Sustainability

The field of sustainability, and how it relates to airports, is relatively new and rapidly emerging field.  Sustainability used to be just about making “good business decisions.”  The important differentiators in Rovolus’ approach to airport sustainability projects are our (1) dedicated focus on airports, which allows us to understand the complex stakeholder relationships and (2) our engagement with the organization, which makes sure that the vision of airport management is fully and effectively communicated throughout the organization.

We are acutely aware of the findings and lessons learned from the FAA’s Sustainability Pilot Study, and can help you scope sustainability plans in a manner that ensures the studies respond to local concerns and priorities.  It is important to note that our sustainability projects are focused on airport clients—a client base that requires specialized experience to understand the unique issues confronting airport management. 

The first step in the process of developing a SMP is to define what sustainability means to you.  One common definition is referred to as “The Triple Bottom Line,” which focuses on economic growth, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship as three equally important elements of overall sustainable management.  Our approach assumes that you will use this definition as the basis of your approach to sustainability and as the building blocks for a sustainability policy mission statement. Importantly, the triple bottom line strongly aligns with our belief that “environmental sustainability” requires a strong and defensible financial plan.

We envision a sustainability plan not as a destination, but the beginning of a journey.  It should provide a snap-shot of current business practices and ensure they are fully aligned with long-term goals.  Importantly, the plan should provide a solid foundation to continue to working towards sustainability. 

A successful foundation for sustainability  includes steps to (1) engage stakeholders, (2) define a sustainability policy mission statement, (3) select focus categories as areas for improvement, (4) set clear objectives, (5) set clear performance targets, (6) recommend, prioritize, and select initiatives that would assist in meeting performance targets, (7) develop implementation plans that would see initiatives through to fruition, (8) monitor the outcomes of the initiatives, (9) communicate the results of initiatives in relation to the performance targets, and (10) refine the process and/or declare success and develop new performance targets. 

As sustainability becomes a larger part of our global business landscape, one common flaw is that many organizations set sustainability goals and targets without a coordinated approach or a system to measure and report on their successes.  Our experience is that an airport sponsor’s sustainability program will achieve greater success through a consensus-based approach that is carefully planned and where metrics are identified and used to gauge progress.  We have found it is critically important to the success of any sustainability plan that it not be seen as a document that has been completed, but rather as a process that will become a part of your organization’s culture.