Introduction
Etihad is the official airline of the United Arab Emirates that was established through a government declaration as part of an economic diversification and development strategy. The government is the sole owner of the airline. Three years after its inception in 2003, the airline managed to emerge as the fastest-growing airline globally. The airline transported 7.1 million passengers in 2010 and sought to increase the figure to 25 million.
Environmental Management
To consolidate its business success, the company has embarked on corporate social responsibility (CSR) to ensure that its social responsibility becomes a priority, evident in its mission and objectives. The key environmental strategy is to ensure that the airline keeps its carbon emission as low as possible through its own initiative and collaboration with partners. The company seeks to respond to the growing concern of increasing carbon emission due to an increase in demand for airline travel. The areas identified are; customer and staff transportation, emission from jet engines and other services that are outsourced that emit carbon. The company, in response to Green House Guidelines, ensures that it measures and puts under control all carbon emissions associated with its operations.
The implementers of the Green House Guidelines are Etihad staffs who have volunteered to train other staff on sustainable use of resources, recycling and reducing their domestic greenhouse emission. Although reducing greenhouse emission had been the company’s major strategy, the airline has also sought to reduce the amount of noise pollution as a result of its activities. The airline has put into place guidelines to reduce noise pollution, for instance, the banning of aeroplanes that produce so much noise. The guidelines are in line with the propositions outlined by Chapter 4 of ICAO standards. The airline has also implemented strategies geared towards the reduction of waste management. Waste management is being implemented through the establishment of recycling facilities. The company seeks to expand its facilities to all its operation centres. The company is also seeking ways to increase its use of bio-fuels that are deemed safer and more environmentally friendly as compared to fossil fuel. The airlines environmental management program targets the reduction of environmental pollution through the reduction of carbon emission, waste reduction, reduction of noise pollution and the use of biofuels.
Contribution to the Nation’s Economic Growth and Development
To boost its corporate social responsibility, the airline has come up with strategies to promote the economic growth of Abu Dhabi. To ensure that its economic contribution was evaluated professional, the airline sought the service of Oxford Economics to quantify its contribution to the economic growth of Abu Dhabi. Being in the transport industry that is closely linked to tourism, the company has established within it Hala Abu Dhabi. Hala Abu Dhabi is mandated with the task of managing holiday and leisure tours for visitors in Abu Dhabi. The airline has also embarked on a tourism promotion initiative aimed at popularizing Abu Dhabi as a competitive tourism destination. The airline is also seeking to encourage the increase of Abu Dhabi citizens within its human resource through a program known as “Emiratization.” Other corporate social responsibility initiatives include the support of sports and other activities that promote the culture of Abu Dhabi.
Conclusion
The general realization is that the airline has sought to make its success holistic through a series of corporate social responsibility initiatives that target the sustainable environmental use and the economic support of growth and development in Abu Dhabi.
Reference
Etihad. (2010). Our Journey Together: Corporate Social Responsibility 2010. Web.