Keen to highlight its contributions to decarbonize aerospace and conform to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) practices increasingly demanded by shareholders and customers, Boeing earlier this month released its 2023 sustainability report.
Titled "Sustainable Aerospace Together," the report provides an annual update on the U.S. company’s efforts to advance environmental stewardship, human development, and inclusion. Boeing's work includes addressing the company's sustainability goals on employee safety and well-being; global aerospace safety; community engagement; diversity, equity, and inclusion; as well as sustainable operations and clean technology innovation.
"Boeing continues to invest and make progress on our journey to achieve a more sustainable aerospace future," said Chris Raymond, Boeing chief sustainability officer. "As we enter a new era of sustainable aerospace, we are committed to documenting our progress and outlining our path forward with transparency so our industry can progress, together."
Efforts span from increasing renewable-energy use in its factories and purchasing more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial operations. Last year, Boeing purchased 2 million gallons (7.6 million liters) of SAF and it achieved 35 percent renewable electricity use across the company in 2022 by purchasing renewable electricity and renewable energy credits. Two years earlier its renewable electricity use amounted to 21 percent of the total.
The company also continues investments in aerospace technologies to reduce fuel use, emissions, and noise. For example, it recently launched the Boeing Cascade Climate Impact Model, a data-modeling tool that quantifies strategies to reduce aviation emissions. Meanwhile, NASA chose Boeing to develop and flight-test the full-scale Transonic truss-braced wing Sustainable Flight Demonstrator.
Last year also marked the 10th anniversary of the Boeing ecoDemonstrator program, which has evaluated some 230 technologies to reduce fuel use, emissions, and noise. The 2022 program tested 30 new technologies to help decarbonize aviation on Boeing's 777-200 test bed.