Businesses from 12 postcode areas across the South-east can now register their interest in supplying Gatwick - up from six postcode areas - the airport announced today as it published its 2021 Decade of Change sustainability report.

The move is part of Gatwick's new - post-COVID - strategy to ensure the airport's procurement and supply chain spending better targets businesses based in the region - thereby supporting a thriving local economy. The initiative also drives VINCI Airports' efforts to positively contribute to the prosperity of the regions served by airports in its network.

Expanding the airport's Supplier Registration scheme means considerably more small and medium-sized businesses located in the qualifying postcode areas can now benefit from airport spending - which totalled GBP113.7 million across the region pre-pandemic (2019) and GBP48.9 million last year (2021). The new areas were selected following roundtable feedback from key regional stakeholders:

New postcode areas

PO (Portsmouth, Isle of Wight area)

ME (Medway area)

CT (Canterbury area)

BR (Bromley area)

SM (Sutton area)

DA (Dartford area)

Existing postcode areas

RH (Redhill/ Crawley area)

BN (Brighton area)

GU (Guildford area)

TN (Tunbridge Wells area)

KT (Kingston upon Thames area)

CR (Croydon area)

Gatwick's extensive supply chains support its construction, facilities management, IT, workwear, utilities, distribution, and HR services, among many other business activities.

The airport has also improved its spending in the local RH postcode closest to the airport, with 18% (GBP32.2 million) of the airport's total spend (GBP175.2 million) benefiting suppliers in this region in 2021, compared to 11% (GBP25.8 million) in 2020.

The airport launched its Supplier Registration scheme in November last year and local businesses can register their interest in working with Gatwick as a supplier and sign up to future newsletters, via a simple form on the airport's website

Stewart Wingate, CEO, Gatwick Airport, said: 'Doing what we can to support a thriving local economy is an objective we all share in the VINCI Airports network. Our ambitions purposely cover a wide range of issues that together mean our airports can operate and grow sustainably while limiting their impact on the environment as well as supporting its local communities, local economy and our workforce.

'Sustainability objectives integrated across Gatwick Airport's entire business, including in our business plans and governance systems at the highest level. We know there will be difficult challenges ahead, but the results achieved so far give us confidence that we can realise our sustainability goals over the next decade.'

Gatwick's sustainability policy feeds into VINCI Airport's consistent strategy, which is applicable across the groups diversified network of 50 airports in 11 countries, which works globally with 300 partner airlines.

Gatwick's latest 'Decade of Change' policy tracks the airport's progress against ten goals set over a ten-year period (2021 to 2030). The report published today is the first time the airport has reported on its latest ten-year policy and looks back at the airport's performance for 2021.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, results under each topic area include:

Local Economy

GBP48.9 million spend in regional supply chain

Opportunity and Accessibility

Set ambition for 40% of leadership team to be female by end of 2026

Workplace Safety

Local

Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents Gold award for 9th year in row

Communities

Supporting our charity partners Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust charity (SASH) and Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex for two extra years

Noise

58% of flights flown by the quietest aircraft

Airport Emissions

99.6% of electricity from renewable sources

Aircraft/ Surface Access Emissions

45% of flights by cleanest available aircraft (ICAO 8 Standard)

Water

Across 18 test sites, 2,460 individual laboratory tests successfully completed

Zero Waste

Zero untreated waste to landfill for sixth consecutive year

Biodiversity

Wildlife Trust's Biodiversity Benchmark Award for the 8th consecutive year

The full 2021 Decade of Change report can be found here.

About Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is the UK's second largest airport and flies a range of both short and long-haul point-to-point services. The airport is a vital piece of the UK's national infrastructure and is also a major driver for both the regional and national economies. In 2019, a new long-term partnership was formed with VINCI Airports which purchased a 50.01% stake in the airport.

About VINCI Airports

The world's leading private airport operator, VINCI Airports operates 53 airports in 12 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Thanks to its expertise as a global integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and manages airports by providing its investment capacity and its know-how in optimizing operational performance, modernizing infrastructures and managing their operations. environmental transition. VINCI Airports is the first airport operator to have committed to an international environmental strategy in 2016, to achieve the goal of net zero emissions across its entire network by 2050.

For more information:

www.vinci-airports.com

@VINCIAirports

www.linkedin.com/company/vinci-airports

About Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)

GIP manages the remaining 49.99% interest in Gatwick, is an independent infrastructure investor that makes equity investments in high quality infrastructure assets in the energy, transport and water/waste sectors. GIP has US$68 billion of Assets under Management. Its 41 portfolio companies operate in over 51 countries with more than 67,000 employees and generate annual revenues of circa US$51 billion. For more information on GIP please visit http://global-infra.com

(C) 2022 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire