Belfast City Airport Achieve Platinum Level in Northern Ireland's Environmental Benchmarking Survey

Belfast City Airport has achieved Platinum in Business in the Community (BITC)’s Northern Ireland’s Environmental Benchmarking Survey for the fifth consecutive year.

Highlighting the airport’s commitment to having a lasting and positive impact, the Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey assesses the extent to which environmental business practices have been embedded within its corporate strategies and operations.

Commenting on the achievement, Ian Nuttall, Environment and Sustainability Manager at Belfast City Airport, said: “As a responsible neighbour, Belfast City Airport strives to do all it can to facilitate seamless travel while prioritising sustainability through its work to address key challenges and benefit the local community.

“Achieving Platinum status in the Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey for the fifth consecutive year is testament to this, showcasing our team’s determination in implementing sustainable practices across the business.”

Earlier this year, Belfast City Airport adopted Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil fuel across its airside vehicles and equipment, potentially reducing its carbon vehicle emissions by up to 90%.

This shift to lower carbon fuel aligns with the airport’s ongoing sustainability initiatives, which includes the upgrade of main apron lighting to energy-efficient LED systems.

Kieran Harding, Managing Director, BITC said: “The Survey is a self-disclosure exercise that offers organisations a way to be externally assessed and scored on their environmental efforts and performance.

“Participating organisations have access to a Gap Analysis Report to help them to identify areas that need action and highlights where they are performing well, so it’s a comparison tool and real driver for improvement.”

On some of the findings from the Survey, Keelin McCone, Head of Environment, BITC commented “We can see that businesses in NI recognise that an increase in the likelihood of extreme weather events due to climate change poses significant challenges to operations, supply chains, and long-term financial stability.

“The Survey highlighted that at least 89% of companies have identified climate risks to their business and just over half of organisations who took part in the Survey have mitigation plans in place.

“Biodiversity is being considered too, with 65% of businesses reporting that they have taken action to improve their impacts by making biodiversity a fundamental element in their ESG strategy.

“They’re making a difference along the value chain too, by engaging with sub-contractors, the local community, and schools, to clean up local green areas, provide bird boxes, planters, soil and wildflower seeds.”