Airlines' Engagement with UN SDGs to Communicate CSR Commitment (Essay Sample)

Airlines' Engagement with UN SDGs to Communicate CSR Commitment Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Course Details Instructor’s Name Date of Submission Airlines Industry Engagement with UN SDGs to Communicate CSR Commitment To address various societal problems, the United Nations devised goals under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Program, which set targets to be achieved in different sectors before 2030. The SDGs were 17, which would control the operations of countries and corporations to build a sustainable future. One of the sectors in which the SDGs are monumental is the airline industry. The airline industry is an essential avenue of globalisation, providing channels for more effortless global connectivity and economic development. The industry spurs economic development by providing a more straightforward integration of economies into the worldwide sector and offering vital links that empower trade, tourism, and employment (Zhang & Graham,2020). To effectively achieve its objective of global connectivity, it has to adhere to and follow stringent sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. Therefore, leading airline industry corporations must interact and integrate the SDGs in their operation model to ensure they adhere to the goals as they manoeuvre to achieve their connectivity goal (Button et al.,2023). Specifically, it is vital to evaluate the importance of the sustainable development goals to the airline industry, how the airline commits to and engages with the SDGs to meet its corporate social responsibility and the implications of the commitments and engagements with the SDGs. Essence of the SDGs to the Airline Industry Sustainable development goals provide a comprehensive framework to address global challenges and promote sustainable development. It is, therefore, vital for the airline industry to stringently follow the SDGs, particularly those that explicitly impact the industry. The essential SDGs in the airline industry include SDG 7- Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8- decent work and economic growth, SDG 12- responsible consumption and production, SDG 13- climate action, and SDG 17- Partnerships for the goals. The five SDG goals are essential to the airline industry. The goals play a critical role in the environmental footprint of the airline industry and its role in social and economic development. The seventh and eighth sustainable development goals are important since they influence the operations of the airline industry. The goal of Affordable and Clean Energy stipulates the need to adopt affordable and clean energy in the industry. The industry hugely relies on fossil fuels, which makes it the most significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. Therefore, by reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and adopting clean energy, the industry can drastically reduce carbon emissions, which will influence climate change. Also, the airline industry has adopted decent work and economic growth goals. The industry has provided enormous employment opportunities in different technical fields, which has improved the way of life of many people. Also, it has contributed to economic growth by connecting different fields to the international market. Also, responsible consumption and production goals and climate action have influenced the airline industry. The industry has adopted sustainable practices that encourage responsible consumption and production. The sustainable practices adopted include waste reduction, eco-friendly technologies, and the efficient use of resources. Also, industry is influenced by the goal of climate action. As the most significant greenhouse emitter, the sector has adopted various measures to reduce its carbon footprint. The airline industry has integrated plausible and pragmatic measures that promote sustainable practices through the SDG. Partnerships for the goals are vital SDGs to the airline industry as they underscore the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders in the airline industry to meet the SDGs. Achieving sustainability requires input from multiple players, such as the government, NGOs, industry stakeholders, and other sectors. The cooperation aims to ensure that the industry adopts sustainable practices, which massively lead to the adoption of effective and sustainable solutions. How the Airline Companies Committed and Engaged the SDGs Airlines have committed to and engaged in various Sustainable Development Goals by integrating the goals into their strategic planning and operations. The integration has ensured that Airways adopts sustainable practices that maximise customer and employee satisfaction while protecting the environment. The pragmatic commitment and engagement of the SDGs by the Airline enable the business to meet its social commitment responsibility. American Airlines effectively integrates and engages SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy. The airways have heavily invested in sustainable energy to ensure affordable and clean energy. It has committed to establishing energy-efficient aeroplanes and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) (Wang & Rijal,2024). The airline has launched several projects, including collaboration with fuel suppliers to produce SAFs and research into electrified and hybrid aircraft technology to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions. Also, British Airways (BA) has been heavily engaged and committed to integrating decent work and economic growth. Its employment policies and economic contributions show BA's dedication. The airline provides acceptable working conditions and training programs and encourages job development in the sector (Kreinin &Aigner,2022). Furthermore, BA's activities promote economic activity by promoting tourism and international commerce, which contributes considerably to economic development. Emirates targets SDG 12 by initiating waste reduction initiatives, efficient resource usage, and sustainable procurement methods. The airline has launched procedures to reduce single-use plastics, recover onboard garbage, and source goods through sustainable procedures. These activities help promote more environmentally friendly consumption and production habits, which match global sustainability objectives. Also, Qantas and Singapore Airlines have effectively integrated SDGs 13 and 17 into their operations. Through SDG 13, the airlines have aggressively aimed to decrease their carbon impact. The airlines participate in emissions reduction programs, promote cleaner technology, and work for industry-wide policies to reduce climate effects (Cui,2019). These activities reflect the proactive approach to tackling climate change and its implications. Qantas acknowledges the significance of SDG 17 by actively participating in partnerships and collaborations. The airline collaborates with global organisations, industry groups, and governments to pr...