People & planet
Environmental, social and economic sustainability is embedded into every aspect of our business, ensuring we can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
At Cornwall Airport Newquay, our commitment to sustainability goes hand-in-hand with our dedication to the people we serve.
We believe that the success of our airport is deeply interconnected with the well-being of our community, the accessibility of our services, our contributions to charitable causes, and our ongoing efforts to protect the planet from climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural resource exploitation. Through our “People and Planet” initiatives, we aim to create have a lasting positive impact, ensuring that our airport remains a responsible and forward-thinking partner in Cornwall’s future.
Our people objectives
Stronger Communities
Connecting Cornwall to the world while strengthening our local ties.
Exemplary Accessibility
Ensuring that every journey through our airport is inclusive and barrier-free.
Charitable Causes
Giving back to those who need it most, both locally and beyond.
Our planet objectives
Climate Action
Taking meaningful action to combat the climate emergency.
Nature Recovery
Taking meaningful action to combat the ecological emergency.
Circular Solutions
Reducing, reusing and recycling natural resources.
Stronger Community
What: Cornwall Airport Newquay serves as a vital hub for transportation, economic growth, and social connection. Our role extends beyond travel, helping to enrich the lives of those in the region.
Why: We are dedicated to fostering a vibrant and resilient Cornwall by supporting local businesses, creating opportunities, and actively engaging with the community that we operate in and serve.
How: We work with regional partners to boost local enterprise, engage schools and community groups to inspire future generations, and ensure our initiatives reflect local priorities.
Did you know? We generated £4.4 million of Social Value last year through direct local employment and various sustainability initiatives and contributed over £70 million of wider Gross Value Add (GVA) to Cornwall’s wider economy.
Exemplary Accessibility
What: We are committed to ensuring that Cornwall Airport Newquay is accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all passengers, regardless of their needs or abilities.
Why: Everyone deserves a stress-free and enjoyable travel experience, supported by thoughtful infrastructure, dedicated staff, and personalised care at every step of the journey, from the moment they arrive to the time they board their flight.
How: We will continue to provide step-free access, accessible parking, clear signage, and staff training, while regularly reviewing feedback to continually improve our services and infrastructure to ensure inclusivity for all.
Did you know? We have assisted 5683 disabled passengers so far this year.
Charitable Causes
Who: Prickles & Paws Hedgehog Rescue and Cornwall Air Ambulance
What: At Cornwall Airport Newquay, we actively support charitable initiatives, focusing on making a meaningful and lasting impact on our community
and beyond.
Why: By contributing to local causes, we strengthen Cornwall’s social fabric and help create a more connected, compassionate region for everyone.
How: We will continue to support a variety of causes, encourage employee volunteering, and host fundraising events, ensuring our efforts deliver tangible benefits to those in need.
Did you know? Cornwall Air Ambulance is located on our airfield!
Climate Action
What: We are committed to significantly reducing emissions from our ground operations and will actively support our airline partners in their efforts to reduce aviation-related emissions.
Why: We recognise that we have a leading role to play in addressing the climate emergency and want to play our part in trying to keep global warming below critical tipping point thresholds for ecosystems, human health and well-being.
How: We will continue to pursue energy efficiency, public transport options
and other emissions reductions through assessments, partnerships, and initiatives, including membership of the international Airport Carbon Accreditation Scheme.
Did you know? We have an onsite solar farm and recently switched the remainder of our electricity to a 100% renewable supplier, eradicating over 200 tonnes of CO2e annually under the ‘market based’ carbon accounting approach.
Nature Recovery
What: Cornwall’s biodiversity is following exactly the same worrying trends as those seen globally in recent decades, impacting everywhere and everyone.
Why: Healthy ecosystems are absolutely essential for supporting and balancing life on our planet. Our rural surroundings and large land area provides us with unique opportunities to champion nature recovery and protect local habitats.
How: While adhering to essential air safety requirements, we are committed to protecting, enhancing, and restoring natural habitats around the airport, creating biodiverse spaces that benefit both wildlife and our community.
Did you know? We have set aside 6 hectares of land outside of airside perimeter for wildlife and have been baselining the species present, so that we can measure and monitor the performance of our future habitat enhancement initiatives.
Circular Solutions
What: We are dedicated to applying circular economy principles across all airport operations, maximising the lifespan and reuse of products and materials to minimise waste and resource use.
Why: Circular solutions are essential for reducing waste, conserving natural resources, and minimising environmental impacts by creating closed-loop systems that lessen dependency on extraction, manufacturing, transportation and disposal.
How: We will continue adhering to the waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, and disposal), working with specialist partners to eliminate waste, increase recycling rates.
Did you know? Our passenger cafés utilise an innovative compostable packaging and 98% of our terminal waste was either recycled or converted to energy last year, moving us a step closer to becoming a zero waste to landfill business.
