Australia’s Perth Airport has achieved a 98% score on the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) analysis. The GRESB is an international process that rates the environmental, social and governance performance of major infrastructure assets. The score is a significant improvement on the 76% score achieved when the airport was first benchmarked in 2018.
“Since first participating in the analysis, the Perth Airport board committed to a new Environment, Social, People and Governance (ESPG) strategy, which set ambitious targets for the Perth Airport team, including a commitment to expand renewable energy to make the airport’s scope 1 and 2 emissions carbon neutral by 2030,” said Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown.
The result has placed Perth Airport sixth in the rankings of more than 500 companies around the world.
Brown added that the airport will now continue to build on these foundations and to move forward by challenging its own team to drive further improvements in all areas of its operations.
“We were also the No.1 ranked participating airport and have been awarded “Sector Leader Status” by GRESB,” he said.
“We have now set the benchmark and have the motivation and commitment to continue to live up to this standard and continue to perform strongly in the internationally recognised GRESB accreditation.
Top three UK airports
The efforts of AGS Airports, which owns Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, in working towards a more sustainable future for aviation were also recognised by GRESB.
Within the UK Transport: Airport Companies categories, Southampton, Aberdeen and Glasgow were ranked first, second and third respectively. In the same worldwide category Southampton was third, Aberdeen seventh and Glasgow ninth.
“As one of the UK’s largest airport groups, we are committed to ensuring that we balance the undoubted economic and social benefits delivered by our airports with our climate responsibilities,” said Ronald Leitch, Operations Director for Glasgow Airport.
Meanwhile Derek Provan, CEO of AGS Airports said: “At AGS we are committed to balancing the undoubted economic and social benefits of aviation with our climate change responsibilities.
“To have all three of our airports named as the top three performing airports for sustainability by GRESB is a great achievement.”
Since 2018 AGS has reduced direct carbon emissions by 52% and in 2020 each of its airports achieved carbon neutrality status.
“We are also committed to working with the wider aviation industry to achieve net zero and deliver a future that is inclusive, low carbon and connected,” he concluded.
