Last year, US-based global major aerospace group Boeing sourced 39% of its energy from renewable electricity sources. This was achieved through a combination of direct buys and renewable-energy credits. This was one of the highlights revealed by Boeing’s just-released 2024 Sustainability & Social Impact Report.

“We’re honoured to share the steady progress we’ve made on sustainability, which will always be anchored in safety and quality,” affirmed Boeing chief sustainability officer Brian Moran. “As we recommit to these fundamental values, it is energising to see our company’s focus on helping our industry decarbonise while uplifting our communities and driving a culture of inclusion where everyone’s voice is heard.”

On the social impact side, the report highlighted that, since 2020, there had been a 6.4 percentage point (ppt) increase in the percentage of the group’s US workforce that was composed of, in Boeing’s terminology, “racial/ethnic minorities”. Over the same time period, the percentage of women in the group’s global workforce rose by 1.2 ppt.

Last year alone saw the number of hours dedicated to volunteering by group employees worldwide increase by 100 000. This took the total to 477 000 hours invested by employees in charitable causes. Last year also saw employees and the company jointly donate a total of $60-million to charitable organisations.

Returning to the theme of the decarbonisation of aviation, Boeing has developed its carbon management strategy into what it calls an “avoid first, remove second” approach.

Avoid First means preventing carbon emissions. This involves avoiding or reducing carbon emissions at source, through such measures as further investments in renewable energy and in efficient infrastructure, and promoting the conservation of resources.

Remove Second means using offsets and removals to deal with emissions that are hard-to-abate.  The group is raising its investments in permanent carbon removal projects, to augment and diversify its offset portfolio. Boeing is also supporting the development of technology and policies to support the roll-out of the global, airline-supported, market-based Carbon Offsetting Removal Scheme for International Aviation (better known as CORSIA).

Last year also saw the group engage with more than 100 influential stakeholders, and support 20 major events, using its Boeing Cascade Climate Impact Model, which analyses aviation’s emission-cutting strategies.