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Jet2 has won the Large Business category at the Yorkshire Sustainability Excellence Awards. 

Created by TheBusinessDesk.com in partnership with Clarion, Deloitte and the Swinton Estate, the awards are in their second year and recognise businesses that are making permanent and positive changes to society and the environment. 

Jet2 was recognised for taking significant steps to build a sustainable future, implementing clear strategies and achieving notable milestones. 

The company’s updated Sustainability Strategy outlines these targets and objectives across three pillars: In the Air; On the Ground and In Resort, along with an enhanced focus on supply chain Scope 3 emissions.  

The award recognises this work, which includes: 

• A new climate transition plan, focused on existing technologies and tangible actions that can be taken currently. This will see Jet2.com reduce its carbon emissions per revenue paying passenger kilometre (gCO₂/RPK) by 35% in 2035 compared to 2019 (43.55gCO₂/RPK in 2035 vs. 67gCO₂/RPK in 2019). 

• Investing billions into decarbonising its fleet, with a firm order for 146 brand-new Airbus A321 neo aircraft. These aircraft reduce CO2 emissions per passenger by up to 20% and are 50% quieter than the aircraft they are replacing. 

• Reducing single-use plastics on flights by switching to biodegradable and recyclable alternatives. This initiative alone has substituted 22 million items of single-use plastic from the company’s supply chain each year. 

• Using new technologies to provide real-time operational data and analysis that drives fuel savings. Jet2 has installed split-scimitar winglets onto 60 of its Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, reducing fuel burn through improved aerodynamic efficiency. 

• Incorporating Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in its operations, including using SAF at London Stansted, Bristol and Malaga airports before the introduction of the UK and EU SAF mandates came into effect in January 2025.  

• Electrification of Jet2.com owned ground service equipment, with more than 50% of Jet2.com ground service equipment now fully electric. 

• Launching and expanding Jet2holidays’ Certified Sustainable Hotels collection, giving customers the option to choose accommodation that meets a sustainability certification – with over 1,200 hotels now in the collection. 

Jet2.com has already been recognised as an industry leader in reducing carbon intensity emissions, achieving a platinum rating for airline sustainability in the CAPA 2023 sustainability benchmark report*. This means Jet2.com is among the top ten airlines globally for sustainability performance and ranked 4th out of 100 in carbon emitted per revenue passenger kilometer (gCO2/RPK).  

In addition, Jet2 has also created a social value framework within its Sustainability Strategy which is aimed at supporting colleagues and the communities where Jet2 operates. This addresses eight areas of focus, four which are within Jet2 (training and development, well-being, inclusion and access, health and safety) and four which are outside the company (jobs and skills, communities, partnerships and ethics, risk and safety). 

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “I am very proud of what we have achieved since launching our first sustainability strategy in 2021 and this award reflects the investment and hard work that has gone into that. We are basing our strategy on technologies and tangible actions that we know are available to us now, rather than what may or may not be available in the future, however we continually monitor to see where we can embrace new technologies. Our tangible steps include investing in new and more fuel-efficient aircraft, using SAF, launching a Certified Sustainable Hotels collection, removing millions of single use plastics from onboard our aircraft, and utilising technologies such as split-scimitar winglets. Our strategy clearly sets out our vision to accelerate our sustainability journey whilst supporting our colleagues and the communities where we operate, and we will continue to make this a critical area of focus.” 

*  https://centreforaviation.com/shop/capa-envest-airline-sustainability-benchmarking-report-2023