Sustainability Report 2009/10

Board Statement

With the outlook for the wider economy improving, we look to the future with confidence. We have an optimistic and assured view of our future. Our airports are integral and important parts of the regions within which they operate and we are proud to serve local people, to connect business and commerce and to act as a catalyst to the modern knowledge economy.

We have exciting plans for the future but if we are to realise our potential, growing our business in a sustainable way is imperative. This means openly accepting our challenges, particularly the negative impacts our business can have on the natural environment and our neighbours.

While this is our first Group-wide sustainability report, sustainability is not new to us. For many years we have sought to understand the wider context within which we operate, driving down our environmental impacts and engaging constructively and honestly with a very wide range of stakeholders, including our neighbours.

This report sets out a very broad programme of work, which reflects our long-standing commitment to make our operations more sustainable. Our efforts to make the operation of our buildings and vehicles carbon neutral, our drive to minimise aircraft noise and our work with local communities are evidence of our willingness to lead the way. We are pleased to set out some of our achievements to date but accept that there remains much more to be done.

Our sustainability agenda will be delivered by our people and our partners. We will need to build on the good work we have started to ensure that we play our part to develop the skills of young people today so that they can be our future colleagues. We will also need to invest in our people. A successful, more sustainable future relies on all of our combined efforts and energy. By adopting the approach set out in this report and by continuing to make sustainability central to the way we do business, we believe we can earn our licence to grow and our progress will be closely scrutinised and challenged by our Board.

I hope you find our report interesting and informative.