SITA, global air transport IT supplier, has issued its annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, which indicates that, despite the pandemic, the business is still on track to achieve a carbon-neutral corporation by or before 2022. This accomplishment is far ahead of usual aviation industry goals like 2030 and 2050, and the Paris Agreement.

SITA's Planet+ initiative is helping the firm achieve its goal of reducing its impact on climate change. The program's goal is to identify emissions, quantify them with the help of independent environmental consultants RSK Group, and continuously minimize the environmental consequences of operations and business trips year after year while supplementing those efforts with offsetting measures.

SITA decreased total emissions by 48% with Planet+ in 2020, equating to 11,423 CO2 tonnes. It has been accomplished through a variety of initiatives, including switching to renewable or partially clean energy, selecting green energy providers, optimizing office floor footprint, lowering electricity consumption with far more energy-efficient systems, and decreasing business travel for internal discussions through the use of collaborative online tools.

SITA will also offset 100% of its emissions for the first time in 2020. SITA's carbon offset program is administered by Natural Capital Partners, a leading global supplier of sustainable environmental offset emission programs. The 2020 offset program, unlike prior years, was expanded to cover all operational emissions reported and audited in Scope 1 (direct and controlled emissions), Scope 2 (electricity), and Scope 3, like other upstream and downstream emissions, generated by SITA employees working from home.

Dr. Edna Ayme-Yahil, VP head of communications, brand, and sustainability, stated, "As part of our broader commitment to decrease carbon emissions across the air transport sector, we were determined to set an example by taking meaningful, tangible actions to lessen our influence on the environment." This is paying off, and SITA is on target to achieve our objective of being a verified carbon neutral firm by or before 2022.”

SITA's carbon-neutrality initiative

SITA declared in 2019 its intention to become a CarbonNeutral Company by 2022, under the CarbonNeutral Protocol. This protocol necessitates organizations to accomplish net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by defining operations-related pollution, evaluating and decreasing them, and then offsetting the remainders which have not been reduced or eliminated through verified carbon offset projects matched with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Supporting the worldwide air transport sector

SITA's solutions, which have about 2,500 clients, generate efficiency at more than 1,000 airports and permit safe and frictionless crossing points for over 60 countries, all while offering the advantages of linked aircraft to customers of 18,000 aircraft worldwide.

SITA's CSR report mentions an urgent move-in early 2020 to help its air transport industry clients during the pandemic, guaranteeing business continuity and maintaining regular service levels, in addition to handling its own economic, ecological, and social consequences.

To reassure passengers and allow ‘COVID-compliant' travels, SITA pivots to address urgent industry demands for a healthy, safe, and seamless passenger experience. Furthermore, the firm reacted to the airline, airport, and government requirements for speed, resilience, efficiency, and cost reduction, changing and adapting their solutions to regions critical to recovery and survival.

SITA continues to urge the industry to be more sustainable through solutions that seek to decrease carbon emissions, as it nears its goal of becoming carbon neutral.

For example, a collaboration with Safety Line to offer the OptiFlight solution, which decreases fuel consumption and restricts aircraft CO2 pollution at main flight stages, results in approximate fuel and carbon emissions savings of 234kg per climb for a B777, with 214 CO2 tonnes decrease per aircraft tail per year.

Frameworks and efforts at the global level

Participation and compliance to many prominent worldwide frameworks demonstrate SITA's commitment to becoming a responsible and sustainable corporation. SITA has publicly disclosed its economic, environmental, and social performance using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) disclosure framework since 2011. SITA, as a signatory to the UN Global Compact, conveys its commitments to adopting sustainability standards and procedures that promote UN goals through these CSR Reports.

Since 2014, SITA has obtained and maintained ISO14001:2015 (Environmental Management Systems — EMS) accreditation in seven of its main office sites, a milestone for businesses dedicated to sustainable practices.