British Airways has just launched ‘BA Better World’, its new sustainability programme. While many airlines have already got active sustainability programmes, the airline said this marked a further commitment to put sustainability at the heart of its business. It has ambitions from reducing emissions and waste and positively contributing to the communities it serves, to creating a great place for people to work in order to build a resilient, responsible business.
At an event at British Airways’ Heathrow engineering base the airline unveiled a new look for one of its most fuel-efficient short-haul aircraft, an A320neo, which it has painted in its new BA Better World sustainability colours as part of a partnership with aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The livery was designed by one of the British Airways team.
It’s not just a ‘pretty’ paint job masking empty words. British Airways has long been leading the aviation industry’s efforts to decarbonise. In 1992 it was the first airline to report its carbon footprint. In 2002 it became the first airline to participate in UK emissions trading. In 2019 British Airways’ parent company IAG became the first airline group in the world to commit to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, and last year British Airways became the first major airline to voluntarily offset all emissions from its domestic flights.
The airline’s new sustainability strategy is not simply focused on the planet, with two further priorities concentrated on its people and driving responsible business. Today the carrier also announced a new BA Better World Community Fund to further the positive work it does within the UK and global communities it flies to and pledged to take positive action in many other areas of its business.
TheDesignAir 
Surprised to see that British airways has excess funds to indulge in such programmes when other carriers are struggling to survive the financial strains of the pandemic.