Social responsibility?

Newcastle Airport has published a Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy (“CSR”). We welcome such policies where we think they are likely to work.

(You can see the CSR here via the Airport’s website or download it here from this website.) See our comments on the CSR in full here

What we think: The strategy is window dressing designed to make the Airport look good. It’s so bland and general we are not sure it does even that.

• It’s full of empty buzzwords like being “a good neighbour” and “environmentally responsible” and “Your Airport cares”.
  

• In the context of the CSR, the Airport’s Net Zero policy (here) is critical. But, it covers only the ground operations of the airport itself. It excludes aircraft. We call this “greenwashing”, trying to look environmentally responsible when you aren't. See our comments on the Net Zero Policy here.

• We do agree with the statement that the Airport “is also very prominent in the community and impacts the lives of people in a number of ways”. It certainly has an impact on people living under the flightpaths.
  

• If past behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour, then there is no reason to believe that the Airport is about to change its ways any time soon in spite of what the CSR promises. We have to keep holding it to account.
  

• See our comments on the CSR in full here