The sustainability of Lithuanian Airports is based on the company's strategy and a double materiality assessment carried out in Q3 2023.
The double materiality assessment (below) prioritises the key LTOU sustainability topics in the areas of environment, social and governance that are most relevant to our stakeholders and have the highest financial and impact materiality for our operations. It is important to stress that all sustainability themes are important in the double materiality assessment, and that a lower materiality does not mean that company will not put any effort into the implementation of this category's topics.
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In order to determine the sustainability-related topics and list them according to priority, we took the following steps:
- We looked at the recommendations of the ACI (Airports Council International) Sustainability Strategy for airports and international trends;
- We analysed the good practices and insights of other airports (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga, Stockholm, Copenhagen Airports etc.);
- We assessed the current sustainability activities of the LTOU, its positive and negative impacts on the environment and society;
- We carried out a stakeholder survey (794 respondents);
- We organised dedicated strategy sessions with LTOU internal experts, top-level managers and external consultants.
Indentified sustainability directions and objectives for 2024 are here below:
| Topic | Description | Direction or objective |
| ENVIRONMENTAL | ||
| Climate change impact and adaptation | Reducing emissions from airport operations, energy efficiency and adapting to the risks posed by climate change. | Implement NET ZERO. |
| Water management | Managing wastewater that contributes to soil contamination and reducing water consumption. |
1) Completion of the procedures for the renewal of the KUN Emission Permit and the coordination with the competent authorities, which have been initiated during 2024. 2) Implement the procedures for the certification of the propylene glycol blend as a chemical for placing on the market within 2024. |
| Waste management | Promoting the circular economy, reusing confiscated items and encouraging business partners to reduce waste. |
1) Conduct a waste generation survey of VNO partners/tenants within 2024. 2) Analyse waste generation streams and waste volumes. |
| Sustainable transport | Expanding the environmentally friendly transport fleet by expanding infrastructure. | Implement NET ZERO. |
| Biodiversity and territory planning | Reducing collisions with wild animals and birds and reducing negative impacts on biodiversity. | Discuss and define what we can achieve on this topic during 2024. |
| Air quality | Reducing air pollution by calculating and limiting emissions of harmful pollutants (NOx , PM10 and PM2.5). | In 2024 conduct two sessions of ambient air pollution measurements at VNO and conclude a new contract for air pollution measurements, including KUN and PLQ. |
| SOCIAL | ||
| Flight safety and aviation security | Safety of airports and their grounds for people and the environment. | A steadily increasing level of security: in 2024, ALoSec of at least 83.95% and ALoSP of at least 88.17%. |
| Safety of airport workers | Safe working conditions for everyone working at airports. | Zero accidents at work. |
| Employee well-being | Airport employee engagement, professional development opportunities and emotional and physical health. | Aim for an employee engagement rate of at least 67% by 2024. |
| Customer experience | Meeting the needs of all passengers: adapting infrastructure and processes to make airports comfortable for all passengers (comfort, innovation, digitisation, accessibility, etc.). |
1) Aim to increase the number of loyal airport customers. Target for 2024: 62%. 2) Implement the strategy to improve the passenger experience in 2030 |
| Personal data protection | Data security for customers, business partners and institutions in airport operations. | All employees have received GDPR training. |
| Aircraft noise management | Noise management in order to reduce the negative effects on health and well-being of the surrounding communities. |
1) Establishment of noise protection zones (NPZ’s) at all LTOU airports and begin the process of compensation for noise abatement measures installation in buildings/premises. 2) Review and approval the VNO Noise Management Plan. 3) Review of KUN departure routes and analysis of possible changes. |
| Diversity, equality and inclusion | Creating an environment in which all stakeholders can feel 100% themselves: respect for human diversity, equality and non-discrimination promoting. | Aim for an overall score of no less than 6.7% in the 2024 Employee Diversity and Inclusion Survey. |
| GOVERNANCE | ||
| Responsible governance | Compliance with the law, transparency, prevention of corruption and high ethical and governance standards. |
1) Comply with good governance practices: aim for an A+ rating on the ESG part. 2) Carry out a risk assessment for each of the sustainability strands. 3) Prepare for the European Sustainability Reporting Standard (ESRS). |
| Supply chain | Ensuring fully sustainable operations in the supply chain. | 1) From 2023, we will ensure that all (100%) of our purchases are green, in accordance with the Law and the Procedural Framework approved by the Minister of the Environment by Order D1-401. |
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HYDROGEN IN AVIATION PROJECT: "BSR HyAirport"
Starting in 2024, Vilnius Airport will officially participate in an innovative project aimed at finding hydrogen solutions for the aviation sector. The BSR HyAirport project seeks to identify concrete solutions for adapting airport infrastructure to accommodate hydrogen-powered aircraft in the future, as well as to prepare airports for the storage, recycling, and supply of green hydrogen as a future energy source for aviation.
The total project budget is €4.8 million, with a portion of these funds allocated to activities coordinated by experts from Vilnius Airport (Lithuanian Airports).
More than 40 different organizations are participating in the project, including various European airports, technology companies, and research centers.
The project will create a unique platform for collaboratively developing, implementing, and testing practical solutions to address common challenges and the specific needs of hydrogen-powered aviation.
The project started at the end of 2023 and will run until the end of 2026.
More information: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bsr-hyairport/
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Last updated: 2024 09 11