CEO Andrew Bell unveils RCA’s 2023 Sustainability Report, and highlights the major steps being taken across the group to achieve NetZero.

As Chief Executive of Regional & City Airports (RCA), sharing and driving the company’s environmental, social, and governance priorities is a key priority, demonstrating that as an organisation at the forefront of UK’s regional aviation, we lead by example with a raft of gold standard practices and a clear roadmap focused on sustainability.    

At RCA we recognise that regional airports will play a pivotal role in driving the sustainability agenda for UK aviation. That is precisely why we have outlined the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions across all our airport operations by 2040 - brought forward by a decade from the original 2050 target. 

And we are eager to lead by example. Between 2020 and 2022, RCA successfully reduced total carbon emissions by 7.3% alongside a 38.5% decrease in Scope 2 emissions specifically. How did we manage this? By proactively implementing measures focused on curbing energy consumption, expanding renewable infrastructure, and phasing out fossil fuel reliance across our airports.

Our sustainability success is enabled by the support of our local communities and stakeholders. RCA airports actively engage with numerous charities and educational institutions to generate positive impact. In 2023 alone, over £550,000 in waived airport fees aided the invaluable operations of Air Ambulance Trusts across our regions.  

Moreover, our efforts towards improving accessibility have received national recognition. All RCA passenger airports attained Civil Aviation Authority’s highest “very good” ranking for assistance to disabled travelers - enabled by our pioneering virtual airport guides.

Without doubt, challenges remain on the path towards sustainable aviation. But RCA is prepared more than ever to play a pioneering role in overcoming them. We are fully committed to demonstrating how regional airports can drive innovation, foster community collaboration, and develop green solutions for the future.  

Our 2023 Sustainability Report provides a transparent overview of the building blocks underlying this vision. As we progress on this journey, I welcome all our partners and stakeholders to hold us accountable and engage with us. Because at RCA, we firmly believe sustainability in aviation cannot be achieved alone - it requires a collaborative effort.