The official launch of MAG’s 2023 Sustainability Report by Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (centre), in conjunction with MAG’s inaugural Sustainability Day. With him are Datuk Captain Izham Ismail(second from left) and Philip See(second from right). — LOW LAY PHON/The Star
SEPANG: The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Ministry will become the first government body to participate in Malaysia Aviation Group’s (MAG) corporate carbon programme.
NRES minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said this would signify his ministry’s commitment to offset greenhouse gases for official travel.
“It is common for us to fly for work and right now, even sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has emissions. Until we move to electric or hydrogen methods, it is important for us to try and offset the harmful emissions and balance it out,” he said at the sidelines of MAG’s 2023 Sustainability Report launch here yesterday.
According to Nik Nazmi, as a ministry, it is their responsibility for decarbonisation plans and climate change, and hopes to lead the way.
“We will bring this to Cabinet, and we will see how we can make this work and speak to the rest.
“Even if not all ministries agree to this, even a few will lead to change. It is a critical step in the green journey,” he said.
He added however, both parties are still in early days of discussion and no outline has been set as of yet.
“International requirements tell us that this is where the aviation industry is heading towards. We are still looking at how we can both learn from each other and partner together on this journey,” he said.
To recap, MAG launched the corporate carbon programme this year in March, particularly for business travellers where passengers are given the opportunity to support certified climate projects via an extra fee when purchasing flight tickets.
The programme also enables corporate clients to access their own company portal, where they can estimate and manage their carbon footprints more accurately.
So far, the response from Australia, New Zealand and Europe has been positive. Malaysia, however, is still lagging behind.
To this end, MAG said it was a lack of awareness that contributed to the slow take-up rate for this option and will continue using social media to drive the message further.
MAG said its next segment to join the programme will be cargo, estimated to start later this year.
Nik Nazmi said these were just a few examples of how MAG was looking at upholding its sustainability plans in order to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Meanwhile, MAG’s Sustainability Report launch also coincided with its inaugural Sustainability Day, where the group committed to continue advancing its initiatives.
Its report last year highlighted some of the key achievements including 17% of annual energy consumption from renewable sources and the replacement of over 4.5 million units of single-use plastics with biodegradable materials.
As for diversity, the report revealed there was a 34% female participation in its total workforce, with 50% female representation in senior management.
MAG group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said as a group, its efforts go beyond just decarbonisation, but rather places an emphasis on innovation, technology and digitalisation for a more sustainable planet.
He said during the recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting, MAG signed the IATA CO2 Connect and IATA SAF Registry, demonstrating its commitment to accurately calculate carbon emissions consistently across the full travel chain.
“Sustainability isn’t just about mitigating our impact; it’s a collective action to drive positive change across the communities we serve.
“That’s why we are pioneering innovative solutions, from utilising electric vehicles for ground service equipment to collaborating with local non-government organisations to repurpose our crew uniforms and in-flight materials into functional products,” he said.
MAG group chief sustainability officer Philip See said his role was to ensure the importance of sustainability remained at the forefront of the group’s operations.
See said the group will gauge where it is on its way to 2050 as the end goal for zero emissions.
“We will focus on a few elements including minimising our environmental footprint, have zero compromises on safety, drive stakeholder profitability while delivering positive impact to communities and upholding high standards of governance.”
