5 minute read
RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER
Green loyalty o ering expanded to bene t organisations that make sustainable choices
Etihad Airways has launched its dedicated sustainability focused corporate rewards programme.
Corporate Conscious Choices is designed to facilitate and deliver corporate partner sustainability goals through carbon o setting, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investments and green surcharge fares. e programme speci cally targets organisations committed to reducing emissions and operating sustainably, with rewards and incentives designed to proactively support pro-environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and employee behaviour.
Bene ts span four core sustainability pillars: SAF Investment, Green Surcharges, Corporate Conscious Miles and Carbon O sets.
“All corporates and organisations need transportation, whether it’s for travel or their supply chain. Our aim with the launch of Corporate Conscious Choices is to recognise those corporations that take the most sustainable actions through rewards and recognition,” said Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive O cer, Etihad Aviation Group.
Etihad said the programme had already resonated with corporates, with several leading global organisations partnering with Etihad to launch Corporate Conscious Choices, including CWT, one of the largest business travel management companies globally, and Accenture.
HOW IT WORKS
Corporate Conscious Choices has been designed as an open platform that can be adapted to the unique needs of individual corporates, so rewards and incentivisation can be tailored against any of the four core pillars of the programme:
SAF Investment: Sustainable aviation fuel is one of the key components to a sustainable future of air travel, with the potential to reduce up to 80 per cent of net carbon emissions throughout its full cycle from production to utilisation. rough Corporate Conscious Choices, corporate partners have the ability to bulk buy Sustainable Aviation Fuel with Etihad, which will be fully accredited and can be used to o set against the company Scope 3 emission requirement.
Green Surcharges: Corporates can opt to have a ‘Green surcharge’ added to each corporate travel ight ticket, which is then invested in o set solutions, such as SAF, mangrove planting, re-forestation or community projects in Africa. e surcharge will pay or partially pay for the emissions created by sta on business travel, and these investments will be fully accredited where possible to provide the corporate with Scope 3 emission reductions.
Corporate Conscious Miles: When business travellers y on Etihad and earn Etihad Guest Miles, the airline will award the miles to their organisation too. Corporate Conscious Points can be used to o set corporate travel, everyday activities or purchase sustainable products from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop.
Carbon O sets: Corporate Conscious Points can be invested in either an Etihad O set programme or a programme of the corporate’s choice to o set the emissions produced on every Etihad business travel ight. e Etihad solutions will be accredited where possible and provide a contribution to the corporation’s Scope 3 reduction and additionally scope 1 reductions for Etihad. With governmental pressure for corporates to demonstrate and uphold ESG standards, integrating o set schemes within corporates may raise these corporates scores in ESG indices, and Etihad will also work with partners on other ESG initiatives.
Oryx Airport Hotel moves closer to 100 per cent eco-friendly target
Hamad International Airport’s (HIA) Oryx Airport Hotel has replaced all its plastic water bottles with ecofriendly water containers. It’s the latest green initiative implemented at the airport hotel, which over the past two years, has made strong headway with its e orts to achieve 100 per cent eco-friendly operations.
The property has entered a partnership with Italian manufacturer, LY COMPANY ITALIA, to o er eco-friendly water containers to hotel guests and is the first hotel in Qatar to implement the product.
The containers are created from 76 per cent vegetable origin, which is completely recyclable. The paper is made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests and responsibly managed plantations that generate cellulose to develop paper.
In addition, the caps and the protective layers are composed of cane sugar derived polymers.
The Oryx Airport Hotel has also replaced all guestroom keycards with bamboo cards, uses recycled paper for all hotel printing collaterals and operations, and has substituted plastic bags with biodegradable bags. For hotel room amenities, plastic cotton buds have been replaced with bamboo buds packaged in cardboard boxes, plastic co ee cups switched with recyclable paper cups, and plastic lids replaced with polylactic acid (PLA) lids derived from plants.
Plastic bottles for shampoos and body lotions have also been replaced with EcoPure PET bio-degradable bottles and plastic dental and shaving kits have been replaced with starch toothbrushes and shaving utilities, while plastic slippers, combs, and shower caps are now available in eco-friendly forms. Dining options have been reinforced with sustainable measures too including paper straws and wooden cutlery.
Plant Power at Soneva Gili
CALLING ALL VEGANS – Gili Lankanfushi, a luxury eco resort in the Maldives, has launched a ve-day Powered by Plants package including plant-based meals and nature-based activities. On arrival, enjoy sweet vegan treats and prepare for sunshine with a complimentary bottle of reef-safe Australian gold botanic sunscreen, before trying out the feather and wool-free bedding. en discover Gili’s gastronomic vision, embracing carefully sourced seasonal ingredients and farm-to-table concepts. roughout your stay you will feast on plant-based menus inspired by Maldivian culinary traditions and cra ed by the resort’s executive chef, Hari Govindaraj. Signature dishes include Aloe Vera & Beetroot Tartar with Arugula and Seared Radish & Spinach Cannelloni and there’s an option to join chef Hari for a vegan cooking class too. All the produce on your plate is grown in the resort’s organic garden and all food waste is processed in an advanced rocket composter to produce a natural fertiliser to nurture the garden. Activities on o er range from spa treatments using cruelty-free vegan products to snorkelling.
RESPONSIBLE ROUND-UP
Air France has added a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) levy to all tickets departing France. The SAF contribution is included in the ticket price and ranges from €1-4 in the economy cabin to €1.50-12 in the business cabin, depending on distance. The airline has also introduced eco-friendly business class and premium economy amenity kits. Made from 93 per cent recycled material, they feature a toothbrush and pen made from corn starch; ear plugs packaged in kraft paper and a tamperevident seal rather than plastic packaging.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has become the first carrier to make a transaction on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE) using IATA Clearing House (ICH). The ACE is a centralised marketplace where airlines and other aviation stakeholders can trade CO2 emission reduction units for compliance or voluntary o setting purposes.
