Air Partner has increased its carbon offsetting by 65% over the past year, following the launch of its opt-out strategy that auto-enrols clients to the firm’s carbon offsetting scheme.
Mark Briffa, Air Partner’s CEO said: “Consumers are increasingly concerned about climate change and conscious of their impact on the environment, and this is reflected amongst our private jet and group charter clients, who are being more mindful than ever about when and how often they travel, whether for business or leisure.”
This switch from opt-in to opt-out is part of the company’s sustainability strategy and follows the carbon offsetting model recommended by the UK government’s Department for Transport.
Air Partner announced their partnership with Climate Impact Partners last year, which calculates and offsets flight carbon emissions by adding a cost to the flight. Climate Impact Partners, formerly known as ClimateCare, plans to cut 1bn tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030.
The carbon offsetting programme also focuses upon providing sustainable community projects in developing countries. For the past 14 years, Air Partner has provided energy-saving cookstoves in Ghana and has installed more rooftop solar-powered heating and water systems in India. The project has recently expanded to offer these solutions to small and medium-sized businesses in the community.
“We’re introducing additional initiatives for our customers, from tree planting to sustainable onboard catering and the option to select aircraft via an energy efficiency rating scheme, ensuring we continue our commitment to becoming more eco-friendly,” said Briffa.
Air Partner’s carbon reduction strategy includes using renewable energy in its offices, a salary sacrifice scheme offering electric vehicles with charging infrastructure for its employees and is going paperless. It also supports partnerships with food and hygiene banks and projects such as Gatwick Greenspaces supporting the local community, wildlife and countryside.
Briffa concluded: “It is incredibly positive to see our customers taking steps to minimise their carbon emissions and doing what they can to make a difference.”
Meanwhile, read CJI’s Guide to Sustainable Business Aviation 2022 here.
