Sustainability is a core pillar of our 10-year strategy, shaping how we manage New Zealand’s airspace and how we operate as a business.
We're focussed on reducing emissions, enabling innovation, addressing climate risks, reporting to GRI and IR standards, and collaborating to support aviation’s long-term sustainability goals.
Our commitment to GHG emissions reduction
Reducing our carbon footprint is a key focus in our sustainability efforts and we are actively monitoring and working to reduce our GHG emissions.
Airways is committed to GHG Emission targets which are science aligned to limit global warming to 1.5°C, in line with the New Zealand Government's Carbon Neutral Government Programme, the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019, the International Paris Agreement, and requirements under the Toitū CarbonReduce programme.
- Scope 1 & 2: Reduce emissions by 5.9% annually (64 tCO2e) through 2034.
- Scope 3: Reduce emissions by 4.2% annually (114 tCO2e) through 2034.
- Carbon neutrality: Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
-
Scope 3 Supplier engagement: By 2029, 25% of Airways' suppliers will have science-aligned targets.
To support these targets, we are developing a comprehensive emissions reduction plan.
Sustainable airspace management
A important aspect of our sustainability efforts is efficient airspace management of the planes we are managing within New Zealand’s airspace. By optimising flight paths and profiles, we help airlines and other airspace users to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. This is done by refining routes, improving descents and climbs, and minimising delays both in the air and on the ground. Through smart air traffic management and close collaboration with airspace users, we are working to drive more sustainable operations across New Zealand’s aviation network.
Industry collaboration on decarbonisation
We are actively working with New Zealand and international partners to explore, test, and implement ways to reduce aviation emissions. This includes joint initiatives to trial more fuel-efficient flight procedures, share performance data, and develop new tools, procedures and systems that support lower-emission air travel.
We have partnered with other Asia-Pacific air navigation service providers (ANSPs), CANSO, and IATA in the Free Route Trajectory Operations (FRTO) project. Together, we are exploring the best approach to delivering lower emissions air traffic management by selecting city pairs within our flight information regions. Initial testing of these fuel-efficient routes has shown promising results.
We are working with other air navigation service providers in the Asia-Pacific region, along with CANSO and IATA, on the Trajectory-Based Operation (TBO) Pathfinder Project. Over the next four years, this initiative will develop and demonstrate improved flight planning methods to make air travel more efficient. TBO helps aircraft follow the best possible routes, reducing fuel use and emissions by enabling quick and smooth information-sharing between airlines, ANSPs and other aviation stakeholders.
Climate change risks
Airways has started the process to identify both its physical and transitional climate changes risks, as our surrounding environment changes to a warming world.
While we are not a mandatory reporting entity, we are using the XRB (External Reporting Board) standards to create climate change scenarios to identify future physical and transitional climate change risks, along with opportunities and impacts on Airways.
Commitment to transparent reporting
Our sustainability partnerships and affiliations
Achieving true sustainability in aviation requires collective action. We are working alongside key partners and industry leaders to share knowledge, foster innovation, and accelerate progress towards a low-carbon future:
Toitū Envirocare
Toitū is our auditing organisation for our Carbon Footprint and Carbon Reduce certifier.
Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation CANSO
CANSO is global body representing 90 % of air navigation services providers (ANSPs) globally. We are investigating CANSO's industry endorsed GreenATM environmental accreditation.
Sustainable Business Network SBN
Airways is an impact investor of the SBN. They are a specialist network that enables system change in the areas of climate, waste, and nature.
Sustainable Business Council SBC
SBC is a membership organisation that connects businesses, partners, and sectors. They offer collaborative and supportive opportunities for member businesses and undertake advocacy work to further action on climate and nature towards a future that is zero emissions, resilient, and nature regenerative.
Carbon Neutral Government Programme
The Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) has been set up to accelerate the reduction of emissions within the public sector. As a State-Owned Enterprise, we report our Carbon Footprint to CNGP and align our gross emissions reduction targets with a 1.5°C pathway.
