November 8, 2022
Aruba Airport is committed to create more sustainable airport operations
ORANJESTAD - After realigning Aruba Airport Authority N.V.’s (AAA) vision, goals, and objectives in 2021, in which sustainability was defined as one of the most important strategic pillars of the company, AAA reviewed pursuing possibilities for certifications on sustainability. Certifications are important tools to verify if a company’s efforts on sustainability actually result in more sustainable operations, have an impact on a country’s Sustainable Development Goals objectives and contribute to a better planet. For 2022, AAA chose to undergo an independent assurance audit on sustainability to pursue the Green Globe Certification.
In the past week, AAA received the exciting news that Queen Beatrix International Airport (Aruba Airport) became the first airport in the world to receive the Green Globe certification. Green Globe is one of the leading certification programs for sustainable operations and management of travel and tourism worldwide and AAA is very proud of this achievement. AAA has focused its sustainability efforts in its airport operations by implementing building management systems, reduction of energy consumption initiatives, pilot waste projects, purchasing policies and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions report to mention a few. Furthermore, AAA’s Wings of Hope focuses on executing community projects based on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals with the goal to create a positive impact on the local community.
Green Globe CEO, Birte Pelayo said, “As a busy tourism hub, Aruba Airport has set the benchmark for the Caribbean aviation industry. Airport operations can greatly contribute to lowering emissions through on-ground innovations and supporting better flight planning. And as an essential transport infrastructure, the economic and social contributions that airports make are vital to economies underpinned by travel & tourism.”
“Aruba Airport is taking the lead, not only in the Caribbean, but globally, being the first airport to be certified under the Green Globe International Standard for Travel & Tourism, the highest level of certification for operation and management of a travel & tourism business. Aruba Airport has indelible connections to the prosperity of Aruba and its sustainable success will deliver tangible and measurable benefits for all in the community,” added Birte Pelayo
“Aruba Airport, the first airport to achieve the Green Globe Certification, has done so by creating local impact and achieving global goals. Along with the requirements of their operations meeting international sustainability criteria, their social impact program, Wings of Hope, aligns with the Sustainable Development Global Goals (SGDs). The SDGs stand as a pillar of Aruba Airport's values and operational mission. Through Wings of Hope, AAA integrates sustainable education within the community, environmental action throughout its department operations and encourages environmental responsibility with their partners; all in an effort to reduce emissions and integrate resiliency. I hope that AAA's Green Globe Certification will stand as an influence to other airport and travel entities to consider how their operations are contributing to a positive climate impact”, said Denaye Hinds, the official auditor for Aruba Airport’s certification process.
Aruba’s Minister of Tourism and Public Health Mr. Dangui Oduber stated “We are beyond thrilled about the announcement, that Reina Beatrix Airport is the first airport in the world that has been certified by the world’s leading certification for sustainable operation and management of travel & tourism worldwide, Green Globe. Our island’s commitment towards sustainability is unwavering and this is an outstanding accomplishment for all of us”.
Director Health, Safety and Sustainability of AAA, Angeline Flemming indicated that “AAA cannot be prouder of this achievement. The efforts by AAA and the Airport community in the past years to make our airport operations more sustainable, have paid off with achieving this prestigious certification.”
Joost Meijs, CEO of AAA stated “when AAA set out its sustainability goals and objectives, we expected and aimed to be able to reach certain levels of certification in the two years ahead. We set ambitious goals and in such a short period of time, was able to become the first airport in the world to have achieved Green Globe certification, exceeding our initial expectations. This shows the enormous commitment of our staff and other partners to conduct business with respect to our environment.”
Papiamento
Aeropuerto di Aruba ta comprometi pa opera di un manera sostenibel
Aeropuerto di Aruba ta e prome aeropuerto na mundo pa ricibi “Green Globe Certification”
ORANJESTAD - Despues di reahusta e vision-, meta-, y obhetivonan di Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA) durante aña 2021, a defini sostenibilidad como un di e pilarnan strategico mas importante, AAA a revisa e posibilidad di obtene diferente certificacion pa sostenibilidad. E certificacion ta un herment importante p’asina por verifica si e esfuerso di e compania pa cu sostenibilidad ta duna e resultado den for di un operacion mas sostenibel y cu un impacto den e Sustainable Development Goals y alabes contribui na un miho planeta. Pa 2022, AAA a scoge pa participa den un evaluacion independiente di sostenibilidad pa por obtene e Green Globe Certification.
Siman pasa AAA a ricibi e noticia cu Aeropuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix (Aeropuerto di Aruba) a bira e prome aeropuerto na mundo pa ricibi e Green Globe Certification. Esaki ta un di e programanan di certificacion principal pa operacion sostenibel y maneho di biahe y turismo rond di mundo y AAA ta hopi orguyoso pa e logro aki. AAA a concentra su esfuersonan di sostenibilidad den su operacionnan mediante e implementacion di building management systems, reduci e consumo di energia, pilot waste projects, purchasing policies y Green House Gas (GHG) pa menciona algun. Ademas, Wings of Hope di AAA a enfoca pa ehecuta proyecto comunitario basa riba e Sustainable Development Goals, cu e meta pa crea un impacto positivo den comunidad.
CEO di Green Globe, Birte Pelayo, a menciona cu: “Manera un “hub” ocupa di turismo, Aeropuerto di Aruba a establece un punto di referencia pa e industria di aviacion den Caribe. E operacionnan di aeropuerto por contribui den gran parti pa reduci e emisionnan a traves di innovacion “on-ground” y respalda un miho planificacion di vuelo. Como un infrastructura esencial den transporte, e contribucion economico y social di e aeropuertonan ta importante p’e economianan cu tin sosten di biahe y turismo”.
“Aeropuerto di Aruba tin un liderazgo, no unicamente den Caribe, pero tambe na nivel mundial door di ta e prome aeropuerto pa ta certifica bou di Green Globe International Standard for Travel & Tourism, esun mas halto den nivel di certificacion pa operacion y maneho den e negoshi di biahe y turismo. Aeropuerto di Aruba tin conexion permanente cu e prosperidad di Aruba y su exito sostenibel lo brinda beneficio real pa comunidad”, Birte Pelayo a continua bisando.
“Aeropuerto di Aruba, e prome aeropuerto pa logra e Green Globe Certification, a logra esaki door di crea un impacto local y logrando su metanan na nivel global. Hunto cu e rekisitonan di su operacion ta cumpli cu e criterionan internacional di sostenibilidad, su programa di impacto social Wings of Hope, ta alinia cu e Sustainable Development Global Goals. SDG ta un pilar di e balornan y e mision di Aeropuerto di Aruba.
A traves di Wings of Hope, AAA ta integra educacion sostenibel den comunidad, accion ambiental den operacion di su departamentonan y ta promove e responsabilidad ambiental den su socionan; tur esaki cu e meta pa reduci transmicion y integra resistencia. “Mi ta spera cu e Green Globe Certification pa AAA, ta un influencia p’asina demas aeropuertonan como tambe tur cu ta involucra den biahe por considera con su operacionnan ta contribui na un impacto climatico positivo”, tabata palabra di Denaye Hinds, kende ta auditor oficial pa e proceso di certificacion di Aruba Airport.
Minister di Turismo y Salud Publico sr. Dangui Oduber, a comenta cu “Nos ta sumamente contento cu e anuncio cu airport di Aruba ta e prome aeropuerto na mundo cu a wordo certifica dor di Green Globe Certification, un instituto renombra mundialmente riba certificacion pa operacion y maneho sostenibel den e industria di biahe y turismo. Nos compromiso como isla pa cu sostenibilidad ta firme y esaki ta un logro sublime pa nos tur”.
Angeline Flemming, Director of Health, Safety and Sustainability pa AAA a indica cu: “AAA no por ta mas orguyoso di e logro aki. E esfuersonan di AAA y tur cu ta traha den e industria den e ultimo añanan pa haci cu nos operacionnan ta mas sostenibel a duna su fruto cu e certificacion prestigioso aki”.
Joost Meijs, CEO di AAA, a comenta cu: “Na momento cu AAA a establece su metanan y obhetivo di sostenibilidad, nos a spera di por yega cierto nivel di certificacion den e siguiente dos aña. Nos a pone meta ambicioso y den poco tempo, nos a bira e prome aeropuerto di mundo pa logra e Green Globe Certification, surpasando nos propio expectativa. Esaki ta demostra e compromiso enorme di nos trahado- y socionan pa realisa negoshi cu respet pa nos medio ambiente.”
