Calling for greater transparency over environmental action in private and general aviation, Victor has launched a five-stage ‘Build Back Better’ plan for the industry with the help from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).

The plan tries eto encompass all aspects of business aviation including: consumer awareness of carbon footprints; investment in reduction innovations and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); investing in high-quality carbon offsetting; going beyond net zero for every transaction and third-party verification and disclosure.

The plan aims to give g private aviation businesses a framework through which they can show their commitment to a more sustainable industry.

The Five Steps:

• Awareness: Investing in education and raising awareness with consumers, supply chain, and future generations of the impact of their carbon footprint and how they can reduce or mitigate it.

• Mitigation: Every flight must be beyond carbon neutral. This can be achieved by offsetting more than the total emissions of that flight, or by engaging a hybrid solution of offsetting and sustainable aviation fuel, where available.

• Nature-based solutions: Choose offsetting providers and projects which offer nature-based solutions and are Gold Standard or Voluntary Carbon Standard accredited.

• Third party verification:  Publish the carbon emissions of the company operations and flight performance, as well as the mitigation strategy. The emissions and associated carbon credit retirement should be audited by a third-party as the company itself cannot objectively mark its own efforts.
• Innovation and reduction: Invest time and research into exploring new technologies which will deliver a proven reduction on your impact on global warming. Smart technology might include SAF viability, optimising flight routes or research into contrails to reduce the quantum of emissions.

“Chartering a private aircraft provides your family and friends with a safe way to get to anywhere in the world, at a time of your choosing, with minimum risk.” said Clive Jackson, founder and chairman, Victor.

“Your ability to choose how you travel does, however, come with the added responsibility to protect our society and the future of our planet. We cannot overlook the fact that a private jet emits up to 20 times more CO2 per passenger mile than a commercial airliner. Operators, brokers, and customers must accept that the privilege they enjoy comes with certain obligations”.

Jackson is adamant that every private jet flight must be carbon negative by a significant proportion. He believes every passenger should remove more carbon than they emit, “and this commitment and claim must be verifiable and open to scrutiny by others”.

Jackson added: “Today we can offer a mix of sustainable synthetic fuel, smart tech and UN-approved carbon sequestration programmes as a range of verifiable mitigation options that go hand-in-hand with the freedom to choose how we wish to travel”.

As part of the plan, Victor has become the first private jet company to have its annual flight, emissions and carbon credit purchase data formally audited and published. The firm is also calling for this level of transparency to become a standard in aviation.

Victor’s audited 2020 environmental performance is published [here] [flyvictor.com /carbon-offset-report/2020]. Victor emitted more than 21,272t of carbon and offset more than 45,000t of carbon in 2020, protecting forest which cover an area four times the size of Manhattan, New York and 116 times the size Monaco.

Robert Baltus, chief operating officer (COO), EBAA said: “The EBAA supports Victor’s Build Back Better Framework and in particular welcomes their call for third  party verification and full transparency on environmental investments made by private aviation businesses.

“Since Victor took this programme worldwide in 2019 and started mandating a 200% carbon offset on every flight, we encourage others in business aviation to follow their lead. At EBAA, we are working hard to develop a path to a more sustainable future for business aviation. The next hill for business aviation to climb is the utilisation of sustainable aviation fuel  on a greater scale. We look forward to working alongside Victor and other EBAA members to develop a SAF roadmap and engage the industry to adopt it.”

Paz Nachon,  head of Climate Action at Vertis Environmental Finance, said: “I was very impressed by how deeply climate action is rooted into Fly Victor’s business model. Fly Victor’s top management is leading the efforts and is closely involved in the emission reduction projects selection. Over the duration of our collaboration, Fly Victor supported nature-based projects with high environmental, social and ecosystem co-benefits. We are honoured to help Fly Victor in their dedicated climate action and look forward to working together in partnership as their exciting sustainability programme continues to develop.”