Manchester Airports Group CEO hails impact of sustainability, education and community initiatives

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) today published its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report for 2023/24, detailing the progress against the delivery of its CSR Strategy, ‘Working together for a brighter future.’

The Report highlights the achievements of the Group, which owns Manchester Airport as well as London Stansted and East Midlands Airports, across its three sustainability pillars – Zero Carbon Airports, Opportunity for All and Local Voices.

MAG CEO Ken O’Toole has praised the “hard work and enthusiasm” of his colleagues in Manchester as well as in London Stansted and East Midlands Airport in creating a sustainable future for all.  

MAG’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future is long-standing, with the Group working for more than two decades to decarbonise its operations, inspire the next generation of aviation professionals and support local communities.

The Group, which is majority-owned by the metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester, continues to be independently recognised for its robust and credible approach to sustainability.

This year, the Group retained its five-star GRESB rating, as well securing a Gold Standard rating from EcoVadis – two leading ESG benchmarking tools.

As MAG moves closer to its target of net zero carbon operations by 2038, and towards the industry target of 2050, the Group’s airports have continued to deliver initiatives to support the transition to zero carbon aviation. This includes the introduction of a new fleet of electric airfield ground vehicles across its airports, including Manchester, alongside the announcement of a 14.3Mw Solar Farm at London Stansted to help meet the airport’s energy needs.

In March, the Group published research conducted by transport sustainability experts ICF, which found that using the 27m tonnes of annual UK household waste to make Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) would be at least five times better for the environment than burning the waste to generate electricity.

The Group also welcomed positive developments from the Government this year, including its announcement to introduce a UK SAF mandate from 2025, that means that by 2030 at least 10% of all aviation fuel in the UK must be SAF. In 2021, Manchester Airport signed an agreement with Fulcrum Bioenergy UK with a view to becoming the first in the UK to secure a direct pipeline supply of SAF. In September, MAG supported the Government’s decision to bring forward legislation that will create a Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) for SAF in the UK.

MAG’s long-standing commitment to inspiring the next-generation of aviation professionals was underlined during the year, with more than 5,500 young people passing through the AeroZone education facilities at its three airports – with more than 2,100 of these at Manchester. Nearly 1,000 people from underprivileged backgrounds or who had been out of work for an extended period were given training and employability support at Manchester Airport Academy last year.

Drawing on MAG’s experience in this field, CEO Ken O’Toole has today written about the role of business in encouraging young people to stay in school by inspiring them about future careers.

Other highlights from MAG’s annual CSR Report included:

Zero Carbon Airports

·       Using 100% electricity from renewable sources across its UK operations.

·       Launching the Jet Zero Curriculum in all three MAG Aerozones, teaching the next generation about the role of SAF

Opportunity for All

·       Directly supporting the education of more than 8,700 school pupils in Greater Manchester and Cheshire

·       Providing more than three quarters of education support to pupils and schools in areas identified as ‘priority’

·       Purchasing more than a third of goods and services used at Manchester Airport from local suppliers

·       Generating more than £7.5m for SMEs through the Meet the Buyer events at the three MAG airports

Local Voices

·       Donating more than £100,000 to local charities and community groups through the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund

·       Hosting an industry-first Youth Summit, bringing together all three of MAG’s Youth Forums to take views from young people about sustainability

·       Colleagues at Manchester Airport volunteered almost 4,700 hours to supporting good causes, as part of a scheme allowing them to take up to two days per year of paid company time to do voluntary work in their local communities.

MAG CEO Ken O’Toole said:

“Through the achievements we have published today in our annual CSR Report, it is clear that creating a sustainable future for all is a central commitment at MAG.

“I am proud of the programmes and initiatives we continue to deliver on an annual basis, as well as always finding new ways to enhance our work to decarbonsise our sector, inspire the next generation of aviation professionals and support our local communities.

“It is testament to the hard work and enthusiasm of colleagues right across our Group that we are able to offer such a comprehensive sustainability programme, and for that approach to be independently recognised as at a five-star standard.

“It is clear to me that our business has the ability to make a real impact on the lives of young people who are exploring their career options, and I look forward to continuing this work that will create a pipeline of young, talented individuals starting work in the aviation sector.

“As we develop our new five-year CSR Strategy, we will continue to develop our commitment to sustainability, to ensure that our industry can continue to thrive into the future.”