Copenhagen Airport gets carbon accreditation
Copenhagen Airport has achieved a high level carbon accreditation from the international aviation organisation ACI. Being accredited is part of CPH's CSR strategy, Responsible Growth, the purpose of which is to control the airport's climate impact.
Airports Council International (ACI) is the organisation behind the worldwide Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, and Copenhagen is the first Danish airport to achieve the prestigious accreditation.
Having addressed climate and energy issues for the past many years, Copenhagen Airport has been accredited to the second-highest accreditation level, putting it alongside airports such as London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Munich, Zürich, Brussels, Paris CDG and Hong Kong.
Ambitious strategy
Our ambitious World Class Hub growth strategy is aimed at ensuring that Copenhagen Airport becomes the preferred transport hub of northern Europe. Our CSR strategy, Responsible Growth, is about how we can achieve these goals – in a responsible way. Carbon accreditation is tangible proof that we're on the right course in our environment and climate efforts, and that we aim to have an open and transparent approach in our efforts to reduce our CO2 emissions,” said Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Copenhagen Airport.
CPH's climate impact strategy is rooted in the airport's own CO2 emissions, but in a number of areas, results can only be achieved, if CPH coordinates efficient collaboration throughout the airport. That implies working across airlines, shops and all other airport businesses as well as external stakeholders. This second-highest accreditation category is a tangible reward for these efforts.
Common goal
“We have defined a target that will see us reduce our CO2 emissions from 1.4 kilo to 1.0 kilo per passenger by 2020. In addition, we are also working to build environmental awareness at other companies operating at the airport. One example is our policy to phase in Green Equipment on the airport aprons where several hundred people work every day. In fact, improving the working environment at the airport has become a common goal for all,” said Woldbye.
CPH not only works to improve the operational environment and reduce climate impact, the ambition is to reduce climate impact over the long term. For example, a pilot project is under way to test solar cell technology as a sustainable energy standard for future building projects. There are ongoing efforts to integrate climate and energy in the airport's long-term master plan.
Lastly, CPH aims to help the businesses operating at the airport reduce their environmental impact. One of the first successful examples of those efforts was when CPH assisted Gebr. Heinemann, the operator of the airport's duty- and tax-free shops, in reducing their annual energy expenses by almost DKK 1 million by installing LED lighting as part of a refurbishment of the duty- and tax-free shops.