June 2024
Green Business Partner Program Launches
America’s Friendliest Airport® recently launched the Green Business Partner Program, which recognizes airport businesses and partners for their sustainable efforts that align with the airport’s Sustainability Management Plan. The sustainability focus areas for the airport are efficiency measures, waste reduction strategies, responsible sourcing practices, water conservation efforts, and community engagement.
Aviation Director Chad Makovsky recognized the following airport businesses and partners for participation in the soft launch of the program and specific achievements in sustainability:
- Blanco Tacos & Tequila for demonstrating their commitment to community development in their food donation program to the United Services Organization (USO) at PHX. The restaurant is also an active participant in the airport-wide food waste collection program, that transforms food waste into nutrient-rich compost.
- Paradies Lagardère for prioritizing the sourcing of sustainable materials such as electronics made and packaged from recycled materials. Paradies Lagardère is also phasing out plastic bags and minimizing physical paper receipts.
- Southwest Airlines for electrifying 93% of their equipment used when servicing aircraft at the gates. Because of this, Southwest Airlines continues to improve air quality conditions for employees, while significantly reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Southwest Airlines also recently expanded into a brand new 90,000-square-foot maintenance hangar at Phoenix Sky Harbor, earning a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
Read more about the Green Business Partner Program and the airport's sustainability outreach efforts.
Pictured at top from left: Dan Brownlee, General Manager Southwest Airlines Phoenix Sky Harbor; Ian Wood, Senior Director of Operations Blanco Tacos & Tequila (HMS Host); Navin Sharma, General Manager Paradies Lagardère.