dnata will invest US$100 million in green operations in two years to enhance its environmental efficiency globally. Also, with the UAE’s dry climate, dnata has installed a Reverse Osmosis Plant to re-use condensate water from the cooling systems in its cargo warehouses in Dubai, says Steve Allen, Group CEO, dnata.
CT Bureau
dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, continues its efforts to meet its pledge of reducing its carbon footprint and waste to landfill by 20 per cent by 2024, as part of its two-year green operations strategy. The ground heandler’s recent initiatives include continued investments in infrastructure, green ground support solutions and, process improvement.
In June 2022, dnata stated it would invest US$100 million in green operations in two years to enhance its environmental efficiency globally. dnata offers quality and safe ground handling, cargo, travel, catering, and retail services in 38 nations. In 2022-23, its teams handled 710,000 aircraft turns, moved 2.7 million tons of cargo, uplifted 111.4 million meals, and recorded a total transaction value (TTV) of travel services worth US$ 1.9 billion.
Steve Allen, Group Chief Executive Officer, dnata, said, “We are proud to have made vital progress on improving our environmental performance since the announcement of our strategic objectives. I thank each team member for their hard work and contributing to our green initiatives that help us make a difference across our global operations. We will continue our investments and efforts alongside our partners to further reduce our environmental footprint.”
renewable energy
As part of its efforts to improve global resource efficiency, dnata has continued to make significant investments in renewable energy. This includes the installation of rooftop solar power systems across its existing facilities.
dnata has installed solar panels at its operating facilities in Singapore, and at its SnapFresh facility in Australia. These generate more than 4,300 MWh of renewable electricity annually, saving approximately 1.85 million kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions. Phase 1 of a solar PV panel installation in Pakistan also commenced, which is likely to generate 244,000 kWh per annum. Also, all electricity purchased in the UK and Ireland is from renewables from local grids.
Conserving water
In addition to solar power, dnata is investing in systems to collect and re-use condensate from air conditioning units and rainwater at both of its existing and new facilities. These initiatives optimize water usage and associated costs. dnata’s new 20,000m2 cargo facility in Iraq, which will begin operations in 2024, will include environmentally sustainable features, including a rooftop rainwater harvesting system. This will capture, treat, and store rainwater in underground tanks, feeding irrigation systems within the facility and potable uses, achieving a 50 per cent saving on water costs by 2025. The system has been configured in the Philippines using the same technology, but to collect and recycle rainwater for drinking and washing purposes. This technology will also shortly be implemented at dnata’s Singapore facilities.
In the United Arab Emirates dry climate, dnata has installed a Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant to re-use condensate water from the cooling systems in its cargo warehouses in Dubai. This has resulted in 5,000 liters of reused water per day for washing and cleaning.
dnata also launched a bottle-free drinking water system at its Corporate Headquarters, dnata Travel Centre and Alpha catering facilities, which will reduce plastic consumption and conserve 95,000 liters of bottled water per year.
Usage of biofuel
dnata continues to invest in the electrification of its ground handling fleet, and the use of biofuel, wherever feasible, to reduce emissions.
More than 15 per cent of the company’s global fleet is now electrified. dnata continues to support its global airport partners to prepare the infrastructure for further electrification, he added.
The company understands electrification is the sole solution to its ground handling fleet. the firm considers airports’ climatic conditions and available infrastructure, and invests in a mix of equipment types, including biodiesel,
electric, hydrogen and hybrid to maximize environmental and operational efficiency
internationally.
As part of the crucial role that it plays during the winter operations in Switzerland, dnata added five new hybrid de-icing trucks to its ground support equipment (GSE) fleet in 2022. This increased the number of electric GSE in its operations to 35 per cent.
In the Netherlands, dnata switched over to 100 per cent biofuel for all legacy GSE fleet in January 2023, marking a milestone in its sustainable journey in Amsterdam, where 55 per cent of its fleet is electric.
Reducing waste to landfill
To reduce its carbon footprint in ways other than emissions, dnata is determined to reduce waste to landfill, and is collaborating with industry leaders and policymakers on treatment of global catering waste. dnata is also targeting a 20 per cent diversion of waste from landfill by 2024.
dnata is investing in sustainable solutions for cargo waste materials, such as transport belts and nets, that are destined for landfill. The firm’s catering’s retail division is working closely with its airline partners, introducing the pre-ordering of passenger inflight meals. This cuts food wastage, and therefore, the need for airlines to burn larger quantities of fuel to transport heavier aircraft.
IATA’s IEnvA program
In December 2022, dnata signed up to IATA Environmental Assessment program, based on globally recognized environmental and sustainability standards as well as industry best practices.
It is a commitment to improve environmental sustainability within the aviation field and is focused specifically on dnata’s core operations. These include cargo handling facilities, catering, freight forwarders, and ramp handlers. dnata is working towards full certification prior to the end of 2023.
UN Global Compact
dnata joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a voluntary global initiative to promote responsible business practices, and advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals. dnata is committed to implementing 10 principles of the UNGC in human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. dnata will benefit from access to the UNGC’s tools and resources to engage with its staff across the globe and improve their learning and training in sustainability.
