MAG publishes annual CSR Report for 2023/24 and details progress in delivering a sustainable future
- MAG Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report details progress on decarbonisation, education and employment and community outreach
- Highlights include launch of a Carbon Curriculum for young people, involvement in regional hydrogen clusters and industry-leading SAF research
- More than 5,500 young people were inspired about careers at MAG’s Aerozones.
- More than £790,000 was donated to local causes across the country
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, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports, across its three sustainability pillars: Zero Carbon Airports, Opportunity for All and Local Voices.
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 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, MAG has continued to deliver initiatives to support the transition to zero carbon aviation. This includes the announcement of a 14.3Mw Solar Farm at London Stansted to help meet the airport’s energy needs, and the introduction of a new fleet of electric airfield ground vehicles across its airports.
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. During the year, Jet2.com announced it would begin using SAF on its aircraft operating in and out of London Stansted, while Ryanair signed an agreement with Shell, purchasing 1,000 tonnes of SAF for use on air services out of the London airport.
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 its three airport Aerozone education facilities. Nearly 15,000 people were training and employability support at MAG’s Airport Academies.
Drawing on MAG’s experience in this field, CEO Ken O’Toole has today written (LINK) 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
· Announcing East Midlands Airport’s role in East Midlands Hydrogen, the UK’s largest hydrogen cluster
Opportunity for All
· Welcoming more than 5,500 school children between the ages of four and 18 to the Group’s on-site Aerozones
· Providing more than half of the Group’s education support to pupils and schools in areas identified as ‘priority’
· Supporting more than 14,900 people with skills and employment training at MAG’s Airport Academies
· Generating more than £7.5m for SMEs through the Meet the Buyer events
Local Voices
· Donating more than £790,000 to local charities and community groups through airport Community Funds
· Hosting an industry-first Youth Summit, bringing together all three of MAG’s Youth Forums to take views from young people about sustainability
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.”
Links to MAG's CSR Reports for 2023/24
London Stansted Airport CSR Report
East Midlands Airport CSR Report
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NOTES:
· MAG’s Aerozone facilities, first pioneered at East Midlands Airport in 2010, showcase the wide variety of aviation career paths available to young people through interactive activities, and presentations from airport and on-site partner colleagues, from a wide range of departments. All three of MAG’s airports now have on-site Aerozones.
· Manchester Airports Group (MAG) is the UK’s largest airports group which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports. In 2023/24 the Group served 63m passengers.
· Under its current CSR Strategy ‘Working together for a brighter future’, MAG has a target to reach net zero carbon operations by no later than 2038.
· MAG holds an independently verified five-star GRESB rating, and gold standard EcoVadis rating for its approach to ESG and sustainability
· MAG’s research into SAF concluded that if all the waste intended for incineration were used to make SAF, the carbon saving would be equivalent to the emissions of at least 46 million people flying from London Stansted to Madrid every year.
· The introduction of an RCM will ensure that the cost of fuel remains competitive and create favourable conditions for investment in and the creation of a successful UK SAF industry, that could create up to 60,000 new green jobs