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Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Reporting for Large US Airports

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  • Sarah Hubbard

    (School of Aviation and Transportation Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA)

Abstract

This paper provides a novel approach to airport sustainability with a comparative analysis of frameworks presented by Airports Council International (ACI) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), a case study on environmental social governance (ESG) reporting for large US airports, a historical perspective and discussion regarding legal considerations, and sustainability metrics. Airport sustainability reporting provides numerous advantages, including enhanced transparency and accountability, and it also supports risk management, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, risk management, community engagement, and investor relations. There are 30 large hub airports in the US, and each one of these publishes information on sustainability, which may consist of a sustainability report, reports on sustainability related topics, or website information. Eight of these large US airports publish an ESG report. ESG reports are of increasing interest due to their use internationally and due to the role of ESG reports in investment decisions. This paper presents an analysis of the information contained in ESG reports published by US airports and compares the frame of reference used by airports that utilize UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their reporting. Case studies of ESG reports for Salt Lake City and Dallas Fort Worth Airports are presented to illustrate ESG reports, and the use of the SDG identified in these reports is compared the framework identified by Airports Council International (ACI) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). The discussion of airport ESG reporting provides a thorough and contextual review of the topic and examines how this framework may evolve to address the increasing interest in ESG reporting for US airports. The information provided may be used by airports to improve their sustainability reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Hubbard, 2025. "Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Reporting for Large US Airports," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-54, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:4832-:d:1663637
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Haniffa, R.M. & Cooke, T.E., 2005. "The impact of culture and governance on corporate social reporting," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 391-430.
    2. Ricardo Jorge Raimundo & Maria Emilia Baltazar & Sandra P. Cruz, 2023. "Sustainability in the Airports Ecosystem: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-18, August.
    3. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    4. Xibei Jia & Rosário Macário & Sven Buyle, 2023. "Expanding Horizons: A Review of Sustainability Evaluation Methodologies in the Airport Sector and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-17, July.
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