01 June 2010
In an important milestone for Auckland Airport, it‟s commitment to sustainable business practice has been recognised by EarthCheck, the world‟s leading sustainable travel and tourism certification organisation.
The EarthCheck Programme is widely regarded as the world‟s most scientifically rigorous. It measures key environmental indicators such as energy and water consumption, total waste production as well as community commitment.
Using the EarthCheck tool, Auckland Airport is committed to benchmarking local environmental and social issues such as biodiversity conservation, environmental investment and enhanced community socio-economic benefits. This involves submitting a year‟s worth of operational data, and having it compared to that of other communities of a similar kind. As a result, Auckland Airport has achieved Bronze Benchmarked status.
By taking such a holistic view of sustainability practices, Auckland Airport was able to identify where they were out-performing others, and where room for improvement remained. Of particular note is Auckland Airport „s Best Practice achievement for its Sustainability Policy, the corner stone of its entire sustainability programme.
Martin Fryer Sustainability Advisor said “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded Bronze Benchmarked status. Over the past three years Auckland Airport has worked very hard to move towards more sustainable business practice. Receiving validation from Earthcheck, the only global sustainable tourism programme, provides recognition to the whole company for a continued commitment to sustainability.”
The EarthCheck Programme allows an organisation to compare its performance against that of others using more than a decade of factual, operational data, submitted by over 1000 communities, government entities and businesses in 60+ countries.
“I am delighted that Auckland Airport has achieved Benchmarked status,” says Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global. “Auckland Airport has recognised a maturing of the science behind climate change and environmental sustainability, and has chosen to apply the highest possible standard to an industry sector that comes under close scrutiny. They join another market leader - Kuala Lumpur international Airport - in using EarthCheck to demonstrate the role airports can taking in helping the travel and tourism industry take a proactive and positive stance.
“Going well beyond mere tick-box action is not an easy task. It requires the commitment of all staff, visitors and key stakeholders. Auckland Airport has emerged as an example of a community organisation committed to environmentally sustainable living, and the EarthCheck logo serves to demonstrate that their claims are credible.”
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