For business aircraft operators, the benefits of sustainability can extend beyond just having a smaller environmental footprint, Clay Lacy Aviation senior v-p of development and sustainability Scott Cutshall said yesterday at AIN’s Building a Sustainable Flight Department forum. In fact, the aircraft charter, management, MRO, and FBO company is starting to see a competitive advantage in the marketplace because of its sustainability efforts, not to mention that it is also helping to attract employees in a tight labor market, according to Cutshall.
“We’re starting to see interest in sustainability from potential customers,” he said. “Some of them have started asking if we have a sustainability plan in place. When we answer yes, many drill down even deeper by asking how we can reduce their Scope 3 (indirect) emissions. So it really is becoming a competitive advantage for us.”
Meanwhile, Cutshall said, “Don’t underestimate what employees think about sustainability.” As an example, a new-hire Gen Z employee said recently told Clay Lacy’s HR department in a routine one-month onboarding interview that the main reason they were attracted to the company was due to its sustainability program. “So it is having an impact beyond decreasing our emissions,” he added.
Cutshall also stressed that sustainability doesn’t need to come at the expense of economic viability. “Clay Lacy is proof that you can be both sustainable and profitable,” he concluded.