throughout its full-cycle from production to utilisation. Through Corporate Conscious Choices, corporate partners will have the ability to bulk buy Sustainable Aviation Fuel with Etihad, which will be fully accredited and can be used to offset against the company Scope 3 emission requirement.

Green Surcharges: Corporates can opt to have a "Green surcharge" added to each corporate travel flight tickets, which is then invested in offset solutions, such as SAF, mangrove planting, re-forestation or community projects in Africa. The surcharge will pay or partially pay for the emissions created by staff on business travel, and these investments will be fully accredited where possible to provide the corporate with Scope 3 emission reductions.

Corporate Conscious Miles: When business travellers fly on Etihad and earn Etihad Guest Miles, the airline will award the miles to their organisation as well. In addition to this, Corporate Conscious Points can be used to offset corporate travel, everyday activities or purchase sustainable products from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop. Etihad will further reward businesses should their employees make conscious choices as provided within the Etihad Guest programme.

Carbon Offsets: Corporate Conscious Points can be invested in either an Etihad Offset programme or a programme of the corporate's choice to offset the emissions produced on every Etihad business travel flight. The Etihad solutions will be accredited where possible and provide a contribution to the corporation's Scope 3 reduction and additionally scope 1 reductions for Etihad.

With governmental pressure for corporates to demonstrate and uphold ESG standards, integrating offset schemes within corporates may raise these corporates scores in ESG indices, and Etihad will also work with partners on other ESG initiatives.

Corporate Conscious Choices follows the launch of the Etihad Guest Green Loyalty programme, Conscious Choices and rounds out Etihad's customer sustainability offering to facilitate and incentivise sustainable travel and lifestyle choices.

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays introduce carbon offsetting scheme as part of sustainability strategy

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays introduced (12-Jan-2022) the first set of major operational changes as part of their sustainability strategy, including an airline carbon offsetting scheme.

From 2022, the carrier will offset every tonne of its carbon emissions not already covered by its contribution to existing schemes, such as ICAO's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and UK and EU emissions trading schemes.

The carrier also stated that its ground operations and offices are carbon neutral, effective 01-Jan-2022.

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays CEO Steve Heapy stated: "This year we will also continue to make strides to develop our commitment to sustainable aviation fuel as well as our hotel sustainability charter, so that we are becoming more sustainable in the air, on the ground and in resort... We will also be calling on Governments at home and in Europe to match the increased regulation on aviation by taking their own actions to decarbonise the sector". [more - original PR]

Original report: Sustainability journey is taking off

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have introduced the first set of major operational changes detailed in their sustainability strategy, including one of the largest airline carbon offsetting schemes globally. The sustainability strategy, launched in September 2021, sets the organisation on path to net zero by 2050, in line with Government targets, however the company aspires to bring this date forward.

One of the headline commitments for 2022 is the launch of Jet2.com's carbon offsetting scheme, one of the largest such schemes of any airline globally. From 2022, the company will offset every tonne of its carbon emissions not already covered by their contribution to existing schemes (CORSIA and UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes).

Furthermore, as of 1st January 2022, Jet2.com's ground operations are carbon neutral, making it one of the first European airlines to achieve this, whilst all Jet2.com and Jet2holidays' offices are now carbon neutral and powered by renewable energy.

The initiatives are the first in a series of actions and commitments that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have made as part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy. This sets the company on a path to net zero by 2050, in line with Government targets, however the company aspires to bring this date forward.

Other pledges include:

• The purchase of up to 75 new A321 NEO aircraft which will make travelling with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays even more efficient by further reducing emissions per passenger.
• Using UK-produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by no later than 2026.
• An 80% reduction in single use plastics on aircraft by 2023 (equivalent to removing 11 million single use plastic items by 2023, which is on top of nine million single use items already removed per year prior to 2019).
• Launching a Hotel Sustainability Charter to encourage hotels to receive GSTC certification from 2023.

Jet2.com is already ranked as the 11th most environmentally efficient airline globally, according to the most recent atmosfair* Airline Index, which compares and ranks the 200 largest airlines in the world. The pledges detailed in the Sustainability Strategy build on actions that the company has already taken to make it one of the most efficient airlines in the world, include increasing efficiency across its operations, which has saved over 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 in the last decade (the equivalent of nearly one million cars being taken off the road for a year).

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: "The launch of our carbon offsetting scheme today marks the first major step in our journey to net zero. It is our responsibility to pay for every tonne of carbon we emit and today's announcement makes this a reality, meaning that from 1st January 2022 our customers can be assured that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have their carbon covered."

"This, however, is just one milestone in our journey to reach our sustainability targets. 2022 also marks the realisation of our carbon neutral ground operations, and we are also powering our offices with 100% renewable energy. This year we will also continue to make strides to develop our commitment to sustainable aviation fuel as well as our hotel sustainability charter, so that we are becoming more sustainable in the air, on the ground, and in resort."

"We will also be calling on Governments at home and in Europe to match the increased regulation on aviation by taking their own actions to decarbonise the sector. This includes investing the proceeds of the UK & EU Emissions Trading Schemes, as well any other green levies imposed on the aviation industry, directly into decarbonisation as well as reporting on where these proceeds are being invested. We will also continue pushing for airspace reforms across Europe which will dramatically and immediately reduce carbon emissions in EU airspace by at least 10%."

Gazpromneft-Aero supplies sustainable aviation fuel for Ural Airlines service

Swedavia implements fossil free diesel incentive scheme at Stockholm and Gothenburg airports