London Stansted issues sustainability report card for last five years

London Stansted has published its latest sustainability report showcasing the airport’s achievements over the past five years.

It notes that its sustainability efforts are crucial to its ‘working together for a brighter future’ strategy.

The strategy is focused on the airport’s commitment to continue reducing its carbon emissions, create more jobs and training opportunities, including inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals, as well as having a positive and lasting impact on the communities that surround the airport.

Key achievements over the five-year period include:
• Establishing a target of transitioning to net zero carbon operations (scope one and two) by no later than 2038
• Gaining planning permission for the ongoing construction of a 14.3MW on-site solar farm, the first of its kind at a London airport
• Donating more than £665,000 to local organisations through the Stansted Community Fund.

The gateway’s ‘working together for a brighter future’ strategy has also been adopted fellow MAG group airports Manchester and East Midlands. It has three pillars: Opportunity for all; Local voices and Zero carbon airports.

Earlier this year the airport launched its new five-year Sustainability Strategy based on the target of creating a sustainable future for all by continuing to make progress on key targets and build on the strong foundations already in place to deliver the transition towards net zero carbon operations by 2038.

Gareth Powell, managing director of London Stansted, noted: “The past five years have seen the airport make excellent progress delivering a host of projects and initiatives against our three strategic priorities: Zero Carbon Airport, Opportunity for All and Local Voices.

“I’m very proud of our achievements, particularly in light of the unprecedented challenges we faced because of the pandemic.

“These positive developments include securing planning permission for our 14.3MW on-site solar farm, which in now well underway and when complete in spring next year will be the first of its kind at a London airport.

“Alongside this, our education and employment programmes supported more than 40,800 people, and we donated more than £665,000 to local causes through our Community Fund.

Over £665,000 has been awarded to local organisations through the Stansted Airport Community Fund.

“During the final year of our Strategy, our hard work continued to deliver successful sustainability initiatives, including the installation of 10 new high-speed Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers for EV owners using the airport.”

He continued: “We want to grow the airport in the most sustainable and responsible way possible and have applied to increase our passenger limit to 51 million per year on our existing runway without operating any additional flights beyond those already approved.

“We recognise to achieve this goal our ambitious approach to sustainability must continue, so earlier this year we launched our new sustainability strategy.

“The new Strategy builds on a more than two decades long commitment to sustainability as our industry moves towards its net zero targets. It reaffirms our commitment to providing opportunities for education and employment, as well as ensuring the voices of those who live closest to our airports are heard, understood and valued.”