Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings, Amal, MABkargo, AeroDarat Services and MAB Academy has launched its MAG Sustainability Blueprint, aimed to promote socio-economic development and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

The event was graced by Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin; United Nations Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Stefan Priesner as well as representatives from key partners from both the government and private sectors. 

Championing Sustainability is a key focus for the Group as part of its goal to become Asia’s leading travel and aviation services group. MAG seeks to integrate sustainability through minimising environmental impacts, positively enhancing the communities it operates in, ensuring safety excellence, ensuring compliance within the organization and driving profitability at the benefit of both our stakeholders and employees. 

With 66 initiatives already in various phases of implementation across 23 sustainability matters from 5 key focus areas, namely Economic, Governance, Safety and Security, Environmental and Social, the Blueprint will also function as a driver to accelerate and support these initiatives into the future. 

MAG’s Group Chief Executive Officer Captain Izham Ismail said, “As we look forward and seek to create a brighter future for the national aviation services group, we have to be conscious and work towards creating a future that also elevates and protects the communities we are present in. 

In the long run, our sustainability initiatives will drive us to be a more responsible, efficient and effective organization, with the character and mindset to be environmentally responsible, the leadership to empower and develop our workforce expertise, the responsibility to spearhead safety leadership, the experience to go above and beyond compliance, and the ingenuity to maintain and grow profitability and resilience. Together we will create a greener world, to ensure the lives we touch may continue to flourish, and actively play our role as the national carrier and helping the nation fly ever higher.” 

Notably, Malaysia Airlines has engaged in carbon offsetting initiatives in line with CORSIA, Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, that was set by the ICAO in 2016. The Group has been hard at work in pushing digitalization efforts, with its ground handling unit AeroDarat recently launching its e-AHAN, which helped digitalize and automate the often manual and tedious process of billing, leading to shorter processes and faster lead times. 

As a starting goal for the Blueprint, the Group will work towards bringing several aspects of the business up to industry-leading standards in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. MAG. Sustainability program will contribute to SDG aspiration not only for aviation emission reduction and fuel conservation but also on the SDG 5 (Gender Equality by increasing the number of women in decision making positions), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth through gainful employment), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production on all our products that leads to more circular economy user), and SDG 13 (Climate Change which is key elements to be instilled in all MAG employee). 

Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam said, “The UN strongly believes that it is a win-win solution for businesses to align themselves to the Sustainable Development Goals. MAG’s Sustainability Blueprint is a step forward in the aviation sector’s contribution to realising the SDGs by 2030. 

Given the global consensus on the SDGs and the growing consumer demands for socially responsible and environmentally sustainable business practices both in Malaysia and globally, there is a strong case for businesses to come together and accelerate the sustainability agenda in all sectors.” 

Moving forward, the Group aims to reduce the overall CO2 emission by 25 million tonnes in 2021, with an eye to reach 50% usage of biodegradable materials for in-flight operations coupled with 50% of ground and in-flight waste recycled and up-cycled by 2025 onwards. 

“We look forward to working with our governmental, regulatory, private and aviation partners tomake this vision a reality and taking brave new steps to our shared futures,” added Captain Izham. 

The group has been aided by local partners such as Universiti Putra Malaysia, Verdastro, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad, working together over the past several years in developing various innovations and improvements. Additionally, the Group has worked closely and have been supported by the United Nations, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), the Malaysia Aviation Commission (MAVCOM), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), Airbus, Boeing and the oneworld alliance, whose actions have been instrumental in steering the industry and influencing positive change in the name of sustainability.