Cathay Pacific to half single-use plastic footprint by 2022

The Cathay Pacific Group has released its 2019 Sustainable Development Report, providing a comprehensive overview of Cathay Pacific’s and its subsidiaries’ approach to and performance in the areas of environmental, social and governance that are of great importance to our stakeholders.

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In his message in the report, Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Augustus Tang writes: “At the time of preparing this report, a public health emergency has rocked the global economy. It feels more important than ever to foster positivity, to protect our people, to strengthen our communities and to confront the major challenges we face. We are very determined to play our part in this hugely important undertaking; one which requires us to be financially successful but in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Our commitment to developing sustainably with transparency and accountability is undiminished.”

With a focus on climate change, the efficient use of resources, waste management, and supporting our people and community, the Report sets out the Group’s efforts in moving towards greener aviation. Some highlights from 2019 include:

• • New single-use plastic reduction target: We have set the target to reduce our single-use plastic footprint by 50% by the end of 2022, removing nearly 200 million pieces of single-use plastic from our operations annually.
• • Fighting climate change: We have introduced new efficiency initiatives, added six new, more fuel-efficient Airbus A350s to our fleet, and scaled up climate change risk and mitigation planning. Since 1998, our efforts have yielded a 27% cumulative improvement in fuel efficiency.
• • Caring for our community: We continued to support the positive development of our communities through our new Cathay ChangeMakers initiative and the longstanding I Can Fly program.