Welcome toLondon City Airport

Since the launch of the London City biodiversity fund in 2022, we invested over £50,000 in local biodiversity projects. We partnered with GreenTheUK to support wildflower planting and creating biodiversity habitats on school grounds. A series of workshops were delivered to 18 primary schools across East London and over 1100 children were engaged to learn the importance of pollinating insects for the food that we eat and the impact of habitat loss on these species. We also supported Thames21 to conduct a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing biodiversity along the River Roding, predicting a 30% improvement in river condition and consequently creating more green space for community.

As part of our goal to achieve absolute emissions reduction, we developed the airport’s carbon saving trajectory and formulated reduction targets in line with the IPCC 1.5c pathway and Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Recognising our efforts in this area, LCY was awarded and maintained this year the highest-level 4+ Transition in the ACA programme. For our residual emissions, we continue to use verified, evidence-based and SDG supported offset schemes as per ACA requirements, providing both community and biodiversity benefits. In 2023 we supported afforestation in degraded areas of Colombian rainforest which contributed to GHG reduction and job creation in a zone historically affected by poverty.

We awarded over £86,000 to 13 local charities and not-for-profit organisation for our Community Fund in 2023, which included awarding £50,000 to East London foodbanks to support the local community during the current cost-of-living crisis, making a total of £425,000 awarded since the fund’s launch in 2019. Our Sponsorships Programme gave a further £78,000 in donations and sponsorships in 2023 to local community initiatives and events, including Christmas dinners for the elderly, Eid celebrations as well as King’s coronation, Summer festival and Diwali activities in the local community. We also sponsored awards by Newham Chamber of Commerce and Greenwich Business.

At London City, we continue our well-established Women in Aviation Programme to help local young women gain knowledge, understanding and awareness of STEM subjects as well as aviation field and associated jobs. Nearly 300 young women from 10 schools take part every year, starting with an airport visit to see career opportunities. In 2023, students were tasked to develop concepts to make London City a net zero emissions airport and presented ideas to industry representative at the final stage held in May. Since the launch of the event, we have engaged with nearly 1000 students and over 40 schools in the local area.

We launched STEM in Aviation in 2016 to inspire future innovators in the aviation industry. The event showcases the applications of science and technology (STEM), encouraging students to pursue careers in those fields. Addressing the UK's STEM skills shortage is crucial for the thriving aviation sector, contributing £22 billion annually to the economy and providing over 230,000 jobs. The 2023 event connected students with companies focused on zero emissions, including British Airways City Flyer, Boeing, GKN Aerospace, Accenture, NATs, UK Power Networks Services and AtkinsRealis. Over 2,000 students and 110 schools have benefited from the program since 2016.

Since 2021, all diesel units required by aircraft to power its essential equipment were replaced with electric mobile ground power units. These are battery units that are recharged using London City’s renewable electricity supply which not only eliminates the carbon and air quality impacts associated with diesel units but also significantly reduces the noise emitted. In 2022, seven new Electric Vehicle charging points were installed at LCY for use by passengers, staff and taxis to facilitate and promote sustainable travel options to and from the airport.

Since 2020, London City has made significant strides in its commitment to sustainability. The airport has ensured that 100% of its imported electricity is sourced from certified renewable sources, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. We have installed solar panel units and are looking at ways to increase on-site generation of renewable energy. These efforts demonstrate the airport's dedication to reaching its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and contributing to a more sustainable aviation industry.