Air New Zealand has bolstered its executive ranks by appointing the airline’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Kiri Hannifin. The airline says the newly created role recognizes the importance of sustainability across all aspects of the company’s operation and the increased focus the airline is placing on its environmental impact.
Hannifin is currently Director of Corporate Affairs, Quality, Health & Safety and Sustainability at Countdown. For the last five years, she has overseen the supermarket chains’ programmes to reduce emissions, remove plastic bags and manage the health, safety and wellbeing of more than 21,000 staff. Hannifin will join Air New Zealand on December 5.
Air New Zealand is working towards net-zero emissions by 2050, and Hannifin will be driving the changes. CEO Greg Foran says sustainability is the biggest issue facing the airline’s future.
Air New Zealand has had sustainability on its radar since 2015, when the airline signed up to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a set of ten principles covering value systems and a principle-based approach to doing business. The UNGC encompasses best practices in human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption.
Air New Zealand reports annually to the UN on its progress in meeting these principles and also publishes a yearly Sustainability Report, which sets outs how it is meeting the goals identified in its Sustainability Framework.
