In the airline industry, sustainability is naturally associated with lofty (and sometimes overwhelming) projects and goals to decarbonize such an energy intensive business by addressing our largest environmental impact: fossil fuel emissions. But sustainability is much more than that. Around 2017 - before Hawaiian Airlines began signing multimillion-dollar Sustainable Aviation Fuel contracts, setting hard goals to source more local food and phase out single-use plastics from our cabins, and publishing our annual #ESG reports - I joined a handful of colleagues to form a volunteer employee sustainability group. Our first big accomplishment was to eliminate disposable coffee cups, plastic lids and cream stirrers from our office break rooms while encouraging the use of reusable mugs. Looking back, it now feels like a trivial feat, but there was resistance and it took effort, including a coffee mug contest. Since then, we have grown to well over 100 members who have planted trees, organized trash pick-up walks and field trips to learn about city landfills and recycling challenges, and hosted educational events about energy conservation and the threat of a warming and rising ocean to our homes and islands. Yesterday, we loaded a minivan and a pick-up truck with toys donated by our children to keiki living in a supportive housing community for formerly homeless households. While none of these activities will solve climate change, they help us understand what sustainability means, and establish habits and a mindset to succeed in our efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. #sustainability #airlines
Making spirits bright while diverting hundreds of new and gently used toys from our landfills. So proud of our Hawaiian Airlines ‘Ohana for sharing their aloha with the families at Kahauiki Village in our first New and Used Toy Drive. It was personally heartwarming to see my kids excited to share some of their beloved toys with families less fortunate, knowing it will make other kids as happy as it has made them. What a great way to end the year!
