Airbus // Universal Registration Document 2023
1. Information on the Company’s Activities 1.1 Presentation of the Company
response, Airbus is striving to lead the industry on a strong path to the lowest climate impact solutions as part of the industry’s commitment to the Paris Agreement. A major focus of the Company’s sustainability strategy is reducing the CO 2 emissions of its aircraft, as well as its industrial environmental footprint at its sites worldwide and throughout the supply chain. In February 2023, the Company received approval from the Science Based Targets initiative for its greenhouse gas emissions near-term reduction targets. Airbus has committed to reducing its Scope 1 and Scope 2 industrial emissions by 63% by 2030, in line with a 1.5°C pathway. The Company also committed to reducing by 46% the greenhouse gas emissions intensity generated by its commercial aircraft in service (Scope 3 – Use of Sold Product) by 2035. Both targets are based on the 2015 year as a baseline and in line with the Paris Agreement goals. The Company is investing in and developing viable products and services that are attractive and efficient for its customers by maturing the technologies related to sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen, hybridisation, industrial systems, aircraft architectures based on next generation engines, future wing and fuselage design and automation. The Company is addressing the challenge of decarbonisation by stimulating the replacement of older planes with newer and more efficient ones; by preparing technologies for a next generation Single-Aisle aircraft to be ready in the second half of the next decade and capable of flying on 100% SAF; by preparing the first hydrogen aircraft for 2035; and by being a catalyst within the industry in the overall transition from fossil fuels to low carbon fuels. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (“ SAF ”) are essential to reducing aviation emissions and the aviation sector’s long-term aspirational decarbonisation goal of reaching “net zero carbon emissions by 2050”. Global momentum behind SAF continued to build in 2023, with more than 40 airlines pledging to ensure SAF supplies for at least 10% of their fuel needs by 2030. In recent years, supportive policies have appeared in the US, EU and other regions. On current plans, however, global SAF production in 2030 will still be only just over half of what is required to be on-track for net-zero CO 2 emissions in 2050. To accelerate the growth of SAF production and uptake, Airbus continued its advocacy work with the ICAO in 2023, helping to secure agreement for a much-needed global policy framework for SAF. It included a target for ICAO member states to use SAF to reduce their carbon footprint by 5% by 2030. That should help provide producers of these fuels with the immediate impetus they need. Within Airbus, the Company fulfilled a pledge to use 10% SAF in its own flight operations on the way to using 30% by 2030. Airbus also continued to form new partnerships to shape the hydrogen ecosystem, including in New Zealand and the UK with the Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance. Airbus is also involved in the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (“ SESAR ”) initiative to optimise aircraft operations in Europe. In 2023, Airbus pushed ahead with plans to bring its fello”fly vortex recovery system (“ VRS ”) into commercial service later this decade via flight tests through the SESAR-backed Geese project.
CO 2 is not the only aviation emission known to have an impact on climate. Airbus is engaged at both the international and European level with research institutes at the forefront of scientific knowledge on the non-CO 2 effects of aviation to better understand and respond to these challenges. In 2023, a modified glider at the centre of Airbus UpNext’s hydrogen contrail-studying experiment, Blue Condor, made its first hydrogen-powered flight. The flight was the Company’s first ever to use hydrogen as the sole fuel source, and it kicked off a test campaign that is scheduled to conclude in a contrail measuring mission in early 2024. The Company has implemented its high5+ programme targets – a clear pathway to significantly reduce its environmental footprint in manufacturing activities with regards to CO 2 , energy, water, air emissions and waste. Airbus believes in managing its products’ environmental footprint across the entire lifecycle, from the design phase, raw material input, through the operational life and up to the end of the product life. This optimisation of energy and use of finite resources should bring both economic and environmental benefits. Airbus satellites are today employed in monitoring the effects of climate change, with products, such as helicopters, also playing a key role supporting communities in tackling disasters. 4.2 Build our business on the foundation of safety and quality Airbus goes beyond regulatory compliance to ensure the highest standard of safety and quality measures are applied to its products and services, from design to operation. Airbus takes a leading position in Air Transport system-wide initiatives and the Company continues to drive a zero-harm culture mindset shift in employee health and safety, focusing on protecting its people and the business from health and safety risks arising from work activities throughout its value chain. Through its military aircraft, satellites and defence technologies, Airbus provides customers with the tools they need to defend their sovereignty, and fight terrorism and cyber crime. 4.3 Respect human rights and foster inclusion The Company’s respect for human rights is an essential part of responsible business conduct in its business activities and throughout the value chain. The Company believes that everyone who works either for or with the Company, both within its business operations and the supply chain, contributes to its continued innovation, creativity, and business success. Therefore, it is imperative that the Company fosters empowerment, collaborative working, inclusiveness and diversity to enable a workplace to which people can bring their best selves. The Company ensures that its employees have access to a wealth of education and employee mobility opportunities to grow their skills because the Company strongly believes a more educated workforce is a more empowered workforce. As a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact since 2003, the Company is committed to upholding international human rights principles and standards, including the International Bill of Human Rights (comprising the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles
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Universal Registration Document 2023
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