Planet
At British Airways, we care about the impact of every flight. That’s why we’re driving urgent action towards net zero emissions. We have a long history of managing and reducing our carbon emissions and a clear roadmap to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with ambitious short, medium and long-term initiatives to achieve our goals.
Climate
As an industry leader, we’re proud to be part of the first airline group in the world (IAG) to commit to becoming carbon net zero by 2050. We’re investing in new, modern aircraft that are up to 35% more efficient than the aircraft they replace and made changes to the way we fly to further reduce our emissions. We’ve also formed partnerships to support the development of sustainable aviation fuel (the industry recognised term), zero emissions hydrogen-powered aircraft and carbon capture technology.
Our flightpath to net zero
Learn more about how we’ll achieve our commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
Progressing the development and commercial deployment of SAF (the industry recognised term), is crucial to decarbonising the aviation industry and a key part of our plans to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We’re the first airline in the world to use SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66.
Our partnership with Velocys to build a plant in Humberside will convert household and commercial waste into SAF. Our partnership with LanzaJet will provide us with SAF into our US fuel supply chain from the start of 2024.
Our parent company IAG has committed $865 million to SAF investments, and in April 2021, we became the first European airline group to commit to powering 10 per cent of all flights with SAF by 2030.
Zero emissions aircraft
We support the development of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source because we believe it has the potential to enable us to reach true zero emissions on short-haul routes by 2050. That’s why we’ve invested in ZeroAvia – a leading innovator in decarbonising commercial aviation. It is aiming to accelerate the development of 50+ seater aircraft capable of running on zero emissions hydrogen-electric power. In January 2023, ZeroAvia completed the world’s first hydrogen-electric fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.
Act on your carbon emissions
International flights: Using our CO₂llaborate platform, you can calculate and act on your carbon emissions if travelling outside of the UK. You contribute to verified climate projects, including carbon removals and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). You can also do this directly from your seat on board.
Waste
We’re committed to protecting the environment, eliminating single-use plastic where more sustainable alternatives exist and reducing food waste. Working towards implementing a circular economy, we aim to keep our resources in use for as long as possible through innovative product design, re-use and recycling and through partnerships with our suppliers.
Single-use plastic
We’re committed to reducing single-use plastic and work closely with our suppliers to identify sustainable alternatives, like bamboo and paper. Removing all plastic bags from flights and introducing amenity kits and duvets made from recycled plastic, we’re dedicated to finding innovative solutions that are better for the environment.
Food waste
Reducing food waste means less pressure on natural resources, water supplies and land where food is grown, as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions from production, transportation and disposal. Behind the scenes, we’re working to influence UK Government policy and regulation to allow more sustainable ways to divert food waste from landfill and incineration.
Environmental Management
Achieving excellence in environmental compliance is fundamental to our BA Better World Programme. In November 2023, we undertook a rigorous external environmental system certification process with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), successfully completing the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Stage 2. This achievement demonstrates our dedication to robust compliance and adhering to environmental regulations.
The IEnvA environmental management system is based on a Plan, Do, Check and Act cycle. The associated policies, objectives, procedures and plans ensures that an organisation is continually reviewing, evaluating and improving its environmental performance. This includes complying with legal and other obligations, developing processes to report environmental incidents, conducting and receiving training on environmental topics, participating in internal audits and evaluating and addressing findings as required.
Wildlife
Buckingham Palace Declaration
As part of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, we support the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. We’re committed to developing a secure system to share information and credible intelligence with customs and law enforcement agencies about high-risk routes and methods of transportation. This also allows us to reserve the right to refuse cargo suspected of containing illegal wildlife or products.
Animal welfare
Together with global animal welfare and conservation charity Born Free Foundation, we’re helping our customers make more informed choices about ethical hotels and tourist attractions. We never promote events or tours that feature animal performances, animal rides or wild animals kept in captivity. As a reflection of our values, we’ll continue to only offer tours that allow you to responsibly observe wildlife safely in their natural habitat.
Discover more
BA Better World
Taking significant and urgent action to address aviation’s impacts is critical to make our industry much more sustainable in the long term. That’s why we’re committed to our BA Better World sustainability programme – and to innovating to drive continual improvement in our environmental, social and governance business performance.
People
We care about our people and value their contributions to our business. Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace contributes to a sense of wellbeing and belonging, enabling our world-class colleagues to thrive.
Responsible Business
Committed to maintaining the highest standard of corporate governance, driving performance responsibly, and striving to make customer experiences more sustainable and inclusive, we create opportunities in the communities where we operate, whilst also using our unique skills to support those affected by crisis.