İGA İstanbul Airport Raises the Bar on Sustainability

İGA Istanbul Airport, which is steadily progressing toward achieving 'Net Zero Emissions' by 2050, completed 2024 with emissions 10.5% below year-end projection. The airport also raised its 2030 renewable energy target from 50% to 90%.

İGA Istanbul Airport, operating on the principle of putting technology to the benefit of people and the environment, published its 2024 "Sustainability Report". Prepared with double materiality analysis* taking into account stakeholder views and financial impacts, the report presents İGA's environmental, social and economic contributions while reflecting cultural and structural gains.

Placing sustainability at the center of its strategic plans and operations, İGA Istanbul Airport, through work conducted under the "Our Focus: The World, Our Target: The Future" approach, completed 2024 greenhouse gas emissions 1.4% lower than the previous year and 10.5% below year-end projection. Committed to reaching 'Net Zero Emissions' by 2050, İGA also raised its 2030 renewable energy target from 50% to 90%.

Within this context, the Eskişehir Solar Energy Plant (GES) project, constructed with EUR 212 million investment across approximately 3 million square meters, with a capacity of 199.32 megawatts, is planned to generate 340 million kilowatt-hours of energy annually. Thanks to the GES investment expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2025, İGA Istanbul Airport will become the world's first major airport to source all of its electricity from solar energy.

Scientific Preparation for Climate Resilience: Collaboration with TÜBİTAK
Making intensive efforts to render its operations resilient against changing climate conditions, İGA evaluates possible scenarios in line with scientific data. Under the "Istanbul Airport Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan" launched in collaboration with TÜBİTAK MAM, regional climate simulations are being used to analyze how airport operations may be affected by climate change; risks are being assessed and long-term adaptation strategies are being developed.

İGA Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen, defining the "Sustainability Report" published annually not merely as an information tool but also as a medium through which learning processes and areas for improvement are shared, emphasized that leading the global aviation sector through 'best practices' signed in the field of sustainability is a matter of great pride.

Recalling that they signed the "Aviation4All Declaration" in December in Athens as one of 43 founding organizations with the goal of taking an active role in the transformation of the aviation sector, Bilgen continued his remarks as follows:

"The magnitude of responsibility that İGA Istanbul Airport bears both in its role in global aviation and within the country's economy and commerce places an additional vital mission on us: to contribute to building a sustainable future in environmental, social and economic dimensions. We conduct our efforts in this direction in a multidimensional manner. We continue our operational processes without compromising safety and make significant contributions to the global aviation sector through flights we organize throughout the year. We prioritize environmental sustainability projects aimed at reducing our carbon footprint, increasing energy efficiency and using natural resources more effectively. Through social responsibility projects that consider public benefit, we aim to improve the quality of life of a broad range of stakeholders, from local residents to our employees. Within the scope of economic sustainability, we contribute to both our country's economy and our global competitiveness through innovative investments and digital transformation strategies. Thanks to this holistic approach, we are advancing not merely as an airport; but also as a vision center that shapes the living spaces of the future."

Other highlights from İGA Istanbul Airport's "2024 Sustainability Report" are as follows:

• Within the scope of İGA Academy; 20,494 different trainings were provided to develop employees' aviation sector skills and satisfaction rates exceeded 95%. Every TRY 1 invested in İGA Academy International Trainings generated TRY 2.51 in social benefit for participants. Additionally, in 2024, the İGA Academy Stakeholder Advisory Board was established with 24 stakeholders to strengthen collaborations in the aviation sector, increase knowledge and experience sharing, and contribute to the development of sector professionals.

• Through Experience Principles and Guest Experience Policy implemented for inclusive and welfare-focused airport service, the customer experience maturity level increased from 3.73 in 2022 to 4.04 in 2024. The names of the Very Special Guest Rooms and Special Passenger Service Point were changed to Silent Rooms; to further facilitate independent travel for visually impaired guests, a 'live connection' service was added to the Route With Me feature for indoor navigation in the Istanbul Airport mobile application.

• Under Advanced Waste Separation Practices; an average of 164 tons of waste were separated daily; 34.07% of this waste was recycled. By integrating fill-level sensors into 262 waste containers on site, we optimized emissions from waste collection.

• On the path to transforming the Istanbul Airport ecosystem, process improvement efforts were initiated with the companies that generate the most waste at the airport.

• In accordance with Water Security priority; reverse osmosis facilities that evaluate drainage and treated water were commissioned, making cooling water systems use recycled water on a 'circular' basis. İGA Istanbul Airport met 27% of its total water consumption from recovered water in 2024.