As pandemic era travel restrictions begin to ease, the airline industry sees an opportunity to reevaluate their modus operandi. As an industry leader in air travel, Cathay Pacific Airways responds to such changes by integrating sustainability into standard business operations.
“These adjustments allow us to gradually restore operational capacity and set an inspiring new milestone,” Cathay Pacific President Ronald Lam stated.
Equality and Community Involvement
Recognized by the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, Cathay Pacific dedicates itself to maintaining gender equality throughout its corporate structure, aiming to maintain a gender ratio no higher than 7:3 both in regular personnel and the board of directors. Cathay Pacific encourages active participation in community service, with employees contributing nearly 1,720 hours of volunteer work and 390,000 items donated to charitable organizations. The post pandemic “Wellness for All ” program aims to promote community development, reflecting corporate awareness of social changes.
Towards Net-Zero Carbon Emissions: Creating a Green Future for Aviation
According to Oxford University’s Our World in Data database, fuel combustion from airliners not only emits carbon dioxide but also various non-CO2 greenhouse gasses. To achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, airline companies expressed plans to reduce carbon emissions by over 50% compared to 2005 by 2050.
Cathay Pacific Airways launched the first Asian “Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program” in 2022, making history with Hong Kong International Airport and Changi Airport as the first to utilize sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in select flights. Cathay Pacific aims to enhance awareness of sustainable aviation fuel in the Asia-Pacific region, expressing demand for sustainable aviation fuel to local supply chains, at the same time setting to increase sustainable aviation fuel use to 10% by 2030.
“This is a significant milestone for Cathay Pacific Airways as it works towards achieving its net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. Cathay Pacific will continue to lead the aviation industry in exploring different carbon reduction solutions and advocate for collaboration with various stakeholders to address climate change,” expresses Ronald Lam.
Due to the substantial carbon emissions of long-haul flights, which can exceed certain countries’ annual per capita carbon emissions, many airlines have introduced “flight carbon offset” programs that allow passengers to pay to offset the carbon emissions generated by their flights. Several European countries have also introduced incentives for using trains and high-speed rails to encourage a shift from traditional private transportation.
Cathay Pacific Airways’ voluntary carbon offset program “Fly Greener Skies” is open to cargo and corporate customers, allowing users to offset carbon emissions of their airfreight or business travels through a user-friendly interface.
Inability to sustain operations during the pandemic comes at a heavy cost. Cathay Pacific Airways chose to turn crisis into opportunity, adjusting its corporate operational policies at this crucial moment to respond to new market trends, ensuring sustainable company operation and paving way for a new green sky.
Recommendation for you:
