“Sustainability” has recently surged in prevalence, appearing in public reports, written on labels and spoken in panels. But what does it really mean, and why does it really matter?
At the highest level, when a company considers its approach to sustainability, it is asking itself, “How do we need to operate today to ensure we’re going to be here, creating value for ourselves and all our stakeholders, in the long run?” In this way, sustainability touches every aspect of the business.
When people hear the word “sustainability,” often the first thing that comes to mind is the environment, or community involvement, and while these are certainly foundational elements to any robust sustainability strategy, it is so much more. Sustainability is analogous to risk management strategy, and in many ways, to a business strategy at large. By understanding sustainability as a business imperative, companies are helping ensure the longevity and success of their business, their industries, and our world at large.
This notion is something that companies are now looking for in one another, embedding sustainability criteria in their evaluation of potential partners. This extends from material suppliers to the investment community as well: investors are taking nonfinancial indicators into consideration to evaluate the long-term performance of companies, looking at value beyond dollars.
Sustainability means thinking about why we do what we do, at the most fundamental level. For example, at Bombardier, we distill this into creating better ways of moving people around the world.
Bombardier Business Aircraft, from the hangar floor to the cockpit to the boardroom, is committed to responsible practices, because we understand this is key to achieving sustainable, profitable growth.
But how does something so philosophical become ingrained across a business? There is no secret sauce to tackling sustainability comprehensively – it is dynamic, challenging and changing, just like the world in which we live., We try to approach it in a way that is holistic and comprehensive, looking at four central themes that are both universal and practical: how we innovate, how we operate, our people and our communities.
Industry-leading Products
One of the most important ways an aircraft manufacturer can demonstrate its leadership in and commitment to sustainability is through the industry leading products it manufactures and services. Given that more than 80 percent of the environmental impact of an aircraft is determined at its design stage, designing with environmental considerations in mind is critical.
Bombardier Business Aircraft President David Coleal chairs the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association’s (GAMA) Environment Committee, through which Bombardier has contributed to the industry’s recently published “Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF)”. The guide is available at www.futureofsustainablefuel.com.
Importantly, the business aviation industry began acting on its pledge to environmental stewardship back in 2009. GAMA and the International Business Aviation Council jointly announced the Business Aviation Commitment to Climate Change, a global, industrywide commitment to mitigating climate change, including concrete targets. These targets set to improve fuel efficiency 2 percent per year from 2010 until 2020, achieve carbon-neutral growth from 2020, and reduce CO2 emissions 50 percent by 2050 relative to 2005.1
The industry designed a path to achieve these goals across four pillars. Progress is being made against three of the pillars: enhancing operational efficiency, continuing infrastructure improvements, and promoting market-based measures. The last pillar, advancing technology, includes the development of SAJF. SAJF has the same qualities and characteristics as Jet A and Jet A-1 fuel. Importantly, because it is derived from renewable resources ranging from cooking oil, plant oils, solid municipal waste, waste gases, sugars, purpose-grown biomass, and agricultural residues, it is also significantly cleaner across its lifecycle than conventional fuel.
Limited production, lack of awareness, and challenges of infrastructure and economics currently impede widespread adoption. As we work to address all of these challenges, the exciting part is that aircraft are ready to fly with SAJF today, which means an airplane flying on alternative fuel can make a positive impact immediately. Bombardier Business Aircraft’s demo fleet of aircraft recently flew to Geneva, Switzerland, to be on static display at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition (EBACE) on SAJF, the third time its demo fleet has completed alternative fuel-powered flights, reminding the industry that our products are ready to fly on SAJF now.
Intrinsically connected to product innovation must be a commitment to the customer, to service, and aftermarket. Again, when considering what it means to be sustainable and foster longevity, a laser focus on the customer is a business imperative. When organizations understand that the needs of their customers are their own and align their operations accordingly, they’re better positioned for long-term success. For example, this includes reversing the design process, designing aircraft from the inside out, with the passenger in mind from the beginning. It also means ensuring a robust service network, with a worldwide presence ready to respond to customer needs wherever and whenever they arise.
Responsible Operations
Responsible operations in aviation touches all of the things we do on a daily basis as part of our work building a new aircraft or returning a customer aircraft to service following scheduled or unscheduled maintenance. From recycling programs, from batteries to bottles, to on-site employee health screenings, in many ways, the operational pillar is where sustainability was born, with its roots in the compliance world of health, safety, and environment (HSE). On the health and safety side, this means ensuring a safe, ergonomic work environment for all employees and fostering a culture of prevention – we all want to be a part of a work environment where we feel that safety is a priority. Beyond mandatory, regular adoption of bump caps and safety glasses, and managing issues like fatigue prevention and work life balance are also essential pieces of shop floor life.
At Bombardier Business Aircraft, we call this approach our Preventative Culture and work to adopt it throughout daily habits. Accidents and incidents are reported and lessons shared across the organization so as to maintain awareness.
Organizations that implement strong sustainability strategies strive to mitigate their environmental impact across their operations. We set concrete, measurable targets to reduce energy consumption, Greenhouse Gas or GHG emissions, water consumption and waste, and sites around the world implement environmental improvements based on local assessments and priorities. Site-specific programs range from recycling programs to solar panel installation.
Outside of the HSE sphere, sustainable operations extend all the way to ensuring a viable supply chain via solid supplier relationships – including audits – as well as articulating and upholding a robust code of ethics.
Empowered Employees
Companies that lead in sustainability prioritize their employees as a stakeholder, working to understand and develop what drives them in terms of recruitment, engagement and in turn, retention.
Bombardier Business Aircraft believes in empowering and engaging a diverse workforce that inspires and fuels innovation. To do so, it has a variety of programs in place to not only foster its current talent, but to also develop its future talent pipeline.
I always like to use my own trajectory as a case study of how the organization does an exemplary job of supporting the unique interests and skills of its employees. I joined the company in 2011 at Corporate Office in Montreal, Canada, leading sustainability strategy and communications worldwide. When I expressed interest in moving within the business and abroad, I was presented with an opportunity in Wichita, KS, within the business aircraft segment. Not only have these opportunities brought inherent diversity in their mandates, enriching my experience and skillset, but my trajectory has also afforded me the opportunity to travel the world. These are things that I infuse back into the work I do. Many of my colleagues have had similar experiences, starting in one business segment in one corner of the globe, transitioning to another. The broader organization benefits greatly from this global crosspollination.
Community investment
Having a meaningful presence in the communities in which we operate and giving back is a foundational pillar of successful sustainability strategy. This means more than basic donations or sponsorships – the most potent community giving programs offer some form of the organization’s expertise, and generate a return on the company’s investment as well.
In order to take full advantage of our core competencies and specific strengths as a business, we focus community investment efforts specifically in the areas of STEEM education (science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, and math), sustainable development initiatives that enhance the quality of the environment in areas where we operate, and stakeholder engagement opportunities to maintain and develop business relationships with industry stakeholders.
A hallmark example of this approach is the Inspiring Future Aviators program, led by our Hartford, CT, service center. The facility partners with the New England Air Museum (NEAM) at Bradley International Airport (BDL) bringing students from local high schools, technical and vocational schools to visit both locations to learn and enhance their knowledge on what the aviation industry is about, what aviation maintenance operations really are, and to learn about the many professional opportunities that are available to them within the industry. The tour of the Hartford service center begins with an overview of Bombardier and its operations. We then host the students through the hangars and facility, explaining the aircraft maintenance process while highlighting the vast diversity of professions available in the field, from A&P and avionics technicians, to engineers and the various support departments. In this way, we are developing both the industry talent pipeline as well as Bombardier’s: we have sponsored and presented the program for several years, and look forward to the day when we hire one of its first participants. That’s when sustainability is firing on all cylinders: organizations give back to the community, and directly benefit in return.
Conclusion
So as you see, sustainability has grown to encompass so much more than its environmental roots. Sustainability is vast, complex, and can seem incredibly daunting to take on. But the reality is, we are all spinning together and hurtling through space on the same tiny planet, sharing the same resources. Companies that understand this, and the inherent value of embedding sustainability deeply within their business practices are expanding their definition of value creation, becoming more competitive and better poised for the future. All of us – individuals and organizations – contribute to developing the sustainability of aviation as a whole.
Dominique Cristall is Communications, Sustainability and Community Affairs Advisor at Bombardier Business Aircraft based in Wichita, KS. Prior to joining Bombardier Business Aircraft, Cristall worked at Bombardier’s head office in Montreal, leading the company’s sustainability strategy and communications worldwide, encompassing both the aerospace and transportation sides of the business. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in International Business from McGill University.
