Our Sustainability Strategy

Heathrow’s 2030 in-the-air goals focus on reducing emissions from flights, which make up 95% of its carbon footprint, through measures including the promotion of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and improvements to conventional aircraft. 

To find out more, download Heathrow’s net zero plan.

On the ground, Heathrow’s 2030 plans include reducing emissions by enabling passengers and colleagues to access the airport more sustainably, supporting a net zero supply chain, and replacing airport vehicles with zero carbon alternatives, amongst others.

Goal: Reduce emissions from the airport and improve air quality in the local community

Local air quality and its potential effects on public health are critical issues for our colleagues and for the communities around Heathrow. We remain committed to playing our part in improving local air quality. Many of the activities that will deliver net zero on the ground will also have a positive impact on air quality.

To find out more about Clean Air at Heathrow take a look at the following pages:

• Heathrow Airwatch
• ULEZ at Heathrow

Goal: At least 10% less people highly sleep disturbed and highly annoyed compared to 2019

Heathrow acknowledges that noise and its management must be a priority. Our long-term strategy is based on the four pillars of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Balanced Approach. We are one of the first airports in the world to have set a goal that focuses on tackling the negative impacts that long-term exposure to noise can have on health through annoyance and sleep disturbance.

To find out more about how we’re tackling noise disturbance and updating our airspace, take a look at the following pages:

• Heathrow Noise Action Plan
• Heathrow Noise and Airspace homepage
• Quieter Neighbourhood Support (Find out about our schemes to help people in the local community affected by noise)
• Airspace modernisation
• Make a complaint about noise

Goal: Work with partners to reduce impacts on nature and support a nature network around Heathrow

Heathrow is committed to playing its part to support a nature positive transition. This is because we depend on nature, for example, to provide food, filter air and create energy. Airports require large quantities of nature-derived materials, water and energy to operate effectively. Nature underpins our societies and business, and it is crucial that we minimise our nature-related impacts both directly and through our value chain. You can read more about Heathrow’s impacts on nature in our annual sustainability report.

To find out more about how we are becoming a nature positive airport, take a look at the following pages:

• Nature positive plan
• 15 years of Heathrow’s Biodiversity benchmark award
• London Wildlife Trust, BA and Hillingdon Partnership – delivering biodiversity enhances in Hillingdon’s greenspaces

Goal: Avoid material consumption, and maximise reuse, recycling and recovery of materials used at Heathrow

Heathrow’s size and scale create unique challenges for resource efficiency. The airport is akin to a small city, so when looking to reduce waste or water, it is imperative that we work with our partners and take a whole system approach.

Goal: Maximise suppliers achieving gold standard against our Balanced Scorecard

With thousands of companies operating from or supplying goods and services to Heathrow, our influence is far-reaching. We want to use that influence to encourage others to adopt ethical, low-carbon and sustainable practices, and ensure that we drive local and regional opportunities through our supply chain, including for smaller businesses.

To find out more about how we are working to create a sustainable supply chain, take a look at the following pages:

• Doing Business with Heathrow
• Heathrow Supplier Guide
• Heathrow Supply Chain Opportunities Portal (CompeteFor)

Goal: Give back to 1 million people in our local communities 

Heathrow is more than just an airport. It is a gateway to the world for West London and beyond. We want to share the benefits of being a global hub with our local communities to help them thrive. That’s why we launched our Giving Back Programme in January 2023. It has three core pillars focused on community, employment and environment, with eight community investment initiatives that support new and existing projects.

To find out what we do to work with our local communities, take a look at the following pages:

• Local Communities home page
• Our Giving Back programme
• Funding and community partnerships

Goal: 80% agree that the Heathrow is inclusive for all colleagues 

At Heathrow, we believe that embracing diversity and inclusion is not just the right thing to do, it’s essential to our success. As a gateway to Britain, we serve millions of passengers from around the world, and our workforce reflects the richness of that diversity as well as the diversity of the community in which we operate.

Goal: 10,000 jobs, apprenticeships and early career opportunities

Providing good quality opportunities for local people to develop careers at Heathrow is our priority. We want to connect residents to the world of work at Heathrow and build a diverse pipeline of skills by engaging local young people in education.

To find out more about how we are connecting people to jobs and careers at the airport, visit Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy.