ECO-FRIENDLY SKIESA letter from Calin Rovinescu, President & CEO, Air CanadaSwitching paper for styrofoam cups seems l like a small thing, but when you serve 180,000 cups a day, it makes for big reductions in hard-to-dispose-of polystyrene waste. This is one example of Air Canada’s efforts to be environmentally responsible – efforts recognized recently when Air Transport World named us Eco-Airline of the Year for 2018, global recognition that we are very proud of. It’s now well-established that successful companies operate sustainably, and customers, employees and communities demand it. In response, we have improved fuel efficiency by 40 percent over two decades through a $10 billion fleet investment, and we were the first airline to voluntarily join the World Bank’s IMF Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition. We run a host of conservation and waste-reduction programs. For instance, this year at our Montreal headquarters we began a pilot project offering subsidies to employees who use public transit, while for those who drive we installed charge stations for electric vehicles. We also have a scholarship for employees’ children whose studies relate to sustainability. In winning the Eco-Airline Award, Air Canada was lauded for its partnerships. Through community groups and small businesses, employees have cleaned shorelines, planted trees and recycled old uniforms, duvets and aircraft materials, including seat covers – which turn out to make fine handbags. Read More |
