IAG is committed to net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050
IAG has led aviation action on climate change for over a decade. We played a key role in establishing the global CORSIA scheme, and in 2019 were the first airline group worldwide to commit to net zero emissions by 2050.
Now, we are delivering a package of measures to reduce our carbon footprint by 2030 and to reach net zero CO₂ emissions across our full operations and supply chain by 2050.
We are under no illusions, the challenge ahead is great. Aviation brings great benefits and 80% of emissions are for journeys over 1,500km where there are no reasonable alternatives to flying.
As an industry, we are currently reliant on fossil fuels and the low carbon solutions for aviation are more complex than for many other sectors. But we believe our ambitious goals are achievable.
With the IAG Flightpath net zero, strategy, launched in 2019, we are putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our business, ready to meet the task ahead. See our Annual report for details of our actions on:
- Fleet and operations
- Sustainable aviation fuel
- Carbon offsets and removals
- Supplier engagement and innovation
We are also using our influence to encourage industry partners to play their part and calling on governments to create the policies and incentives that will ensure we collectively meet our global climate goals.
Our vision
IAG has a vision to be a world leading aviation group on sustainability. That means using its scale, influence and track record to not only transform the business but drive the system-wide change required to create a truly sustainable aviation industry.
IAG is committed to delivering best practice in sustainability programmes, processes and impacts, while executing on Group strategy. Creating a truly sustainable business is fundamental to our long-term growth.
Our approach
Since 2015, IAG has maintained a vision to be a world leading airline group on sustainability. Group sustainability targets focus on the material aspects of climate change and diversity, as well as noise and waste. Our airlines have additional targets associated with other non-financial measures including energy efficiency, punctuality, and customer net promoter scores.
IAG is on track to deliver its 2025, 2030 and 2050 climate targets by carrying out emission-reduction initiatives, working in collaboration with key stakeholders and proactively advocating for supportive government policy and technology development.
SAF is a key solution in IAG's transition plan to net zero. It reduces carbon emissions on a greenhouse gas lifecycle basis and typically by 80% or more compared with the fossil jet fuels it replaces. IAG is on track to deliver a 100-fold increase in its SAF volumes between 2022 and 2030 and expects to use SAF for 70% of total fuel in 2050.
Diversity is one of IAG's core strengths, with colleagues joining us from across the world, and working in around 80 countries. IAG continues to champion and make positive progress relating to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and practices.
IAG is committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our employees, customers and all others related to our activities.
IAG leads the aviation industry in external ratings of climate action.
IAG continues to engage with other relevant ESG rating agencies to enable more accurate calculations of IAG's scores and to identify actions to improve these scores.
The Group and its operating airlines regularly engage with key stakeholders such as governments and regulators, shareholders, lenders and other financial stakeholders, trade associations, customers, suppliers, employees, communities, NGOs and academic institutions, to influence policy, drive action to meet our sustainability objectives and raise awareness of our programmes.
Our targets
10%
reduction in CO₂ per passenger kilometre by 2025
5
waste stream targets by 2025
10%
use of SAF by 2030
Net zero
CO₂ across our full operation and supply chain by 2050
Materiality assessment
IAG orientates its sustainability strategy around material issues: those which are most important to key stakeholders and which have the biggest external impacts.
To identify these issues over a three-year timeframe and to 2030, IAG repeated a materiality assessment in 2021 which was facilitated by an independent third party.
IAG does not have specific risk provisions, targets or guarantees related to non-material issues such as water consumption, biodiversity, raw materials consumption or light pollution.
More information on water and biodiversity is available in the Additional Disclosures section of the Consolidated statement of Non-financial information.
