A Sustainable Future
There’s strength in togetherness. That’s why our member airlines are working side-by-side to share knowledge and best practices to reduce air travel’s impact on the environment. We’re passionate about doing more to reduce our carbon emissions and protect the world we connect.
Aiming High
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) provide a blueprint for a better future for everyone. SkyTeam and its members are basing their efforts on six of the UNSDGs that we have selected to guide our mission to reduce our impact.
- Gender equality
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
Our sustainability standards
Twelve sustainability standards are guiding our path to being the most seamless and sustainable global airline alliance. The Sustainable Flight Challenge is just one of our many initiatives that are making meaningful contributions to a more sustainable operating model.
Marking a first step towards setting an alliance-wide shared sustainability ambition, the primary goal of the standards is to support member airlines in making a positive impact. Our focus areas land within three pillars and are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
Employee welfare & equality
Being a great, safe place to work contributes to the health and wellbeing of our people, which comes full circle in the excellent service they deliver to our customers. We embrace diversity, equity and inclusivity at all levels across our organizations – for example, by becoming the first global alliance to sign up to IATA’s 25by2025 to help close the gender gap in aviation.
Implement Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
eNPS measures employee satisfaction and how likely they would be to recommend their workplace to others. By rolling out this internal measurement tool, we can keep track of improvements in our employees’ wellbeing and overall satisfaction.
Improve Employee Net Promoter Score
Using eNPS will help us keep track of improvements in our employees’ wellbeing and overall satisfaction.
Increase women in senior positions (IATA 25by2025)
We have unanimously signed up to this global IATA initiative, helping to close aviation’s gender gap by increasing the percentage of women in senior positions and underrepresented areas.
RISE: Creating female leaders of the future
SkyTeam’s RISE program is helping women to soar at our member airlines, who each nominate female candidates to participate in this annual leadership program.
Operating footprint
We’re working to minimize our footprint in a way that allows for our operations to be lasting. This includes plans to increase reusable materials onboard and swap out single-use plastics for biodegradable alternatives. And we’re taking stakeholders who share our vision on our journey, including our customers and suppliers.
Reducing single-use plastics on board
We are working to reduce single-use plastics, including wrappers, cutlery, cups, bottles and containers to further reduce our footprint.
More sustainable supply chains
We are responsible for ensuring suppliers align with our sustainability journey, so we’re working to implement Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards across our supply chains.
Waste reuse and recycling
When it comes to non-food waste, we are working to increase the recycling of materials used on board to make them more sustainable.
Saying no to unethical cargo
To protect endangered plants and wildlife and help stop the trade in non-responsibly sourced gems and precious metals, we are taking measures to ensure the cargo we carry across our network is ethical.
Energy & climate action
Together with our members, we’re charting a path towards net-zero emissions by 2050 – both from direct fuel use for aircraft and from supporting equipment. This includes rolling out innovations to reduce overall fuel burn and making longer-term commitments to the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). To support our operations, we’re increasing our use of clean energy sources, from harnessing renewable power at our facilities, to electrification of ground support vehicles.
Electrification of ground support equipment (GSE)
Using electric GSE, such as baggage tractors, belt loaders, ground power units and push back tugs, will help reduce our overall footprint from ground operations at our hubs.
Use of renewable energy at facilities
We’re seeking greener alternatives for lighting, heating and air-conditioning, working towards using more renewable energy sources at our facilities.
Reducing fuel burn
Operational efficiencies, like taking measures to reduce aircraft weight, help reduce the amount of fuel we burn in our day-to-day operations.
Adoption of sustainable aviation fuel
Using SAF instead of fossil-based jet fuels will have the biggest impact on reducing CO2 emissions and we’re committed fueling more of our operations with sustainable fuel sources.
Sustainability initiatives by SkyTeam members
Below you will find links to each member’s website where you can learn about their sustainability initiatives and commitment to creating a more sustainable future for aviation.
Sustainability in Action
SkyTeam members are committed to making changes and investments to help them fly more sustainably. Here are some of latest stories about the work they are doing to reshape the future of air travel.
